{"id":1975,"date":"2021-01-24T22:58:41","date_gmt":"2021-01-24T14:58:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.meatsmokinghq.com\/?p=1975"},"modified":"2022-12-24T22:15:07","modified_gmt":"2022-12-24T14:15:07","slug":"how-to-smoke-brisket-on-a-weber-kettle-in-15-steps","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.meatsmokinghq.com\/how-to-smoke-brisket-on-a-weber-kettle-in-15-steps\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Smoke a Brisket on a Weber Kettle – 15 Easy Steps"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Cooking a brisket on a Weber Kettle grill requires some planning and patience, but it’s not overly complicated. Kettle grills are versatile and can be used for grilling, roasting, and smoking meat. Smoking a brisket takes some time, regardless of the type of grill or method you use. To make the process easier to understand, we’ve broken it down into 15 steps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To smoke a brisket in a Weber Kettle grill, choose a high-quality brisket with good marbling and trim excess fat, leaving a thin layer of 1\/4 inch fat on top. Dry brine the brisket using kosher salt and optionally inject it with liquid for added flavor and moisture. Apply a brisket rub and preheat the grill to 225-250\u00b0F. Smoke the brisket for 6-8 hours or until it reaches an internal temperature of 165\u00b0F, then wrap it in foil or butcher paper and continue cooking until it reaches an internal temperature of 205-210\u00b0F.<\/strong> Let the brisket rest for at least 30 minutes, slice against the grain, and serve with optional BBQ sauce or other condiments. To achieve a crispy crust, place the sliced brisket back on the grill for a few minutes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Brisket In A Weber Kettle – Step-By-Step<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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Step<\/th>Description<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
1<\/td>Choose a high-quality brisket with good marbling<\/td><\/tr>
2<\/td>Trim excess fat off the brisket, leaving a thin layer of 1\/4 inch fat on top<\/td><\/tr>
3<\/td>Dry brine the brisket with kosher salt<\/td><\/tr>
4<\/td>Optional: inject the brisket with liquid for added flavor and moisture<\/td><\/tr>
5<\/td>Apply a generous layer of brisket rub to form the bark<\/td><\/tr>
6<\/td>Preheat the Weber Kettle grill to 225-250\u00b0F<\/td><\/tr>
7<\/td>Smoke the brisket for 6-8 hours or until it reaches an internal temperature of 165\u00b0F<\/td><\/tr>
8<\/td>Wrap the brisket in foil or butcher paper and continue cooking until it reaches an internal temperature of 205-210\u00b0F<\/td><\/tr>
9<\/td>Let the brisket rest for at least 30 minutes<\/td><\/tr>
10<\/td>Slice the brisket against the grain and serve with optional BBQ sauce or other condiments<\/td><\/tr>
11<\/td>Optional: place the sliced brisket back on the grill to crisp up the edges<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

How To Set Up Your Kettle For Smoking Brisket<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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Temperature<\/th>Long, Low & Slow<\/th>Hot Coals<\/th>Fuel Supply<\/th>Kettle Stabilization Time<\/th>Cook Time<\/th>Top Vent Setting<\/th>Bottom Vent Setting<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
225-250\u00b0F<\/td>Yes<\/td>5-6<\/td>130 briquettes<\/td>20-30 minutes<\/td>10-12 hours<\/td>1\/8 to 1\/4 open<\/td>1\/8 to 1\/4 open<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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Key Points<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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  1. Choose a high-quality brisket with good marbling, as this will result in a tender, juicy final product.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Trim excess fat off the brisket, leaving a thin layer of 1\/4 inch fat on top to form a bark.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Dry brine the brisket using kosher salt to add flavor and moisture.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. Inject the brisket with liquid (such as bone broth, beer, or stock) to add flavor and moisture. This step is optional.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  5. Apply a generous layer of brisket rub to form the bark.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  6. Preheat the Weber Kettle grill to 225-250\u00b0F.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  7. Place the brisket on the grill, fat side up, and smoke for 6-8 hours, or until the internal temperature reaches 165\u00b0F.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  8. Wrap the brisket in foil or butcher paper and return it to the grill.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  9. Continue cooking until the internal temperature reaches 205-210\u00b0F, which should take another 3-4 hours.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  10. Remove the brisket from the grill and let it rest for at least 30 minutes.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  11. Slice the brisket against the grain and serve.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  12. Optional: To achieve a crispy crust, place the sliced brisket back on the grill for a few minutes to crisp up the edges.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  13. Optional: Add BBQ sauce or other desired condiments.