I only asked because I am told that a brisket is not as easy as other cooks such as pork butt or ribs or chicken. Maybe I am over thinking it.
There are some key things.
Brisket is only done when it is tender, never by time or temp. It is tender when you can stab ALL OVER with a kabob skewer or something similar and it goes in like butter ALL OVER.
Put your temp probe in the thickest yet centermost part of the FLAT muscle, not the point or anywhere in between.
Check for tenderness of an IT around 198F and if not tender all over come back and check every 2F degree rise until tender ALL OVER.
The thin portion of the FLAT muscle is best trimmed in an oval shape removing the thin meat leaving behind meat that is just about uniform in thickness with the thicker parts of the flat. Repurpose that good flat meat by smoking it and pulling it early or saving it for some other beef dish like stew or for grind.
In a steady 275F smoker, running unwrapped the entire time, and not opening the smoker until temp probe tells you, expect it to cook at about 1hr 10min per pound. Add 4 hours to that time and you will finish on time to eat. So a 10 pound brisket you start like 15.5 hours before you plan to eat. If it comes off 4hrs early then tightly double wrap in foil and then tightly wrap in 3 bath towels and set on the counter. 4 hours later it will be steaming hot ready to slice and serve.
Season with anything as simple as just Salt and Pepper. I prefer SPOG.
Mesquite cannot be beat but go with what you have for wood just use Oak strength and stronger not fruit woods alone.
That should cover the basics. If you do all this stuff then you won't mess it up. The #1 failure issue is due to under estimating the time it takes to make a brisket. It is done when it tells you it is done so estimate time along with temp accordingly :)
