How To Smoke A Brisket: The COMPLETE Master Tutorial

This is a full, start-to-finish guide on how to smoke a Texas-style brisket — completely free. In this masterclass, I walk through the entire process in real time, from trimming and seasoning to fire management, bark development, and finishing the cook.

This video is designed to be used while you cook. Whether you’re smoking your first brisket or refining your process, you can follow along step by step or jump to the exact phase you’re in using the chapters below. Nothing is rushed, nothing is skipped, and every decision is explained as it happens.

CHAPTERS

0:00 Start here: full brisket trim and cook masterclass
0:40 Why trimming matters for the cook (not looks)
2:26 The six core principles of trimming brisket
3:30 Knife selection and why it matters
6:53 Identifying the mohawk, deckle, and problem areas
8:02 Removing the deckle and flattening the underside
10:41 Bottom-side fat, silver skin, and what actually matters
13:02 Straightening the brisket for even cooking
14:05 Removing the brisket mohawk correctly
16:12 Reading marbling and understanding the point
17:23 Shaping the sides and correcting thin areas
19:49 Trimming the fat cap (angle, depth, and mistakes)
23:02 How to recover if you scalp the brisket
24:25 Final shaping and aerodynamic trim
30:38 When to stop trimming and trust your work

33:22 Transition to the cook: overview of the brisket plan
34:30 Binder choice and how much to use
36:01 Pepper, salt, and seasoning philosophy
39:10 How to season for bark without overdoing it
44:57 Final seasoning checks before the smoker

45:28 Placing briskets on the pit for even cooking
47:32 Starting the fire with briskets in a cold smoker
49:02 Using dirty smoke early (on purpose)
50:10 The five cooking phases explained
52:00 Phase 1 (Hour 1–2): smoke absorption at low temps
54:49 Phase 2 (Hour 3–4): bark formation focus
56:21 Phase 3 (Hour 5–8): cooking through the stall
59:14 Phase 4 (Hour 9–10): managing momentum
1:00:29 Phase 5 (Hour 11+): fat render and finishing temps

1:02:41 Early bark check and humidity control
1:04:05 How humidity affects bark development
1:06:26 Transitioning from moisture to bark setting
1:07:12 Fire adjustments as temps climb
1:09:30 Managing logs, coal bed, and airflow

LINKS & TOOLS

📸 Follow along on Instagram:
  / meatngreetbbq  

🛒 SHOP MEAT N’ GREET MERCH:
https://www.meatngreetbbq.com

🌡️ Best Instant Read Thermometer:
https://alnk.to/aeZyl7x

🔪 Top Knives Used:
Victorinox Fibrox Pro 12” Slicing Knife: https://amzn.to/3YGzgcD

Victorinox Swiss Classic 8” Fillet Knife: https://amzn.to/3KzyypH

Mercer Curved Boning Knife: https://amzn.to/3YIXrH9

🔥 Favorite BBQ Tools:
Hog Sprayer: https://amzn.to/3VOhEZs

Pink Butcher Paper: https://amzn.to/3xDQah8

Butcher Paper Cutter: https://amzn.to/4d17BaH