QA

Quick Answer: What Wood Is Best For Smoking Brisket

Hardwoods recommended for Smoked Brisket: Hickory (of course) Mesquite. Red Oak. Cherry. Apple. Maple.

Can you use apple wood to smoke brisket?

Apple. Starting with one of the mild flavors, using apple wood to smoke your brisket can result in very subtly sweet and fruity flavors. Applewood is usually used to smoke milder meats like chicken and turkey.

What wood does Franklin use for brisket?

Franklin prefers to use Post Oak that’s been cured for 9-12 months. This particular type of wood creates very little soot when it burns and imparts a mild smoky flavor to the meat.

Is cherry wood good for smoking brisket?

For a touch of sweetness and light smokiness, cherry wood is a tasty option. That’s great if you like subtle flavors. If you prefer a more robust profile, blend cherry with oak or maple. You may also find that smoking with cherry darkens the bark of your brisket, making it look even more delicious.

Can you smoke a brisket with just wood?

You can generally use any type of hardwood, I also like using apple wood and hickory, avoid using mesquite, it’s way too strong for a long cook. I use about 2 pieces of firewood split into small pieces for this cook. To keepcook chamber moist and to help keep the meat from drying out too quickly I add a water pan.

Is hickory or mesquite better for brisket?

Hickory – Strong and smoky, it can be described as producing a nutty or bacon-like flavor. Mesquite – Another wood that produces a strong flavor, mesquite burns quickly and can produce a strong earthy flavor. If you want to make an authentic Texas smoked brisket, this is the wood to choose.

Do you smoke brisket fat up or down?

Always smoke brisket with the fattiest side facing down. We wanted to answer this pressing brisket question right away, in case you’re about to toss one on your Traeger.

Is it better to smoke a brisket at 225 or 250?

According to some pitmasters, you should always aim for a smoker temperature of 250 degrees when making smoked brisket. At this temperature, the meat will cook more quickly than it would at 225 degrees, but it will still have the time it needs to achieve a nice tender texture.

What does Aaron Franklin put on his brisket?

Aaron’s simple salt and pepper rub is perfect for your first brisket, or if you want to focus on Texas style barbecue. If you want to be a bit more adventurous there is a whole world of rubs & injections. If you want to go home made we suggest investing in a rub shaker.

What does Aaron Franklin spray on his brisket?

In Aaron’s brisket recipe, there is — in addition to adding a water pan to the cooker -mention of spritzing your brisket with a liquid to help keep the meat moist. Any liquid can be used to make a spritz, but he recommends using apple juice and water.

Can you overcook brisket at 225 degrees?

According to Steve Raichlen’s Barbecue Bible, you need low temperatures (215 to 225 degrees Fahrenheit) and long cooking times to melt that collagen, along with the other tough connective tissue in the brisket. Some pitmasters increase their temps to 285 to 325 degrees, but you can’t go much hotter than that.

Do you flip a brisket while smoking?

Flipping the brisket does even out the exposure of the meat to heat. Airflow inside any smoker is uneven and letting the brisket sit there in one position the whole time will cause part of it to dry out simply because of this unevenness. Ideally, flip and rotate your brisket at least once during the cooking.

How many hours per pound does it take to smoke a brisket?

Our general rule of thumb is to plan on between 30 and 60 minutes per pound. For example, a 16-pound brisket cooked at 275 degrees Fahrenheit will take between 10 and 12 hours. The entire process from trimming, injection, seasoning, and cooking will take between 18 and 20 hours.

How long does a brisket take at 225?

A: You can usually figure about 1.5 hours per pound at 225 degrees for brisket, pork shoulder and other larger pieces of meat. Several things can affect this time such as actual meat thickness, wind, temperature and how often you open the door of the smoker.

What is oak wood good for smoking?

Red Oak is the king of hardwoods and oaks, especially when it comes to smoking meats. Oak is strong, but it does not tend to overpower the taste and texture of the meat. If you are cooking or smoking beef or lamb, this is the best hardwood to use.

How long does a 13 lb brisket take to smoke?

For the initial smoke phase, I plan about 8 hours at 225 degrees F for my 12-13 pound briskets to reach 165 degrees F. However, your brisket will enter a phase in between 145 degrees F and 165 degrees F where the liquid evaporating from the surface of the brisket will cool it while your grill is trying to cook it.