Smoked Beef Brisket

The brisket will have a top meaty side and a bottom with varying thickness of fat layer. 

Trim the fat all around the brisket to about 3/8 of an inch thickness. This will allow more even smoking and therefore more uniform flavor throughout.

It is important to keep the brisket from drying out while smoking. The Smoke Vault has a water tray above the smoke tray that helps prevent drying out. 

Mesquite and Hickory woodchips produce a strong smoky flavor but I prefer a milder flavor provided by cherry wood chips.

When the temperature reaches approximately 200 degrees internally and throughout the brisket, remove from smoker and wrap tightly in foil. Then wrap in a towel and place in a cooler for 1-2 hours to rest until it is served.

Slice the brisket across the grain and save the juice from the foil wrap. Use the juice for a gravy on the brisket. 

Packer Brisket (14-18 lbs.)

Flat Brisket (7-10 lbs.) 

225-250 degrees F

225-250 degrees F

12-18 hrs

8-10 hrs

• Don't overcook! - Check temperature 
• Wrap in foil or butcher paper after temp reaches 170 degrees and 5 hrs of smoking. 
• Brisket should be refrigerator cold before putting into smoker
• Brisket should rest and wrapped for a minimum of one hour after removal from smoker
• Slice brisket across the grain to serve.

• Hickory            strong flavor     
• Oak                  strong
• Mesquite          strong
• Walnut              strong
• Cherry              mild
• Pecan               mild

Use about 4 - 5 cups of wood chips over the first 5 hours of smoking where the smoke connects with the brisket giving both bark and smoke flavor