How To Expertly Smoke Brisket And Ribs Together At Your Next Cookout

Spend any amount of time smoking anything, and you know time management is crucial, especially with meats like brisket and ribs. So we spoke to Aaron Franklin, pitmaster extraordinaire and owner of Franklin Barbecue, to get his tips on how to do it best. "Brisket and pork ribs have wildly different cooking needs," Franklin explains. "If I had to cook both at the same time, I would place the briskets closer to the smokestack on an offset [smoker] and just worry about making the briskets perfect."

It's no easy feat to have both meats turn out exactly the way you want them to; inevitably you have to choose a preference. This may sound like a difficult choice, but Aaron Franklin makes it simple: "Let the ribs take the back seat." To accomplish this, he and his team cook the briskets earlier in order to get them off the cookers so there's room for the ribs. "This allows ample rest time for briskets and no compromises for pork ribs," he points out. It's the most efficient way to create a win-win situation if you don't have a grill large enough to smoke both meats together. "Mixing multiple meats is much easier on a large cooker," explains Franklin, "but if you are limited on grill space, as we are at Franklin BBQ, separate the cooks!"

If you don't have an offset smoker, use your grill to smoke brisket and ribs together. The magic temperature you're shooting for is 225 degrees Fahrenheit, notes Aaron Franklin, and by keeping unlit charcoal next to hot coals, you can maintain this low heat for hours as the hot coals slowly ignite the others. For the smoke, keep adding wood chips while the brisket cooks for 9 to 12 hours. Add the ribs during the last six hours of the brisket's cook time at your desired temperature. While the real reason you need a meat thermometer isn't all about barbecue, having a reliable one on hand is key. For fall-off-the bone ribs, 230 to 240 degrees Fahrenheit is your target; for a tender chew, keep it at 225 degrees.

Factoring in rest time, you'll need to start the smoking process about 15 hours before you want to serve the brisket and ribs. Yep, it takes that long, but it's so worth it. Smoked brisket takes at least an hour to settle, but two hours is the reported sweet spot. Ribs only need about 20 minutes to rest. Smoke your preferred style using the 3-2-1 barbecue method for unbelievably tender pork ribs, and you'll be all set. This method works well for beef ribs, too.

For a once-in-a-lifetime "meat and greet" like no other, you can join the pitmaster in February 2025 at his master class with Francis Mallman called "Smoke and Fire," which will be held in Mendoza, Argentina.