Smoked brisket is undoubtedly one of the most popular meats for good reasons: it is tender, juicy, and full of smoky flavor. It may seem complex to an amateur cook to learn the proper steps for Smoking Brisket in Electric Smoker – since specific techniques are involved.
However, to help you with the best preparation and cutting of the meat to set up your smoker for best results – tips like what temperature to smoke a brisket and which electric smoker recipes to follow, let us guide you!
How to Smoke a Brisket in an Electric Smoker?
There are different ways when it comes to smoking Beef Brisket in an Electric Smoker.
- Marinating it overnight or just applying a dry rub just before smoking it.
- Another option is to rest the brisket on a cutting board before slicing and serving.
- You can also wrap the brisket in foil, then a towel, and stow it away for two hours for the juices to absorb back into the meat.
Generally, Long-Smoking Brisket involves four essential steps that should be followed imperatively. You can find an overview of the recipe below before you get started.
- Trimming, Seasoning, & Marinating Brisket
- Preparing the Electric Smoker
- Wrapping the brisket (so that the juices get absorbed back)
- Let brisket rest before slicing and serving
Smoked Brisket Recipe In Electric Smoker
Now let us get to the step-by-step recipe of smoking brisket in an electric smoker:
Equipment
Masterbuilt(or any) electric smoker.
Ingredients for the Marinade
- Chili powder, two tablespoons (from mild to hot, as desired)
- Coarse salt, one tablespoon
- Brown sugar, one tablespoon
- garlic salt, two tablespoons
- flakes of garlic salt
- cumin, one tablespoon
- Cayenne pepper, ½ teaspoon
- Dried oregano, one tablespoon
Instructions
- Step 1: Choose the Right Brisket
Choosing a great piece of meat is the essential part of a great brisket, for most meats, the more tender, the better.
Today’s tip is to hold the brisket and balance it over your hands. The more it bends, the tastier the meat will be.
Additionally, look for briskets with thick fat layers; the higher fat content will help the meat remain moist throughout the smoking process. We recommend selecting briskets that weigh at least 10 pounds (4.5 kg).
- Step 2: Marinate It
Marinate the meat with the desired marinade. You can do this up to four hours before you start the smoking process, but I find that the beef has a much better flavor if you allow it to marinate overnight.
For this, marinate the meat the day before you plan to smoke the brisket. Once you have applied the marinade to all of the meat, wrap it in aluminum foil and place it in the refrigerator overnight.
- Step 3: Smoke With Wood
Finally, we get to the part everyone is waiting for: how to smoke a brisket in a smoker!
Well, make sure your brisket is at room temperature 2 hours before you start up the smoker. It is common for many to add a marinade into the meat during this time. However, I prefer just to let the smoke flavor the meat from within.
Put mesquite, hickory, apple, or cherry wood chips in the chip box. You can also grill meat with charcoal, but wood chips have a better flavor than charcoal.
- Step 4: Smoke Brisket
Now comes the cooking part!
If you are smoking with a Masterbuilt electric smoker, the internal temperature for your brisket should be 190 degrees F (87 Celsius). Put the temperature gauge into the thickest part of your brisket and place it on one of the racks of your cooker.
Start the smoker by pressing the start button. The digital smoker will stop cooking once the internal temperature reaches 190 degrees (87 C) so that the brisket stays warm until you are ready to eat it!
The critical thing about smoking a brisket in an electric smoker is getting the temperature to 190 degrees F (107 C). Masterbuilt electric smoker brisket time usually is 2-4 hours.
Refer to your manual if you’re using another smoker other than a Masterbuilt electric smoker, as every smoker has different settings.
- Step 5: Enjoy the Smoked Brisket
Let the Smoked Brisket rest in an empty cooler or oven (without heat), still wrapped in foil. It is recommended that at least 30 minutes, but no more than two hours, should be allowed for the brisket to rest.
By cutting the meat against the grain, cut the brisket into slices of ¼ inches. Now enjoy your perfect brisket once it has finished cooking.
