Overview

Two proven ways to manage a Texas-style brisket once the bark is set. Here’s how foil boat and full wrap change bark, render, and total cook time—and when to pick each.

Ingredients

• 1 whole packer brisket, 12–15 lb (5.4–6.8 kg)
• Kosher salt, about 1/4 cup (36–40 g), or ~2% of meat weight by weight
• 16‑mesh black pepper, about 1/4 cup (28–32 g)
• Optional: 1 tbsp (9 g) garlic powder
• Optional: 2–4 tbsp (30–60 mL) beef tallow or neutral oil as a light binder

Equipment

• Offset smoker, drum, or pellet grill capable of steady 275°F (135°C)
• Instant-read thermometer and a leave-in probe
• Heavy-duty aluminum foil and pink butcher paper
• Sheet pan and wire rack for wrapping/boating
• Fillet or slicing knife and carving board with juice groove
• Nitrile gloves and cotton liners

Wood

Post oak (classic Central Texas); hickory or white oak as alternatives

Time & Temp

Time & Temp
Smoke temp: 275 °F (135 °C)
Target internal: 203 °F (95 °C)
Approx duration: 12 hours

Overview: Two wraps, two outcomes

Texas-style brisket is usually cooked unwrapped until the bark sets, then either finished in a shallow foil boat or fully wrapped to drive through the stall. The foil boat keeps the top exposed for aggressive bark while protecting the underside; a full wrap (foil or butcher paper) speeds the cook and boosts juiciness at the expense of some crust. Both make great barbecue, but they don’t eat the same.

What is the foil boat?

The foil boat is a heavy-duty foil tray crimped snugly around the brisket’s sides and bottom while leaving the top uncovered. You place the brisket into the boat once the bark is set and the color is where you want it. The boat catches rendered fat, shields edges from drying, and slightly increases surface heat without steaming the top. Bark stays drier and darker than with a tight wrap, and the cook time shortens versus fully unwrapped.

What is a full wrap?

A full wrap encloses the brisket completely. Foil is fastest and traps moisture, creating a braising effect that softens bark. Pink butcher paper breathes more, so it preserves bark better than foil but still shortens the cook and retains juices. In both cases you wrap once the bark is fixed—no rub wiping off on your hands and no soft, pasty spots when pressed.

Bark: how each method affects crust

Foil boat yields the firmest, crunchiest bark because the top remains exposed to dry heat and airflow. Paper wrap slightly softens the bark but generally keeps it intact, with a satin sheen rather than a crunch. Tight foil wrap produces the softest bark; it can be very flavorful but sometimes pot-roasty if left sitting in its juices for hours. If bark is your top priority, the boat wins; if slice juiciness and insurance against dry flats matter most, a full wrap—especially paper—helps.

Render and moisture

All three approaches can render fat and collagen properly if you cook to true doneness. The boat speeds rendering compared to running bare while letting fat dribble into the tray for gentle basting from below. Paper wrap accelerates rendering further without the full steam of foil. Foil wrap is the most aggressive; it carries the brisket through the stall quickly and retains the most moisture, but that same humidity softens bark. Choose the level of help you want based on your cooker and timeline.

Timing and stall behavior

At 275°F (135°C) on a 12–15 lb packer (5.4–6.8 kg), expect roughly 10–14 hours unwrapped, 9–12 hours with a foil boat, and 8–11 hours fully wrapped (paper toward the slower end, foil toward the faster). The stall usually shows up around 150–170°F (66–77°C). Wrap or boat once the bark is set—typically 165–175°F (74–79°C) internal—then continue until probe tender in the flat and point. Always cook by feel; temperature is just the map.

Step-by-step: Foil boat brisket at 275°F / 135°C

Trim a 12–15 lb (5.4–6.8 kg) packer, leaving about 1/4 inch (6 mm) fat cap, and season simply with kosher salt and 16‑mesh black pepper. Run the pit at a steady 275°F (135°C) with clean blue smoke. Smoke the brisket fat side down on offsets; fat orientation on other pits can follow whichever protects the flat from your heat source. When the bark is set, the color is deep mahogany, and the rub no longer smears to the touch—usually 4–6 hours in or around 165–175°F (74–79°C) internal—place the brisket into a heavy-duty foil boat that hugs the sides but leaves the top uncovered. Return to the pit and continue cooking, rotating as needed for even color. Begin doneness checks around 195°F (90°C) internal; you are finished when a thin probe slides into the flat and point with little to no resistance, often 200–210°F (93–99°C). Vent heat briefly to slow carryover, then rest wrapped loosely in the boat, then butcher paper or a towel, and hold warm until the internal temp drops to about 150–160°F (66–71°C) before slicing.

Step-by-step: Full wrap brisket at 275°F / 135°C

Season and smoke as above. When the bark is set and color is right—commonly 165–175°F (74–79°C) internal—wrap tightly in pink butcher paper for a drier bark or in double heavy-duty foil for maximum speed and moisture. Return to the pit seam side down to avoid leaks. Check for doneness from 195°F (90°C) onward; probe the flat and point, aiming for a hot-knife-in-butter feel with no tight spots. Expect paper to finish a touch slower than foil. Once tender, vent foil for a minute to stop the cook, then rest and hot-hold wrapped until the internal temp drifts to 150–160°F (66–71°C) before slicing. If holding more than 2 hours, place the wrapped brisket in an insulated cooler or warm cabinet and keep it above 140°F (60°C).

When to choose which

Pick the foil boat if bark is your priority, you’re running a moist cooker (pellet grills, water pans), or you want a bit more smoke on the top side late in the cook. Choose a full wrap when you need insurance against a drying flat, you’re fighting wind or cold that drags out the stall, or you must hit a firm serve time. Paper is the balanced option; foil is the fastest. On classic Texas offsets burning post oak, the boat keeps that signature bark while still shaving time off an unwrapped finish.

Resting, holding, and slicing

Rest long enough to relax the meat and stabilize juices. After hitting probe tender, aim for a hot hold of 1–4 hours above 140°F (60°C), then slice when the internal is about 150–160°F (66–71°C). Separate the point and flat if you like, but always slice across the grain: flat in pencil-thick slices, point a touch thicker. Save rendered fat from the boat or wrap to brush slices lightly right before plating if needed.

Food safety and handling

Keep raw beef separate from ready-to-eat items, wash hands and boards, and sanitize knives. Do not leave cooked brisket between 40–140°F (4–60°C) for more than 2 hours. For long holds, keep wrapped brisket above 140°F (60°C) in a warm oven, cabinet, or insulated cooler with hot bricks or bottles. Chill leftovers within 2 hours; store 3–4 days in the refrigerator and reheat slices, covered, to 165°F (74°C).

Notes

• Wrap/boat when the bark is set: rub doesn’t smear, color is dark mahogany, and the surface feels dry and crusted.
• Probe tender beats a number; common finish window is 200–210°F (93–99°C) with very little resistance in the flat.
• Boat ETA: roughly 9–12 hours at 275°F (135°C) for a 12–15 lb (5.4–6.8 kg) packer; full wrap: 8–11 hours; unwrapped: 10–14 hours.
• On pellet grills with humid cook chambers, the foil boat helps preserve bark; on drier offsets, paper wrap is a safe middle ground.
• Hold wrapped brisket above 140°F (60°C) for up to 4–6 hours; if it drops below, slice and chill promptly.
• Slice across the grain; rewarm slices gently with a touch of reserved fat, not steam, to protect bark.