When is the best time to start smoking a beef brisket?

[Larryl]

I've heard that a beef brisket will take 14-16 hours to smoke/bake. I have never done a brisket before and am going to use my Rec-Tec smoker. I'd like to plan on dinner around 6:00 pm, so that would mean starting around 2:00 am the previous morning. Any thoughts from you experienced BBQ experts?

 

[EdP]

From my limited experience, if you have a firm time, give yourself an extra few hours.

If you properly wrap it in a towel and then into a cooler it can sit in there for hours.

 

[SecondHandSmoker]

As a general time guideline only, figure about 1 hour and 15 minutes per lb at 250 degrees.
Of course, other variables will affect the cook time such as wrapped or unwrapped during the stall, thickness of the brisket, weather conditions, etc.

So use the above guideline to give you a ballpark estimate for your starting time.

 

[sandyut]

they are all different, but. I would run it at 275. its a fast cook. I have done mine on my RT-700 at 180 for a couple hours for heavy smoke then 275 till done.

they all have a mind of their own tho - plan lots of extra time. I did a couple 8 pounders in under 8 hours with the above approach. Started around 8am - done about 4. for a bigger one I would just start earlier - for a 12-15 er i would start at 6a thinking done for same day eats....but depends on when it done to probe tender.

 

[sandyut]

this was my last brisket cook

I dont wrap either - if you did it may go faster through the stall. i usually just have more beers.

 

[Blues1]

Allow for more time than you think...always has a way of working like that.

 

[Winterrider]

Welcome, like advised add some extra time. Put on at 10pm and " should " be golden.

 

[flatbroke]

what size brisket

 

[HalfSmoked]

Time and temp are a tried and error effort by many and different smokers react different also. A lot of the suggestions will be just that and personal preference. But allow plenty of time you don't want guess standing there waiting for dinner. Keep a record of how you do and what the time and temp was and how it turned out. So you can adjust the next time.

Warren

 

[chilerelleno]

First off are you cooking a full Packer or just the Flat?
Flats cook quicker because they're generally not as thick, but they take much more care and finesse to bring off tender-n-juicy.
Packers are much easier and forgiving, if you pay attention to them being Probe Tender in the thickest part of the 'Flat'you'll end up with a good brisket.

I think you really need to think about giving the brisket and yourself plenty of leeway, any piece of meat can take much longer than originally planned/allotted for.
And a brisket definitely benefits from a long rest.

Minimum times as I would plan for, I would be allotting an extra 3-4 hours for unforeseen circumstances and resting.

Low-n-Slow 225°-250° allow a minimum 2 hours per pound.
24 hours for a 12lb Packer brisket.

Hot-n-Fast 275°-300° allow a minimum 1.25 hours per pound.
15 hours for a 12lb Packer brisket.

Extreme Hot-n-Fast 375°-400°
This method recommended for only for 15lb and larger Packer briskets.
If you cook Extremely Hot-n-Fast 375°-400° allow a minimum .5 hours per pound.
It should cook much quicker, more like a 3.5-4 hour cook.
But cooking at straight extreme temp means very little smoke flavor.
So I've been cooking 17-18lb briskets (weight after trimming) by giving them 2.5 hours of smoke at 275°-300° and then wrapping and finishing at 375°-400° for an average time of 4.5 hours.
Total time averages 7 hours.

 

[Larryl]

I've heard that a beef brisket will take 14-16 hours to smoke/bake. I have never done a brisket before and am going to use my Rec-Tec smoker. I'd like to plan on dinner around 6:00 pm, so that would mean starting around 2:00 am the previous morning. Any thoughts from you experienced BBQ experts?

I am cooking a flat brisket not the entire thing. I plan on setting my temperature at 240.

 

[tallbm]

I am cooking a flat brisket not the entire thing. I plan on setting my temperature at 240.

Hi there and welcome!

Many u are getting some great info, I especially like Chili's input.

I do full packer briskets naked without ever opening the smoker till the end with a smoker temp of 275F. A brisket is done when it is tender, never by time.
Use a thermometer to tell you when to check for tenderness, I usually check around an Internal Temp (IT) of 200F or so and retest every 1-2 degrees for tenderness until it is tender
Test for tenderness by stabbing all over with a wood/bamboo kabob skewer and when it goes in with no resistance it is tender and therefore done.