Nutrition
| Nutrition | |
| Diet | |
| Calories | 170kcal |
| Protein | 23g |
| Fats | 8g |
| Sodium | 90mg |
| Cholesterol | 70mg |
| Potassium | 374 mg |
| Calcium | 6mg |
| Iron | 2mg |
How Long to Smoke Different lbs of Brisket in an Electric Smoker?
It depends on various things like:
- The temperature of your smoker
- The size and weight of the brisket
- How often are you opening the smoker?
- What kind of smoker are you using?
- Are you letting your brisket rest?
Generally, 1 hour timing and 190°F/90°C is the ideal temperature to smoke 1 pound (lb) brisket.
How Long Should You Smoke a 2.5 lb Brisket in an Electric smoker?
For a 2.5 lb brisket, you will need about 2.5 hours.
How Long Does it Take to Smoke a 3 lb Brisket?
For smoking a 3 lb brisket in an electric smoker, you will need about 3 hours.
How Long Do You Smoke a 3.5-pound Brisket?
For a 3.5- pound (lb) brisket, you will need about 3.5 hours.
How Long to Smoke a 4 lb Brisket in an Electric Smoker?
For a 4 lb piece, you will need about 4 hours.
How Do You Know When The Brisket Is Done?
There are two ways to tell when a brisket is finished:
- As a first factor, the interior temperature of the flat will be between 200F and 210F. Insert the thermometer into the flat and watch it slide through the meat to tell if it is done. The thermometer isn’t even necessary for this test. Test the brisket with a wooden skewer at any point where it slides through it like warm butter.
- As a workaround, once the point is fished, you can separate it from the flat. Keep the brisket warm by wrapping it in foil and returning it to the pit for finishing cooking. To make burnt ends, try cutting the finished point into cubes, applying sauce and a little rub, then putting back on the smoker. When the burnt ends are ready, the brisket should also be ready!
Smoking Brisket in Electric Smoker at 250 vs. 225
Brister is best cooked at a slower pace and a lower temperature while it is being smoked. Smoking Brisket is not like grilling or searing, where burning oil or hot flames are required. Quite the contrary. Meat that has been smoked at low temperatures for a long time tastes evenly seasoned.
A temperature of 250 degrees is ideal for Smoking Brisket. Upon melting the fat cap, it would create a delicious layer of seasoned fat on the surface of the brisket.
Though several brisket experts recommend keeping the smoker’s temperature at 250 degrees when making smoked brisket, as the meat cooks at this temperature, it will cook faster than at 225 degrees but still have the time it needs to become tender.
How to Get Bark on a Brisket in an Electric Smoker?
There are two primary ways to develop crispy bark on the outer layer of brisket.
- It is essential to rub the meat thickly with a rub before cooking.
- Do not wrap the brisket too early, or else the bark will soften. The bark will be hard when the brisket is smoked unwrapped, but the meat may turn out dry.
Tips for Getting Good Bark on a Brisket:
- Cut brisket wisely.
- Fat layers must be in order.
- Use sugar-based rubs since sugar is vital in providing a delicious taste.
- Wrap brisket appropriately.
Best Meats to Smoke in Electric Smoker
With an electric smoker, you can get the best flavor from the meat you are cooking. You also don’t have to use expensive cuts of meat. Sometimes, the cheapest cuts are the tastiest.
Here is our pick of the best meats to smoke in an electric smoker:
- Whole Chicken
- Beef Brisket
- Pork Shoulder
- Pork and Beef Ribs
- Whole Turkey
- Sausage
- Whole Hog
- Lamb Shank
Best Wood Chips for Smoked Brisket in Electric Smoker
Here is some information on the best wood chips to use for smoking a beef brisket in an Electric Smoker:
- Cherry: Gives a fruity taste to the brisket.
- Mesquite: Offers a very smoky, rich flavor.
- Hickory: It’s milder than mesquite, but similar.
- Pecan: Sweetens brisket and gives it a nutty flavor.
Final Words
To master the art of smoking brisket, you need a bit of patience and practice. While Smoking brisket in Electric Smoker, the best smoky taste and aroma come through leading and minute details. And getting the details right requires a bit of trial and error. However, the end result is worth it!
