Ingredients

10 pounds beef brisket, with the point attached
1/2 cup kosher salt, mix of large and regular grind is recommended
1/4 cup black pepper, freshly cracked is recommended

Directions

Remove the brisket from its packaging and use paper towels to pat it dry. Transfer to a cutting board.

Trim away some fat from the brisket, leaving an even layer ¼ inch in thickness across the brisket. Slice off and discard any hard fat pieces.

To expose the point for making burnt ends later, remove the large piece of hard fat between the flat and the point as best as possible while still leaving ¼ inch soft fat on the point.

Allow meat to come to room temperature, about an hour. Once the meat has come to room temperature, season liberally with salt and pepper. Use a mixture of fine and coarse salt and pepper for the best coverage. Pat the seasoning evenly onto the brisket. Allow it to rest again for at least 30 minutes.

Preheat the smoker to 225°F.

Place the brisket directly on a rack in the smoker, and cook for about an hour per pound, or until the internal temperature at the thickest portion of the flat reaches 165°F.

Remove from smoker and wrap brisket tightly in butcher paper.

Continue smoking brisket for another 2 hours, or until the internal temperature reaches 195°F. *To take the internal temp of beef, poke the probe of your instant-read thermometer right through the butcher paper and into the meat.

Once proper internal temp is reached, remove meat from the smoker and transfer to a rimmed baking sheet.

Leave the wrapping on and allow the beef to rest for at least 30 minutes, or up to 4 hours. The longer it rests, the juicier the meat will be!

Slice the entire smoked brisket and serve as desired, or remove the point to save for burnt ends and cut the flat portion in slices against the grain for serving.