How To Make The Best Brisket In Massachusetts
June 21, 2025
Cambridge, VA: I went from losing every brisket competition to winning 4 straight after investing in a private masterclass with a famous pitmaster. Here is everything I learned.
Step 1 – Picking
Choose a Prime grade brisket around 15 pounds. In my experience, that’s the ideal size. Costco or similar stores are great sources for this size. A 15-pound brisket gives you the best results because:
- Smaller briskets (under 12 pounds) dry out during long cooks.
- Larger briskets (over 18 pounds) may require excessively long cooking times.
Step 2 – Trimming
Proper trimming prevents burnt edges and unrendered fat. Here’s how to do it:
- Begin by removing any loose, dangling meat.
- Trim the fat cap to about ¼ inch thick. This gives you the ideal balance of flavor and ensures the fat renders properly during cooking.
- On the underside, only remove large fat chunks that won’t render.
- Cut off any parts of the flat thinner than your thumb. These will dry out.
Don’t waste your flat trimmings! Use them for burgers, sausage, brisket chili, tacos, etc. For the best flavor, smoke the cut off flat pieces briefly before repurposing them.
Step 3 – Seasoning
My brisket seasoning depends on who I’m cooking for. When I’m serving a large group of casual guests, I keep it simple with a classic 50/50 mix of salt and pepper. But when cooking for competitions, my family, or friends who really appreciate good brisket, I upgrade to Bald Buck Seasoning. It creates a more unique and memorable flavor experience.
Step 4 – Smoker
Choosing the right wood and managing your smoke makes a big difference in brisket flavor. Being from Texas, I prefer mesquite, but pecan is most popular. Oak and hickory are also great choices.
If using an offset smoker, the wood size matters more than the type. Small to medium-sized wood chunks burn cleaner. Huge chunks produce heavy smoke early on. This will cause the meat to taste bitter. You want clean smoke. Clean smoke looks almost invisible, similar to heat waves.
Here’s something I’ve learned the hard way: start cooking earlier than you think. Each brisket cooks differently. The “stall” (when the temperature stops rising for hours) can really kick you in the balls if you’re short on time. It’s better to finish early and let the brisket rest.
Place the brisket fat side up, thick end toward the fire. Smoke undisturbed at 225–250°F for the first three hours.
Step 5 – Spraying
Start spraying it to control moisture and surface temperature.
Mix equal parts cheap beer and apple cider vinegar. Each ingredient has a specific purpose:
- Beer’s alcohol (boils at 173°F) quickly cools the meat surface.
- Beer’s water (212°F) provides steady cooling.
- Vinegar’s acetic acid (244°F) handles high-temperature cooling.
This combo keeps the meat moist without adding sugars that could burn. Spray only exposed meat, avoiding the fat cap. Vinegar adds a subtle flavor and helps soften the bark.
Spray each time you add wood, typically every 30 minutes. This prevents burning while allowing good bark to form.
Step 6 – Wrapping
When deciding when to wrap your brisket, focus on these 3 signs rather than temperature alone:
- Bark: Look for a nice, slightly crunchy crust; wrapping will soften it.
- Fat Rendering: Poke the fat cap. It should be soft and clear yellow, not cloudy or hard. This is the most important indicator.
- Internal Temperature: Use as a rough guide (165°F-175°F), but trust the other signs more.
When ready, wrap tightly in butcher paper and return to the smoker at around 250°F. From this point, judge doneness by feel. The brisket is ready when a probe easily slides into the thickest part. Usually around 202°F.
Step 7 – Resting
Resting brisket properly makes a huge difference in flavor and texture. Once done (around 202°F or when a probe goes in smoothly), remove it from the smoker. Let it cool quickly at room temperature to about 180°F to avoid overcooking.
Next, unwrap and tightly rewrap in fresh butcher paper. Place it in a cooler to rest for at least 2 hours. In my experience, 8–12 hours or more is best. Keep the internal temperature above 135°F for safety. If it the temp is dropping close to 135°F, then put it in the oven at 170°F, briefly. A long rest evenly redistributes fat and juices, and can turn a good brisket into a great brisket.
Step 8 – Slicing
Slicing brisket correctly is another important step. Slice it wrong and you’ll end up with beef bubblegum.
You’re going to slice the point and the flat differently. Start slicing from the flat (thinner part) until you reach halfway, where the point muscle begins.
At this point, rotate the brisket 90 degrees and slice against the grain of the point muscle. Flat slices will be slightly thinner, and point slices slightly thicker. See image below:
Now let’s put this all together…….
Ingredients:
- 1 Prime grade brisket, around 15 pounds
- Bald Buck Seasoning
- Cheap beer
- Apple cider vinegar
- Butcher paper
- Wood for smoking (mesquite, pecan, oak, or hickory)
Equipment
- Smoker
- Meat thermometer/probe
- Spray bottle
- Cooler (for resting)
Step-by-Step Instructions
Trim the Brisket
- Remove any loose, dangling meat
- Trim fat cap to ¼ inch thickness
- Remove only large fat chunks from the underside
- Cut off any parts of the flat thinner than your thumb
- Save trimmings for burgers, sausage, chili, or tacos
Season the Meat
Smoke the Brisket
- Start cooking earlier than you think. Briskets are unpredictable
- Use small to medium wood chunks for clean smoke
- Place brisket fat side up, thick end toward the fire
- Smoke at 225–250°F for the first three hours, undisturbed
Spray the Brisket
- After three hours, make a spray mixture of equal parts cheap beer and apple cider vinegar
- Spray only exposed meat surfaces (not the fat cap)
- Apply spray every time you add wood (about every 30 minutes)
Wrap the Brisket
- Wrap when:
- Bark has formed a nice crust
- Fat is soft and clear yellow when poked
- Internal temperature reaches roughly 165-175°F (a general guide)
- Wrap tightly in butcher paper
- Return to smoker at 250°F
- Cook until probe slides easily into thickest part (around 202°F)
Rest the Brisket
- Remove from smoker when done
- Cool at room temperature until internal temp reaches 180°F
- Unwrap and rewrap in fresh butcher paper
- Place in cooler to rest (minimum 2 hours, ideally 8-12 hours)
- Keep internal temperature above 135°F for safety
Slice the Brisket
- Start slicing from the flat (thinner end)
- When you reach the point (halfway), rotate brisket 90 degrees
- Slice against the grain in this new direction
- Flat slices should be slightly thinner, point slices slightly thicker
Pro Tips:
- Mayo Binder: Try using mayonnaise instead of oil or mustard as a binder for your brisket seasoning. The fats and proteins in mayo break down during cooking, creating an excellent bark without leaving any mayo taste behind.
- Cold Brisket: Smoking a cold brisket slows the initial rise in temperature. This increases smoke absorption and produces a deeper smoke ring.
- Bald Buck Seasoning: This seasoning is one of my best-kept secrets. It creates a flavor profile everyone loves but can’t quite put their finger on. I use this in place of salt for all my meat. There are a lot of YouTube reviews about but below is my favorite.