Q&A for How to Smoke a Brisket

You can do either. You can put the brisket on the racks and then put your wood chips and water pan on the grate, which will result in a softer crust. Alternatively, you can put the chips and water next to the brisket on the grates, which will give you a firmer crust.

Yes. It may cook faster that way too.

Do not flip over. Just rotate it on the rack to ensure even cooking. Keep the fat side up to allow the meat to remain juicy.

It truly depends on the size, but a great rule of thumb is that it is done when the internal temperature is 195. This typically takes 8-14 hours, but sometimes longer for larger cuts.

No. Separate the two cuts and butterfly the thick end of the point. I trim the extremely thin parts, as tucking makes an over seasoned flap of dried jerky.

I like a mix of hickory and mesquite at a ratio of 2:1.

I separate my brisket cuts and always wrap them using pink butcher paper (no wax finish) after 4 - 6 hours of smoking. If you are doing a whole brisket, you can probably get away with not wrapping; there is plenty of fat to self-baste as the fat renders out. However, if you separate the flat from the point, the flat should always be wrapped because of the low fat content.

Your brisket would be bland and flavorless. The hickory smoke is what gives a brisket its traditional flavor.