How to Smoke a Brisket (Your Half Cow Came with One)
Somewhere in your freezer there's an 8-12 lb packer brisket. It's the single most intimidating piece of meat in your half cow order — and the most rewarding when you get it right.
14 min read
Tom has been buying half and whole cows from local farms for his own family since 2009. He spent 15 years working with small-scale cattle operations and now helps families find and evaluate farm-direct beef suppliers through Half a Cow Club's directory of 1,200+ producers.
Quick Answer
Smoke a brisket at 225°F for 1-1.5 hours per pound. A 12 lb packer brisket takes 12-18 hours. The internal temperature target is 195-205°F, but feel matters more — the probe should slide in with zero resistance.
The Texas rub is just salt and pepper in equal parts. No sauce needed. Wrap in butcher paper when it hits the stall (around 160°F) to push through faster while keeping the bark intact. Rest at least 1 hour before slicing.
What Is a Packer Brisket?
A packer brisket is the whole, untrimmed brisket — both the flat and the point, connected by a layer of fat. It weighs 8-16 lbs (yours from a half cow will be 8-12 lbs typically). This is what competition pitmasters smoke and what Texas BBQ joints use.
When you filled out your cut sheet, you may have requested the brisket whole (packer), separated into flat and point, or ground into hamburger. If you got a packer, you're in the right place.
You only get one. Each side of the animal has one brisket. Your half cow came with a single packer. This makes brisket day feel like an event — because it is. Plan for it, clear your schedule, and feed a crowd.
Brisket Flat vs Point
The packer brisket is two muscles separated by a thick fat layer. Understanding them is the key to consistent results.
The Flat
- • The larger, leaner, thinner muscle
- • Lies on the bottom of the packer
- • More uniform shape — easier to slice
- • Dries out faster — more prone to overcooking
- • This is what you see in sliced brisket photos
The Point
- • Smaller, fattier, thicker muscle
- • Sits on top of the flat
- • More marbling = more flavor, more forgiving
- • Irregular shape — harder to slice uniformly
- • Makes incredible burnt ends when cubed
The challenge: The flat finishes cooking before the point because it's thinner and leaner. This is why resting is so important — it lets the temperatures equalize and the juices redistribute from the fattier point into the leaner flat.
Brisket Rub Recipe
The Central Texas tradition is 50/50 coarse black pepper and kosher salt — nothing else. The smoke and the meat do the talking. That said, there are variations worth trying.
Texas-Style Dalmatian Rub (the classic)
- • 1/2 cup coarse black pepper (16-mesh grind is ideal)
- • 1/2 cup kosher salt (Diamond Crystal — if using Morton's, use 1/3 cup)
Mix together. Apply generously — the bark needs a thick coating. The pepper mellows during the 12+ hour cook.
Enhanced Rub (more complexity)
- • 1/2 cup coarse black pepper
- • 1/3 cup kosher salt
- • 2 tbsp granulated garlic
- • 1 tbsp onion powder
- • 1 tsp cayenne (optional)
Apply the night before and refrigerate uncovered. The salt will penetrate deeper and the surface will dry out for a better bark.
How Long to Smoke a Brisket
The honest answer: it depends. Plan 1 to 1.5 hours per pound at 225°F, but the stall (see below) can add hours. It's done when it's done — not when the clock says so.
| Brisket Weight | At 225°F | At 250°F | At 275°F (hot & fast) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 lbs | 10-14 hrs | 8-12 hrs | 6-9 hrs |
| 10 lbs | 12-16 hrs | 10-14 hrs | 8-11 hrs |
| 12 lbs | 14-18 hrs | 12-16 hrs | 10-13 hrs |
| 14 lbs | 16-20 hrs | 14-18 hrs | 11-15 hrs |
Plan early, not late. A brisket that finishes 3 hours early can rest happily in a cooler wrapped in towels — it'll actually be better for the extra rest. A brisket that's not done when guests arrive is a disaster. Start at midnight for a 6pm dinner.
Internal Temp for Brisket
The target internal temperature for brisket is 195-205°F — much higher than steaks. At this temperature, the collagen in the connective tissue has fully broken down into gelatin, which is what makes brisket tender and juicy instead of tough and chewy.
| Internal Temp | What's Happening | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 150-170°F | The stall — evaporative cooling plateaus the temp | Keep going |
| 180°F | Collagen beginning to break down | Not yet |
| 195°F | Collagen converting to gelatin, start probe testing | Getting close |
| 200-203°F | Most briskets are probe-tender here | Target zone |
| 210°F+ | Overcooked — the flat is likely dry | Too far |
Temperature is a guide, not a target. The real test is the “probe test” — insert a thermometer probe or skewer into the thickest part of the flat. If it slides in with no resistance (like poking warm butter), the brisket is done. Some briskets are done at 195°F, others need 205°F. The connective tissue content varies by animal.
The Stall — What It Is and How to Push Through
Somewhere around 150-170°F, the internal temperature of your brisket will stop rising — sometimes for 4-6 hours. This is the stall, and it's the reason first-time brisket cooks panic.
