Here's How Long You Should Smoke Brisket For Best Results

A good piece of smoked brisket should make you forget that it was once a tough cut of beef. It comes from the breast of the cow, giving it a hard texture. With plenty of elbow grease, though, you can transform it into a tender piece of smoked meat. It's a lengthy process, so we spoke to an expert to find out just how long brisket should be smoked for the best results.

It's no easy feat taking brisket from muscly meat to supple, smoked beef. For some pitmasters, it's an all day affair. For Greg Gatlin, James Beard Award finalist for Best Chef and founder of Gatlin's BBQ and Gatlin's Fins and Feathers, it takes a little less time than that. "The ideal time to smoke brisket is between 8 to 12 hours, depending on how hot you are cooking it," he says. Gatlin knows this can be a contentious topic for pitmasters, but ultimately, it's not finite. "This can be argued until the end of time and really depends on your personal preference."

If you prefer your cook your brisket medium rare, or as close as you can get to it, you'll only need to smoke it until it reaches an internal temperature of 131 degrees Fahrenheit. However, the fall-off-the-bone texture that many are striving for comes into play at 200 degrees. There's plenty of space in between to achieve brisket that fits what you like, and, according to Gatlin, how it tastes is most important. "Finding the right balance to impart flavor and lock in moisture is the key," he says.

Like Greg Gatlin mentioned, the amount of time you spend cooking brisket all comes down to what temperature you're smoking it at. To make smoked brisket, keep it at a steady heat of 250 degrees Fahrenheit. The low and slow method allows the meat and fat to break down properly, producing brisket that's tender inside and out.

If you're going to be cooking the meat at that temperature, you can follow the formula of smoking the brisket for 30 to 60 minutes per pound. For a brisket that's 16 pounds, this means it should be ready within around 10 hours. If you're smoking the brisket at a lower temperature of 225 degrees for an even more tender finish, some pitmasters recommend cooking it for closer to 1 ½ to 2 hours per pound.

Of course, you can always forego those guidelines in favor of the timeframe suggested by Gatlin. However, the formula can be beneficial to give you an idea of when brisket is well done, especially if you don't have a meat thermometer. You can also tell when meat is smoked properly by checking for a pecan brown hue and tender texture.