If You Can, Buy a Brisket that’s 10-13 lbs and USDA Choice+
This way when you go to trim you’ll take away 1-2 lbs at most and the brisket will fit on the kettle.
The reason for Choice+ is so that the flat doesn’t dry out – look for the striations or “marbling” like below.
If You Bought the Meat Refrigerated, Pop Into the Freezer for 30-60 Minutes
This makes trimming far easier as warm fat is harder to trim – it’ll smear and is a pain.
Similarly, if you bought it frozen, thaw in your refrigerator but leave slightly frozen.
Trim and Shape the Meat
The overall goal is to:
- Remove hard fat that won’t render
- Trim fat cap down to around 1/4-1/2″ fat cap
- Make the flat muscle the same thickness so it doesn’t dry out
- Shape the meat so it fits on the kettle
I have a more in-depth article to this process, found here.
Seasoning the Brisket
This recipe uses, per side:
- 1 Tbsp of Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt
- 1 Tbsp 16 Mesh Black Pepper
- 1 Tbsp of My Copycat Lawry’s*
If you don’t want to make my copycat, use Lawry’s or your favorite seasoned salted.
Setup the Snake Method with Briquettes
This is where I differ from others in terms of charcoal usage because I don’t think the snake burns hot enough to create a clean burning fire – and lots of times people will struggle with white smoke.
Instead of a 2:1 row of briquettes (2 rows on top and 1 row on the bottom), I use 2 rows on bottom, 2 rows in the middle and 1 row on top.
I then light ~20 coals and let the snake burn with the lid off for 15 minutes.
I also use a heat deflector (the Weber Vortex, upside down) in the middle so that the snake goes around the outside – if you don’t have one, use a full water pan in the center.
Then add wood chunks around the perimeter and one to the fire.
The brisket then goes in the middle, point end pointed at the fire, fat cap up, and you close the lid.
Have the exhaust vent the opposite direction of the fire – follow it throughout the cook.
Overall the goal is 225-250F for the smoking portion of the cook.
Allow the Brisket to Smoke Until…
These are general recommendations based on smoking brisket for 15+ years.
From my article on when to wrap:
- After at least 5-6 hours of smoking.
- Thickest part of the flat is 170-180F.
- Bark is dark, like a meteorite.
- The fat is squishy, pillow-y, and tear-able.
Once those things happen, lay out 2 sheets of foil and wrap in a foil boat with the fat cap up.
From here you can transfer to your kitchen oven set to 250F or an electric smoker.
At this point we’re just trying to get to tenderness and we don’t care about smoke – electricity is also far cheaper than charcoal.
You Have 2 Options
(Scroll below to your preference)
- Smoke to Tenderness, Rest for 2 hours, then Eat
- Smoke to Near tenderness, hot hold overnight, eat the next day
If You’re Doing Option 1
Cook the meat till around 195-205F throughout; The probe should glide in and out of the meat with ZERO effort.
Then rest in your kitchen oven (while off) and allow the meat to come down to 145-160F internal before slicing against the grain.
If Option 2
Cook until 190F in the thickest part of the flat.
Then wrap completely with foil and transfer to your electric smoker or kitchen oven without a rest.
I know from testing that my Electric smoker set to 175F will keep the internal temperature of the meat @ 150F (for food safety).
The next day, unwrap the meat, slice and enjoy.
Weber Charcoal Snake Method Brisket
Ingredients
- 12 lb Choice Brisket
Rub PER SIDE
- 1 tbsp Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt
- 1 tbsp 16 Mesh Black Pepper
- 1 tbsp Dylan's Lawry's Copycat OR Your Favorite Seasoned Salt
Instructions
- If you bought the brisket refrigerated, pop into the freezer for 30-60 minutes for trimming – as it's much easier to trim when it's slightly frozen.
- Take the meat out of the packaging, pat dry with a paper towel.
Trim the Meat with the Following in Mind
- Remove hard fat that won't render.Trim fat cap down to around 1/4-1/2" fat cap.Make the flat muscle the same thickness so it doesn't dry out.Shape the meat so it fits on the kettle.If you need a better guide to trimming, scroll up to my linked article.
- Once trimmed, use the listed ingredients PER SIDE and season in layers – so salt first, pepper second, seasoned salt third.1 tbsp Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt, 1 tbsp 16 Mesh Black Pepper, 1 tbsp Dylan's Lawry's Copycat OR Your Favorite Seasoned Salt
Setup the Weber Kettle with a Charcoal Snake
- I prefer a setup of 2:2:1 – so 2 rows of charcoal, another 2 rows and then 1 row on top. I find that this creates a hotter fire and results in cleaner smoke (thin blue).
- Then take around 20-30 briquettes out and light with a charcoal chimney.Return these back to the start of the snake.
- In the center of the snake use either a foil pan filled with water OR something like the Weber vortex. This will work as our heat deflector.
- Then add wood chunks around the perimeter – I used post oak.
- Put the grill grate on the grill and then put the brisket in the center with the fat cap up and the point muscle pointed at the fire.
Checking on the Brisket
- In general, I like my brisket to have: 5-6 hours of smoke. ~170-180F internal at the thicket part of the flat.Bark is dark, like a meteorite.The fat is squishy, pillow-y, and tear-able
- Once all these things happen, take 2 sheets of arms-length foil and put the brisket in the center with the fat cap up.
- Crinkle the foil around the edges of the brisket creating a foil boat.
- Put this in your Kitchen oven, smoker, or in my case electric smoker set to 250F. At this point all we're doing is reaching tenderness and I prefer not to use charcoal to do that – I'd rather use electricity which is cheaper.
You Now Have 2 Options
- 1. Smoke to Tenderness, Rest for 2 hours, then Eat.2. Smoke to Near tenderness, hot hold overnight, eat the next day
If Option 1
- Cook the meat till around 195-205F throughout; The probe should glide in and out of the meat with ZERO effort. Then rest in your kitchen oven (while off) and allow the meat to come down to 145-160F internal before slicing against the grain.
If Option 2
- Cook until 190F in the thickest part of the flat. Then wrap completely with foil and transfer to your electric smoker or kitchen oven without a rest. I know from testing that my Electric smoker set to 175F will keep the internal temperature of the meat @ 150F (for food safety). The next day, unwrap the meat, slice and enjoy.
