Beef Brisket is one of the most popular BBQ dishes, and when smoked the right way, following all the proper steps and methods, and cooked to the right internal temperature, the results are one of the most delicious and juicy cuts of meat. 

One of the most important aspects of smoking a good brisket is smoking it to the right internal temperature.

In this article, we will teach you what internal temperature to cook your brisket to as well as other tips for getting success when smoking a brisket.

Recommended Internal Temperature for brisket

The ideal internal temperature for well-smoked, tender, and juicy brisket is 205 degrees Fahrenheit. Keep in mind that after the brisket is removed from the smoker, its internal temperature will continue to climb, and you do not want to exceed 210 degrees.

I like to take my briskets out right before they hit that 205 temperature mark. I will explain later how I do it and monitor these crucial temperature points.

There are many opinions and preferences when it comes to brisket doneness levels and internal temperature, but I can tell you, I learned from the best. Some like to aim for a lower temperature and others for a higher one. 

There will always be different opinions in the BBQ world, but let me tell you how I learned and where I get my inspiration from. I have smoked hundreds of pounds worth of brisket, and cooking brisket is always a challenge. I have tried many techniques, BBQ seasonings, and recipes. 

I have read many books and studied a lot of great pitmasters, and when it comes to brisket, very few have been as successful as Aaron Franklin. Aaron has his own BBQ restaurant in Austin, Texas, and is one of the most renowned pitmasters in the US. 

Internal Temp

Monitoring the brisket internal temp is as important as knowing the proper smoked brisket temperature. Also at the speed at which the brisket cooks is as important. To smoke a juicy and tender brisket, its internal temperature needs to raise slowly and at the right speed to allow fat and connective tissue to render, melt and keep the brisket moist.

You will learn how to throttle the cooking progress with time but one sure way of getting consistent good results is to use a smart thermometer. These thermometers allow you to set internal temperature targets and hit the ideal right internal temperature each and every time, accurately.

His career has been very successful, and his restaurant is the same. Every day, he sells out of food, and his restaurant has hosted everyone from presidents to celebrities, as well as regulars like you and me. Aaron is most known for his briskets and his methods have worked perfectly for me.

He has released a few top cooking books and has been featured in the New York Times best sellers list multiple times. 

So in short, when it comes to brisket, I follow the man.

Two important brisket temperatures to monitor

Temperature control and action at various stages of the smoking, low, and slow cooking processes are the keys to a juicy smoked brisket. Here are three temperature stages you want to keep an eye on.

The Stall

The stall is a term to describe when the brisket’s internal temperature stops rising. As the muscles, meat, and tissue contract, the brisket will experience what’s known as evaporative cooling, which means that as the meat’s muscles contract, they let juices out, cooling down the meat.

The stall happens when the meat reaches approximately 160 to 165 degrees, which is technically when beef is done as per the USDA guidelines (which you should always follow), but at this temperature the meat will be tough.

First, make sure you use a meat thermometer to monitor the stall, and second, wrap the brisket in butcher paper or aluminum foil to push through the stall. You can also raise the temperature of the smoker by 15 to 20 degrees before lowering it once you’ve passed the stall and unwrapped the meat.

At about 180 degrees, collagen will melt down to gelatin and start tendering.

Time to remove the Brisket from smoker

A crucial temperature stage to keep a close eye on is the time to take the meat out of the smoker and let it rest. This is very important because you do not want to overcook the meat. Set your meat thermometer to alert you when it reaches 205 degrees, and then let the meat rest.

While the meat rests, its temperature might rise, but you want to let the brisket rest to about 145 degrees before slicing.

The smoker’s temperature

Besides the brisket’s internal temperature, you also need to monitor your smoker’s cooking temperature. The cooking temperature of your smoker can range between 250 and 175 degrees, but try not to exceed those temperature marks.

A good smoker thermometer can help you here and monitor the ambient temperature in your smoker’s cooking chamber.

What is a brisket

Did you know that the word brisket is a synonym for breast meat? Yes, brisket,brisket, or beef brisket, is one of the nine primal cuts from the cow, brisket deriving from the cow’s chest specifically.

Brisket is a tough cut of meat because it is one of the animal’s most active areas and is densely packed with connective tissue. You would think this cut of meat could never be tender, but that’s why it is smoked low and slow.

On the other hand, this is why it is critical not to overcook smoked brisket to avoid drying it.

How to monitor the Brisket to get the right doneness temperature

Here is where the magic happens. You will come across many “opinions” on the internet on how to cook a brisket, but let me tell you, magic happens when you hit the internal temperatures just right.

You can get the best smoking rub and the best meat, but if you do not hit those target temperature  right, you will not get a nicely smoked brisket. Many people focus too much on the seasoning of the brisket—fat side up or down, injecting or not, you name it—but the most important part of the brisket cooking process is internal temperature monitoring. 

The brisket will go through several cooking stages, during which it may slow down cooking, a stage known as “stall”. The stall and when to remove the brisket from the smoker are two critical stages when smoking brisket, and both are stages you want to get right.

To be safe and not miss these critical temperature stages, I use a meat thermometer, but not just any thermometer. I use a smart thermometer because it allows me to set alerts and get those on my phone.

That’s right, folks, that’s my secret to getting perfectly smoked and juicy briskets every time. I monitor the temperatures with precision. I set alerts, get those on my mobile phone, and take action based on the stage I’m on during the cooking process. 

I use thermometers like MeatStick or other wireless thermometers that allow me to set alerts for the stall temperature, which is around 160 to 165 degrees, and another alert at 205 degrees, which is when I remove the brisket from the smoker.

Conclusion

Consistency is key, and knowing the internal temperatures you need to cook your brisket to is a sure way to get great results every time. 

Follow this guide and use a good smart thermometer or, at the very least, an instant read thermometer to make sure you monitor and hit these internal target temperatures.