How long to smoke brisket
Smoke brisket at 250°F for about 60 to 75 minutes a pound, and pull at 203°F, probe tender. That is for brisket (whole packer); the calculator above fits the time to your weight and your heat.
At the stall, wrap at about 165°F, in butcher paper. Rest 60 to 120 minutes before slicing or pulling. USDA counts brisket safe at 145°F with a 3 minute rest; a thermometer in the thickest part tells you more than the clock.
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Questions
What temperature do you pull brisket at?
203°F, probe tender. Cook to that temperature rather than to the clock.
When should I wrap brisket?
At the stall, about 165°F, in butcher paper. Wrapping pushes the meat through the stall; left unwrapped, the meat builds more bark and takes longer.
How long should brisket rest?
60 to 120 minutes, loosely covered or wrapped, before slicing or pulling.
Should I cook to time or to temperature?
To temperature. The time tells you when to start and when to start checking; the meat is ready when the thickest part reaches its pull temperature.
Does my smoker change the time?
Not at the same temperature, as far as any cooker maker or test says. What changes is how steady it holds: keep the lid or door shut and the fire even, and the time holds too.