My 1st Whole Brisket on the Offset — Lessons in Bark, Smoke & Rest

[drucylatrue]

Hey everybody — long time lurker, first time brisket (whole packer) on the big rig. Wanted to share how it went, what I learned, and get your thoughts on what I could tweak for next time.

---

Details of the Cook:​

Smoker / Fuel / Setup:

• Smoker: 30‑inch horizontal offset, single firebox, with plate for heat diffusion
• Fuel: Hardwood lump charcoal + chunks of oak + hickory chunks
• Water pan used under the grate, about halfway back (to catch drips and stabilize heat)

Meat:

• 13 lb whole packer brisket, purchased locally, trimmed down to ~¼‑inch fat cap
• Flat and point intact, some deckle removed to even thickness where possible

Rub / Prep:

• Trimmed and then seasoned about 2 hours before smoke
• Used a binder (light mustard)
• Rub: coarse salt (Kosher), coarse black pepper, little garlic powder, paprika for color

Smoke / Temperature Management:

• Fire started around 10 a.m. — stabilized smoke by noon at ~225‑235 °F (approx. 107‑113 °C)
• Smoke source: oak / hickory — small chunks added every 45‑60 minutes
• Monitored both internal meat temp and chamber temp; adjusted vents when temp drifted low/high

Wrap & Finish:

• Let bark develop until about 160‑165 °F internal (probe slide test)
• Wrapped in butcher paper at that point (to preserve bark but help through stall)
• After wrapping, temp drifted up to ~250‑260 °F toward finish

Internal Target & Rest:

• Pulled when thickest part of flat hit ~203 °F and probe gave little resistance
• Rested in cooler with towels for about 2 hours before slicing

---

What Worked / What Didn’t:​

What Worked:

1. The bark turned out nicely — crispy and with good smoke ring
2. Smell was excellent — the oak/hickory combo gave a nice flavor without getting overpowering
3. Keeping the temp steady was easier than expected, thanks mostly to the water pan

What Needs Improvement:

1. The flat was a little dry — point was juicy, but flat lost some moisture
2. Might have wrapped a bit too late; the stall dragged on and time stretched out more than I thought
3. Rest wasn’t long enough in retrospect — could have let carryover happen more before slicing

 

[Coreymacc]

What temp did you put it in the cooler at? The 203f? If so, i agree with your assessment, you may have had carryover. Usually let mine rest till they loose about 100 deg, that way they are done cooking, then the hold doesn't keep cooking things. Letting the brisket cool too fast also can give dryness, the meat tends to lock up and the juices can't redistribute. I've struggled with rest and hold procedures for a while. Its the most important step imo

Corey

 

[SmokinEdge]

The flat was a little dry — point was juicy, but flat lost some moisture

Just a thought. Maybe it needed 205 or 208 or 210. Just 2 to 3 degrees can make a huge difference. How do you know? Probe only and use IT as a guide but not absolute.

For the most part a dry flat means not all of the collagen had broken down or melted yet. If you cook a brisket too long it won’t slice but pull apart. Lots of folks don’t realize this and under cook the flat.

 

[1MoreFord]

SmokingEdge has you well covered on what to look for concerning undercooked/overcooked.
I'd suggest in the future you consider moving to burning wood if possible. Offsets the size you have like sticks of wood. If you live near a decent wood source it normally winds up being cheaper than charcoal and chunks.