So at 275F unwrapped and not opening the smoker my whole packer briskets are done at a little over 1 hr per pound of UNTRIMMED weight. So a 15 pound brisket pre-trimmed weight will take me over 15 hours. Now I add 4 hours of extra time so in a 15 pound brisket example I would start about 19.5 hours before I want to eat.
If the brisket finishes 4 hours early no problem I tighlty double wrap in 2 layers of foil and then tightly wrap in 3 bath towels and set it on the counter and 4 hours later it is piping hot to slice and eat.
If I don't finish 4 hours early then I have that 4 hours of buffer to hopefully finish with plenty of time to eat.

So if I wanted to eat on a 15 pound brisket at noon I would get it in the smoker at 2:30pm the day before and somke it at 275f unwrapped and not open the smoker the whole time until the end for checking for tenderness when the meat thermometer tells me to start checking.

If I was doing only a flat I would probably wrap with foil at about 180-190F and might even add a little liquid (water, broth, old white wine from the fridge) and then pull when tender. Flats can dry and be problematic.

I hope this info helps u out. Let us know what you decide on :)

 

[SecondHandSmoker]

I am cooking a flat brisket not the entire thing. I plan on setting my temperature at 240.

What is the weight and thickness of your flat in the thickest portion?

 

[Larryl]

First off are you cooking a full Packer or just the Flat?
Flats cook quicker because they're generally not as thick, but they take much more care and finesse to bring off tender-n-juicy.
Packers are much easier and forgiving, if you pay attention to them being Probe Tender in the thickest part of the 'Flat'you'll end up with a good brisket.

I think you really need to think about giving the brisket and yourself plenty of leeway, any piece of meat can take much longer than originally planned/allotted for.
And a brisket definitely benefits from a long rest.

Minimum times as I would plan for, I would be allotting an extra 3-4 hours for unforeseen circumstances and resting.

Low-n-Slow 225°-250° allow a minimum 2 hours per pound.
24 hours for a 12lb Packer brisket.

Hot-n-Fast 275°-300° allow a minimum 1.25 hours per pound.
15 hours for a 12lb Packer brisket.

Extreme Hot-n-Fast 375°-400°
This method recommended for only for 15lb and larger Packer briskets.
If you cook Extremely Hot-n-Fast 375°-400° allow a minimum .5 hours per pound.
It should cook much quicker, more like a 3.5-4 hour cook.
But cooking at straight extreme temp means very little smoke flavor.
So I've been cooking 17-18lb briskets (weight after trimming) by giving them 2.5 hours of smoke at 275°-300° and then wrapping and finishing at 375°-400° for an average time of 4.5 hours.
Total time averages 7 hours.

Thanks for all the input. This is good stuff!!!

Hi there and welcome!

Many u are getting some great info, I especially like Chili's input.

I do full packer briskets naked without ever opening the smoker till the end with a smoker temp of 275F. A brisket is done when it is tender, never by time.
Use a thermometer to tell you when to check for tenderness, I usually check around an Internal Temp (IT) of 200F or so and retest every 1-2 degrees for tenderness until it is tender
Test for tenderness by stabbing all over with a wood/bamboo kabob skewer and when it goes in with no resistance it is tender and therefore done.

So at 275F unwrapped and not opening the smoker my whole packer briskets are done at a little over 1 hr per pound of UNTRIMMED weight. So a 15 pound brisket pre-trimmed weight will take me over 15 hours. Now I add 4 hours of extra time so in a 15 pound brisket example I would start about 19.5 hours before I want to eat.
If the brisket finishes 4 hours early no problem I tighlty double wrap in 2 layers of foil and then tightly wrap in 3 bath towels and set it on the counter and 4 hours later it is piping hot to slice and eat.
If I don't finish 4 hours early then I have that 4 hours of buffer to hopefully finish with plenty of time to eat.

So if I wanted to eat on a 15 pound brisket at noon I would get it in the smoker at 2:30pm the day before and somke it at 275f unwrapped and not open the smoker the whole time until the end for checking for tenderness when the meat thermometer tells me to start checking.

If I was doing only a flat I would probably wrap with foil at about 180-190F and might even add a little liquid (water, broth, old white wine from the fridge) and then pull when tender. Flats can dry and be problematic.

I hope this info helps u out. Let us know what you decide on :)

Thank you very much. This is very useful information!!!

 

[Larryl]

they are all different, but. I would run it at 275. its a fast cook. I have done mine on my RT-700 at 180 for a couple hours for heavy smoke then 275 till done.

they all have a mind of their own tho - plan lots of extra time. I did a couple 8 pounders in under 8 hours with the above approach. Started around 8am - done about 4. for a bigger one I would just start earlier - for a 12-15 er i would start at 6a thinking done for same day eats....but depends on when it done to probe tender.

That's good advice. I have an RT-700 as well. Thank you!