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    1. Select The Best Brisket You Can Afford<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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    Selecting quality beef is one of the most important steps if you want a tender, juicy brisket. You can get everything else right from the wrapping to the spritzing, but if you choose a dud brisket, there\u2019s a good chance it will turn out dry no matter what you do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    When choosing a brisket, the first thing you should look for is good marbling (the fatty streaks in the meat). If there is a lot of marbling, then you will increase your chances of smoking the perfect brisket. When a brisket has a high marbling score, the fat will melt and render into the meat if it\u2019s cooked low-and-slow. Without the marbling, the meat will probably turn out dry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    A whole brisket is known as a packer brisket and contains a point and a flat. The point is the thickest part, and the flat is the thinner end of the brisket. You can buy the point and flat separately or buy whole packer brisket.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    2. Trim Your Brisket, Leaving 1\/4 Inch of Fat<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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    Try not to buy a brisket that has too much fat on the top layer, because most of the fat will need to be removed. If the brisket has too much fat, the smoke won\u2019t be able to penetrate the meat and a bark won\u2019t form. Trim most of the fat off the brisket, but leave a thin 1\/4-inch layer of fat on the cap. The remaining fat will work with the rub and form a bark, and shield the meat from the hottest part of the smoker.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    3. Dry Brine Brisket For Extra Moisture and Flavor <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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    Dry brining is the best way to brine your brisket before smoking. Wet brines work well with other cuts of meat, but if you wet brine a brisket, it will take on a different texture and taste. Dry brining involves simply rubbing salt onto the meat prior to smoking. The salt will penetrate the flesh, add flavor, and will help the meat retain moisture. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Brisket is a large piece of meat, so it needs to be cooked for a long time. During the long cook, the meat will lose a lot of moisture, but the salt will help the meat re-absorb some moisture. Kosher salt is the most commonly used salt among pitmasters because it has large granules, no iodine, and doesn\u2019t stick together. Once you have rubbed salt into the brisket, place it in a ziplock bag and store it in the refrigerator for 2- 24 hours prior to smoking. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    4. Inject the Meat For ‘Competition-Style’ Brisket<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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    Injecting your brisket is optional, and depending on where you are on your meat smoking journey, you may not yet have a meat injector. Injectors are inexpensive and easy to use, and will take your brisket to the next level. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Injection is the best way to get more flavor and moisture deep inside the brisket. Brining will only absorb so far, but injecting allows you to flavor every part of the meat. Injecting is a good way to get some extra fluid into the brisket to help it on the long cook. Competition smokers pump marinades into brisket, but you can use bone broth, beer, stock or whatever you fancy. If you don\u2019t have an injector, make sure you buy a stainless steel injector<\/a>, not the cheap plastic ones. For more on injecting, check out another article: Should I Inject Brisket? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    This brisket injection marinade<\/a><\/strong> is the secret used in competitions and made by a World Barbecue champion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    5. Apply a Generous Layer of Brisket Rub <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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    Applying a good covering of rub is an important step in the brisket smoking process because it helps form the bark. The bark is the hard crust on the outer layer of the meat. You can make your own rub from a few simple ingredients or you can purchase a brisket rub. I use Killer Hogs TX Brisket Rub<\/a> because it\u2019s made by barbecue pro Malcolm Reed. The other brisket master, Aaron Franklin, keeps it simple with rubs, and all he uses is a 1:1 ratio of black pepper and kosher salt. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Most homemade brisket rub recipes contain different combinations of paprika, onion powder and garlic powder. Search the meat smoking forums and you\u2019ll find dozens of brisket rub recipes. Applying a binder for the rub is a good idea, so it sticks to the meat. Mustard is the best binder, but you can also use mayonnaise, oil or anything that will make the rub stick. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    6. Arrange the Briquettes Using The Snake Method<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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    The snake method is the best way to set your coals for the long brisket smoke. Make sure you make a large, thick snake that stretches along the outer layer of your kettle. The snake should be 2 or 3 coals wide and 2 or 3 coals high and form a C shape. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Light one end of the snake by laying half a charcoal chimney of lit coals on one end of the snake. Scatter wood chunks along the first half of the snake. There are dozens of YouTube videos that demonstrate the snake method. No matter how you setup your snake, the most important thing is being able to hold the temp at 220\u00b0F for the entire cook. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=VtfUnFecw6k<\/a>