How Long to Smoke a Brisket at 225°F

ByJeff Phillips
17 Comments

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At 225°F (107°C), roughly 1½ hours per pound is a useful starting point for planning a brisket cook, but it is an estimate rather than a deadline. An 8 to 10-pound brisket may take around 12 to 15 hours, and it can take longer, so I would rather have it finished early with time to rest than have everyone waiting while I try to convince a tough brisket to hurry up.

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Why the Same Weight Does Not Mean the Same Cooking Time

Thickness, the shape of the flat, your actual cooking temperature, the weather and whether you wrap the brisket all affect the schedule. Two briskets that weigh the same can finish hours apart, which is why the clock is useful for planning dinner but is a poor way to decide when the meat is done.

I once cooked a 9-pound brisket on a cold, windy night that took 20 hours to finish. That is not what I would promise you for every 9-pound brisket, but it is a good reminder to leave some room in the schedule and measure the heat where the brisket sits rather than trusting a lid thermometer alone.

What About Cooking at 250 or 275°F?

You do not have to cook every brisket at 225°F. Cooking at 250 to 275°F can shorten the cook and still produce excellent brisket, provided you maintain a clean fire and cook the meat until it is tender. If you choose a hotter cooking temperature, do not keep using a time estimate intended for 225°F.

Wrapping once the bark has developed the color and texture you want can also help move the cook along, especially during the stall. Foil generally moves things faster and softens the bark more, while butcher paper gives you a different balance between speed and bark texture.

How to Know It Is Actually Finished

Begin checking tenderness when the brisket reaches the upper 190s. Many briskets finish somewhere around 195 to 205°F (91 to 96°C), but the important test is how a probe feels in the flat. Check several spots, and look for very little resistance rather than taking it off simply because the thermometer reached a particular number.

Plan for at least an hour of resting after the cook, in addition to the cooking time. Finishing early gives you options; pulling it before it is tender because dinner is supposed to be ready usually does not.

More Help With Brisket Timing

Best Temperature for Smoking Brisket explains the tradeoffs between 225, 250 and 275°F, while The Brisket Stall Explained covers what is happening when the temperature stops climbing.

Before you take it off the smoker, read How to Tell When a Brisket Is Done, then follow How to Rest a Brisket Properly to finish the cook. For the complete process, start with my Ultimate Guide to Smoking Brisket.

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17 Comments

  1. Hopefully someone can assist me with this. I purchased a BEAUTIFUL 19 lb Brisket to smoke for a surprise bday party for my cousin. I then realized I need to cut in half to make it fit. I wanted to smoke it at 225. Do I still cook it for the same amount of time as it was whole or do I change the time and what do you suggest for time? 12-16 hours?

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  2. The guy that teaches how to use Traeger smokers talks about putting the fat up, and fat down…and the reasons for doing so. Also how to trim the meat, etc. His name is Matt Pittman (or is that just a joke?) Look him up on YouTube and you’ll learn a LOT

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  4. I have put fat up and down and do not see a difference. I have a WSM 18.5 inch and find the fat cap down stops the direct heat under drying out the brisket. Mopping regularly also helps and of course wrapping at a certain temp also aids in getting a moist, tender brisket.

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  7. I have a 13-lb brisket, which is too large for my electric smoker. Whole, it should cook for 20 hours. I’m going to have to cut in it half. Cooking the two halves together, would my cooking time be halved (9 hours), or what would it be?
    Bigger question — will cutting brisket in half render a tough, dry brisket?

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    1. I did a 12 pounder last week and cut it in half turned out great I put it on at 4 AM by 5 PM it wasn’t ready I had also put ribs in so I finished it off in the oven to be ready by 6 I also inject mine and wrap at 150 With that said it won’t cut the time in half so start early enough you can always put it in an ice chest wrap up in towels if it is ready to early it will stay hot for hours but pull at at 190 if you do cause it will still cook

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  8. i never smoked a brisket before and i have 2 little brisket maybe about 2 pounds each i wanted to start off small before i get a big piece of brisket so how long should i smoke them for thanks

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        1. This is a very personal thing.. I cook both ways and have for decades and can’t really tell much difference but that can also depend on your smoker and how the heat moves through it.

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