{"id":2537,"date":"2022-05-18T18:09:30","date_gmt":"2022-05-18T18:09:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pitmastercentral.com\/?p=2537"},"modified":"2023-09-13T10:33:25","modified_gmt":"2023-09-13T10:33:25","slug":"how-to-smoke-a-brisket-in-an-electric-smoker","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pitmastercentral.com\/how-to-smoke-a-brisket-in-an-electric-smoker\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Smoke a Brisket in an Electric Smoker (Lessons from a Pro)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Making smoked brisket in an electric smoker is pretty easy. However, you do have to learn to adapt to the lower temperatures, smaller cooking surface, and less smoke.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Don’t worry, though, because I have you covered! One of my friends bought an electric smoker and asked me to help them figure out how to smoke a brisket in it. Mistakes were made with the first few tries but I was finally able to make the perfect brisket.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this post, I will show you how to smoke a brisket in an electric smoker, give you a delicious recipe, and reveal the top tips and tricks. Let’s begin!<\/p>\n\n\n

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Using an Electric Smoker: What You Need to Know<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If you have done any kind of research<\/a> on electric smokers, you may have found that people are on the fence about them. On the one hand, these machines are the easiest to use – they operate on a set it and forget it basis. This makes them a great option for beginners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The other benefit is that the smoker is great for maintaining a lower smoker temperature. So, if you are looking for a true low and slow cook, then this is the smoker to do it for you.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Still, there are some downsides. The thing that I least like about the electric smoker is that it doesn’t produce as much smoke flavor as the pellet grill or the charcoal smoker.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now, there are some tricks that you can use to overcome this issue – I will get into this a little later on – but it does mean that you do have to make a bit more of an effort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If this is the first time that you are using this type of smoker or smoking brisket in an electric smoker, here is what you need to be aware of when:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You May Be Dealing with Less Space<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The most common design for the electric smoker is a vertical one – this means that the smoker chamber tends to be taller than it is wide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For the most part, this isn’t an issue. However, beef brisket<\/a> tends to be a larger cut of meat. As such, you may find that there isn’t enough room to fit the entire cut.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some people to overcome this problem by removing most of the grates except for the last two ones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The bottommost grate is kept as it is, while the one above it is positioned diagonally – one side of the grate rests against the inside of the chamber wall and the other part sits on the last grate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The beef brisket is then placed here. Now, as you smoke brisket, it will begin to shrink. This means that after a while, you will be able to set that grate into a perpendicular position and continue to smoke the brisket in a traditional fashion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Your other option for cooking brisket in an electric smoker is to separate the larger cut<\/a> into two smaller sections. You can smoke the flat and the point cut separate from one another, allowing the beef brisket to be placed on two different shelves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Going the Extra Mile for the Smoky Flavor<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

It is a good idea to examine your electric smoker before doing anything else. This is because while most modern smokers have a wood chip tray, not all makes and models do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As the name suggests, this tray is where you keep the wood chips – it is right above the heating element. The wood chips are heated, eventually producing smoke.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Needless to say, having this tray is an advantage as your beef brisket will be infused with a lovely smoky flavor. In case this feature isn’t available on your electric smoker, though, all hope isn’t lost.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can use a smoker box which is sometimes referred to as a wood chip box. Now, this doesn’t come with the electric smoker – you have to purchase it separately.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You put wood chips in this box and then place it close to the heat source. This heats up the box which in turns heats up the chips, causing them to smoke. The box is built to pack the chips in a confined position so that they produce a greater amount of smoke in a shorter period of time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Temperature is Lower<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

As I have already mentioned, electric smokers tend to operate at lower temperatures. While this is a good thing when you are smoking, it also means that the cook can take a lot longer.<\/p>\n\n\n

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In the case of beef brisket, you can expect it to cook at a rate of 75 minutes per pound, at least.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All this means for you is that you should start your cook earlier to ensure that it is done by the time that you would like to serve your food.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Related Reading<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n