What's happening
The meat is sweating. As moisture evaporates from the surface, it cools the brisket at the same rate the smoker is heating it. It's the same principle as sweating cooling your body. The stall ends when the surface dries out enough that evaporative cooling can no longer keep up with the heat.
Option 1: Wait It Out
The purist approach. Don't touch anything. The stall ends on its own after 2-6 hours. You'll get the best bark this way because the surface dries out completely. This is what most Texas BBQ restaurants do.
Option 2: Wrap (Texas Crutch)
Wrap the brisket tightly in butcher paper (or foil) at 160-170°F. This traps moisture and stops evaporative cooling, pushing through the stall 2-3 hours faster. Butcher paper preserves more bark than foil.
How to Slice Brisket
This is where most home cooks ruin an otherwise great brisket. The grain direction changes between the flat and point, so you need to separate them and slice each one differently.
Step by Step
- Place the brisket fat-side up on a large cutting board
- Find the fat seam between the flat and point — it runs roughly through the middle
- Separate the two muscles by cutting along the fat seam with a long knife
- Slice the flat against the grain into pencil-thick slices (about 1/4 inch). The grain runs lengthwise
- Slice the point against its grain (which runs perpendicular to the flat's grain) or cube it for burnt ends
- Test your slice: pick up a piece by one end. If it bends and almost breaks under its own weight, the thickness is right
The number one mistake: Slicing too thick. Thick slices of brisket are chewy no matter how well you cooked it. Slice thin and let the tender texture speak for itself. Use a long, sharp slicing knife — serrated works but smooth is better.
Texas Style Brisket
Texas-style brisket is defined by simplicity: salt, pepper, post oak smoke, and time. No sauce, no injection, no complicated rub. The philosophy is that good beef and clean smoke don't need anything else — and when you're smoking a brisket from a locally raised half cow, the beef quality is already there.
The Texas Method Summary
- 1.Trim: Fat cap to 1/4 inch. Remove hard fat pockets and silver skin. Square off thin edges (they'll burn)
- 2.Season: 50/50 coarse pepper and kosher salt, applied thick
- 3.Smoke: 225-250°F with post oak. Fat-side up or down (debate rages, but up protects the flat from direct heat)
- 4.Wrap: In pink butcher paper at 165-170°F (optional but recommended for your first time)
- 5.Pull: When probe-tender (usually 200-203°F internal)
- 6.Rest: Wrapped in paper and a towel, in a cooler, for 1-4 hours
- 7.Slice and serve: No sauce on the side. If the brisket needs sauce, something went wrong
Monitor Your Cook
A 12-hour smoke is too long to babysit. A WiFi thermometer lets you track both the smoker temp and the brisket's internal temp from your phone — and alerts you when it hits target.
GoveeLife Smart WiFi Freezer Thermometer
WiFi alerts if temp rises — peace of mind for $500+ of beef
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I smoke a brisket on a regular charcoal grill?
Yes, but it's harder to maintain consistent low temps. Set up a two-zone fire with coals on one side and the brisket on the other. Use a water pan for moisture and add a few wood chunks every 45 minutes. The main challenge is maintaining 225°F for 10+ hours — you'll need to add charcoal every 1-2 hours. A kettle grill works, but a dedicated smoker makes it much easier.
Should I wrap my brisket?
Wrapping (the "Texas crutch") speeds up cooking by 2-3 hours and keeps the brisket moist, but it softens the bark. Butcher paper is the best compromise — it breathes enough to preserve bark while retaining moisture. Foil is faster but produces a softer, pot-roast-like texture. Unwrapped produces the best bark but risks drying out. Most competition pitmasters wrap in paper.
How much brisket per person should I plan?
Plan 1 pound of raw brisket per person. A whole packer loses about 40% of its weight during smoking (moisture evaporation and fat rendering). So a 12 lb packer yields roughly 7 lbs of cooked meat — enough for 7-8 people. Leftovers make incredible sandwiches, tacos, and chili.
What wood is best for brisket?
Post oak is the Texas standard — mild, consistent, and hard to over-smoke with. Hickory is stronger and more traditional for Kansas City style. Mesquite is intense and can turn bitter if overused. Cherry or apple add a subtle sweetness. For your first brisket, stick with oak or a 50/50 oak-hickory mix.
My brisket came out dry. What went wrong?
Three likely causes: (1) You cooked to temperature instead of feel — some briskets need to hit 205°F, others are done at 195°F. The probe should slide in like butter. (2) You didn't rest long enough — brisket needs at least 1 hour, ideally 2-4 hours wrapped in a cooler. (3) The flat was too lean — next time, leave more fat cap on or select a packer with better marbling.
Steak Temperature & Doneness Chart
Related Guides
Related Calculators
Sources & Methodology
- Texas A&M Meat Science - Brisket Cooking and Collagen Conversion
- AmazingRibs.com - The Science of the Stall
- Franklin Barbecue - Franklin Barbecue: A Meat-Smoking Manifesto
- USDA Food Safety - Safe Minimum Internal Temperature Chart
- Half a Cow Club supplier directory - 1,200+ verified listings
Ready for your next cut?
Now that the brisket is done, grab some steaks from the freezer.