Ingredients

• 1 whole packer brisket (12–16 lbs, Prime or Choice grade)
• Salt
• Coarse black pepper (16-mesh ideal)
• Optional: garlic powder, onion powder, paprika for rub variation
• Wood chunks/chips (hickory, oak, or post oak for Texas-style; soak chips if using)
• Hot water (for the pans)
• Optional for wrap: beef broth, tallow, or butter
• Heavy-duty aluminum foil or pink butcher paper

Equipment

• Barrel smoker or Kettle grill (22″ or similar)
• Charcoal briquettes (Kingsford or similar)
• 2 small aluminum foil pans
• Instant-read thermometer (Thermapen or similar)
• Heavy-duty foil
• Cooler + towels for resting

Instructions

1. Prep the Brisket (day before or morning of)
   • Trim excess hard fat, aim for ¼-inch fat cap. Square up edges if desired.
   • Apply simple rub: 50/50 salt and coarse black pepper (about ½ cup total for a 14-lb brisket). Coat generously on all sides.
   • Rest uncovered in fridge 4–12 hours (overnight ideal) for better bark formation.
2. Set Up the Snake Method
   • Arrange briquettes in a semi-circle (snake) 2 briquettes wide and 2 high along half the perimeter of the grill.
   • Place a few wood chunks on top of the briquettes along the snake.
   • Fill 2 small aluminum pans with soaked wood chips/chunks (or dry chunks) and add hot water to one or both pans for extra humidity and temperature stability.
   • Place the pans directly in between the briquettes near the start and middle of the snake for steady smoke.
   • On a barrel smoker you might want to light both ends (left and right) to heat the long space evenly.
   • Light 8–10 briquettes in a chimney. Once fully lit, place them at one end of the snake to start the slow burn.
3. Start the Cook
   • Place brisket on the grate fat side up or down (both work; fat up renders into meat, fat down shields from heat).
   • Position it in the center, away from the snake.
   • Close lid, adjust vents to hold 225–250°F (bottom vent ¼–½ open, top vent half open).
   • No need to flip or rotate unless one side gets noticeably hotter.
4. Smoke Unwrapped (Bark Building Phase)
   • Cook unwrapped for first 5–7 hours or until bark is deep mahogany and internal temp hits ~160–175°F.
   • Expect the stall around 150–170°F. Keep lid closed as much as possible.
   • Add more wood/hot water to pans if smoke or moisture dies down.
5. Wrap (Texas Crutch)
   • When bark looks perfect, wrap tightly in heavy-duty foil or butcher paper.
   • Optional: Add ¼ cup beef broth or a few pats of butter/tallow inside wrap.
   • Return to grill and continue cooking at 225–250°F.
6. Finish the Cook
   • Cook wrapped until internal temp reaches 195–205°F in the thickest part of the flat.
   • Most important: Probe for tenderness — thermometer should slide in like soft butter with almost no resistance.
   • Total cook time: ~1–1.5 hours per pound.
7. Rest
   • Leave wrapped (or double-wrap).
   • Place in a dry cooler wrapped in towels.
   • Rest minimum 1 hour, ideally 2–4 hours (it will stay hot for 5+ hours).
8. Slice & Serve
   • Unwrap, separate point from flat if desired.
   • Slice against the grain — flat one direction, point the other.
   • Serve with burnt ends from the point if you cube and sauce them.

Tips for Success

• Monitor grate-level temp, not just lid thermometer.
• Thin blue smoke is ideal — white smoke means dirty fire.
• Using hot water in the pans helps stabilize temperature and keeps the environment moist for juicier results.
• If temp spikes, close vents. If too low, open slightly or add a few lit briquettes.
• This method gives competition-level bark and juiciness on a simple kettle.

Next day tip:

Toast some bread and make sandwiches with thin slices of cold brisket, topped with ioli mayonnaise or chimichurry.

Enjoy.