How Long Does It Take to Smoke a Pork Brisket?

If you've never tried smoked pork brisket it's something well worth looking into.

With its tender juiciness and smokey flavor, this food is bound to be a hit with just about anyone. Whether you're roasting one up for a party, for the family, or just for yourself (leftovers are always the best), you want to know how to properly prepare it.

Smoking a pork brisket will generally take about 4 hours at 225 degrees Fahrenheit, but it does depend on the size of your brisket. If you have a smaller brisket, it will cook quicker than a larger brisket might. The best rule to follow is 1.5 to 2 hours in the cooker per pound of meat. So if your brisket is 2 pounds, it would take about 3-4 hours.

The rest of this article is going to teach you more about pork brisket and how to prepare it so that you can get the tastiest brisket that is cooked to perfection. 

How Do You Tell If a Pork Brisket is Done?

There are a couple of different ways to tell if a pork brisket is fully cooked. The best way is to use a thermometer, but you can also check with a fork or with your hands to tell if the brisket is done. Just be aware that the thermometer is going to be the most accurate if you want to make sure the brisket is cooked to a safe temperature.

The easiest and most effective way to tell when your pork brisket is done is by using a meat thermometer.

Like boneless pork shoulder, pork brisket is safe to consume at 145F but cooking it longer will go enhance its texture.

When the thermometer is put into the thickest part of the brisket, it should be at least 195 degrees Fahrenheit. This is an ideal temperature, it can be taken out of the smoker. When it's under 195 degrees, the brisket should keep cooking.

If you don't have a thermometer, you can use a fork, knife, or toothpick to check for doneness. Simply push the item into the middle of the brisket. If it goes in and comes out easily, the brisket is most likely done and ready to be eaten. If there is resistance and it's not very easy to push the object into the meat, then it probably needs to continue cooking.

Lastly, you could put on gloves to avoid burning your hands and pick up the entire brisket. A brisket that is done should feel wobbly, similar to how jello feels. It may seem weird, but that is the way that a brisket that's been cooked to perfection will feel.

Can You Eat the Brisket Right Away After It's Done?

Though you can technically eat a brisket right when the temperature is safe, you won't get as many good flavors if you do this. It's actually advised that you let your brisket rest once it's thoroughly cooked. This ensures that all of the flavors and juices will be locked in, and in the end, it makes for a much more delicious brisket.

After you've determined that your pork brisket is fully cooked, you should wrap it in aluminum foil. You can set it somewhere in your house and it will continue rising in temperature a bit during this time. Leaving it for 30 minutes to an hour is the perfect amount of time to let the flavors set in.

If you are planning on serving it later on in the day, the wrapped brisket can be put in an oven that is 180 degrees Fahrenheit or lower. It can sit in there for a couple of hours if needed, but will still need to rest for 30 minutes after you take it out of the oven.

This is a good solution if the brisket gets done earlier than expected and you still want it to be nice and warm for dinner.

How Do You Prepare a Pork Brisket to Be Smoked?

Pork brisket should usually be rinsed, rubbed in seasonings, then wrapped up to sit in the fridge overnight before you smoke it. Allowing the seasoned meat to rest will help it be extra flavorful once cooked. Which is what you're working to achieve.

It's easiest to just get a pork seasoning or pork rub at the store that is already made for you. This way, you just put it on the brisket and it's good to go. You can also make your own with different seasonings if you really want to get into the process, but it's up to you.

Is There a Way to Speed Up the Process of Smoking a Pork Brisket?

If you are really in a rush it is possible to smoke the brisket at a higher temperature. The time you save will yield a texture more similar to a regularly cooked brisket.

If you don't think you have time to smoke it at 225 degrees Fahrenheit, you could cook it at a higher temperature. But I'd say you may as well save smoking a pork brisket for another day. 

What happens if you try to smoke pork brisket quickly?

Trying to smoke a pork brisket quickly will just result in a less tender, and slightly less flavorful meat. This undermines the whole point of smoking it in the first place, which is to bring out the flavors and create a really tender and juicy meat.

Furthermore, raising the temperature of the smoker isn't really going to diminish the cook time by much. It might just be 1 hour that is taken off of the cooking time.

So you have to really think...do you want to compromise your brisket just so you can eat 1-hour sooner? The answer is probably going to be no.

Final Thoughts

Pork brisket is a great dish that is sure to be enjoyed by anyone who you make it for. It's pretty simple to make, and the smoker does most of the work for you. This leaves your meat flavorful and delicious. Practically you have to do is make sure that it's cooked to temperature and it will be ready to enjoy.

We hope that this article has given you some helpful information on preparing your pork brisket. Just remember to allow yourself plenty of time to cook and rest the brisket.

I've compiled a list of some of my favorite brisket cooking hacks you may also want to check out. It's predominantly for beef but will work fine for pork as well.

Do this and you will be all set for a perfect meal.

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Where to buy pork brisket

I purchase my pork brisket at Porter Road. 

Porter Road is an online butcher shop that conveniently delivers meats directly to your door. 

If you want to try Porter Road, this link will get you free shipping on orders over $ 100. 

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