Smoked Brisket

steps

1. On a charcoal grill/kettle smoker, arrange coals inside one half of grill. Once coals are lit, cover with a grate and place lid on kettle; position vents opposite the coals to pull heat from one end to the other. If using a pellet smoker, preheat to 200 degrees and place a water pan inside smoker to prevent drying out the meat.
2. Remove brisket from refrigerator, trim fat, and let brisket warm to room temperature. When smoker reaches 200 degrees, place brisket on the grate on the opposite side of the coals. Close smoker and allow temperature to ramp up by 25 degrees every hour for the first 5 hours to reduce meat shock.
3. Starting at hour 5, rotate brisket clockwise to facilitate an even cook. Continue rotating every hour following until brisket is ready to be pulled. You can also spritz brisket with apple cider vinegar at hour 5 and every hour after, prior to wrapping.
4. Once brisket reaches an internal temperature of 170 to 175 degrees (at Tater tot casserole approximately 9 hours) wrap with butcher paper or foil and return to smoker. (This is the key to moist brisket and perfectly rendered fat. Foil will result in a less smoke-flavored brisket, while butcher paper still allows for the transfer of the smoke flavor to the meat.)
5. Smoke until brisket reaches a temperature of 205 degrees in the centermost point, 1 to 2 more hours. This temperature should not go higher than 211 degrees. The center of the underside of the brisket should have a sponge-like consistency when tapped with your fingers.
6. Pull brisket out of smoker and let rest until internal temperature drops to 145 degrees before cutting. This keeps the fats that have rendered from pouring out when sliced, resulting in perfectly moist and lean cuts.