Best Charcoal Smoker for Brisket

Brisket is a cut of beef taken from the upper chest of cattle. It is considered to be a very tough piece of meat, but when cooked slowly, the end result is tender and delicious. This same principle applies to cooking using a charcoal smoker. Let’s check the Best Charcoal Smoker for Brisket on the market today.

There are several steps to take to produce the best-tasting brisket, and using a charcoal smoker is one of them. A charcoal smoker can provide hours of heat, allowing the slow cooking of the meat and also producing a very flavorful end result.

There are a number of charcoal smokers on the market, and all will work to provide a great end result. However, some will be more suited for this type of cooking than others. 

To help you decide which smoker is best for your needs, let’s take a look at some of the top charcoal smokers on the market today.

Best Charcoal Smoker for Brisket Reviews

Cuisinart COS-118 Charcoal Smoker Review

The Cuisinart COS-118 Charcoal Smoker is the perfect way to get that smoky flavour in your food. 

With two racks and 512 square inches of cooking space, this smoker can handle anything you put in it. 

The porcelain enamel water bowl helps keep your food moist, while the top & bottom vents provide a dual air vent system for perfectly smoked food every time.

The COS-118 has all the features you need to get great results every time, including easy-to-use temperature control and smoke adjustment. 

You’ll love the latch base that keeps your food in place and the fact that it’s easy to clean and maintain. Plus, there are smoker mats to help you create professional-quality smoked dishes with ease.

This smoker is made with steel housing and aluminium drip trays to ensure even cooking and easy cleanup. Plus, it stands 45 inches tall, making it perfect for any backyard barbecue.

Char-Broil Bullet Charcoal Smoker Review

The Char-Broil Bullet Charcoal Smoker is the perfect way to get that smoked flavour you love. 

This smoker has a cooking surface of 584 sq. in. and comes with two porcelain-coated cooking grates. 

The innovative airflow control system ensures that your food is cooked perfectly every time, while the numbered damper settings make it easy to adjust the heat. And thanks to the removable ash pan, cleanup is a breeze.

The two chamber-lift handles make it easy to open and close, while the lid-mounted temperature gauge lets you keep track of your cooking progress. 

The formed fire access door allows for easy access to your charcoal, while the steel tube legs provide stability. 

Plus, with a 1-Year warranty, you can be sure that your smoker will last for years to come.

Weber 18-inch Smokey Mountain Charcoal Smoker Review

The Weber 18-inch Smokey Mountain Charcoal Smoker is perfect for anyone who wants to enjoy the real smoke flavour without having to go to a lot of trouble.

The smoker features porcelain-enamelled steel construction for durability and two nickel-plated cooking grates for ample cooking space. 

The thermometer allows you to easily monitor the smoker’s temperature, while the individual vents on the bowl and lid ensure precise heat control. 

The heat-resistant nylon handle ensures safe use, and the easily adjustable dampers provide added flexibility.

The water pan ensures that your food stays moist and juicy, while the 3D interactive instructions make it easy to get started. 

Plus, the smoker’s classic design means you can cook delicious smoked meats and vegetables right in your backyard.

Classic Pit Barrel Charcoal Smoker Review

With its unique design and easy-to-use features, the Classic Pit Barrel Charcoal Smoker is perfect for anyone who wants to enjoy delicious smoked foods. 

This smoker is simple to operate, requires minimal assembly, and comes with 8 stainless steel hooks that make smoking meats a breeze. 

The standard grate allows for grilling and searing, while the coal basket ensures that your food will be cooked evenly every time.

Masterbuilt 20060416 Charcoal Smoker Review

The Masterbuilt 20060416 Charcoal Bullet Smoker is the perfect choice for anyone who wants to enjoy delicious smoked foods without all of the hassles. 

With 395.4 sq. inches of cooking space, it’s big enough to cook a variety of items at once, and the porcelain-coated smoking racks ensure that your food will come out tasting great every time. 

The porcelain-coated charcoal pan and water bowl also make cleanup a breeze, and the built-in lid thermometer ensures that your food will be cooked perfectly every time. Plus, the front-access door makes adding new charcoal a breeze.

Kamado Joe Charcoal Smoker Review

The all-new Kamado Joe Charcoal Smoker is your breakthrough solution for smoking meat like a pro. 

This smoker features a unique airlift hinge that decreases dome weight by 96 per cent, making it easier than ever to get those perfect smoky flavours.

Plus, the exclusive divide & conquer flexible cooking system allows you to use multiple levels or half-racks, doubling your cooking space. 

And with its patented All-Aluminum construction and rust-free control tower top vent, you can rest assured that this smoker will last for years to come. 

A double-thick wire mesh fibreglass gasket on the smoker creates an airtight seal and lasts 10 times longer than standard industry gaskets.

The advanced six-piece multi-panel firebox design eliminates breakage and the thick-walled, heat-resistant shell locks in smoke and moisture at any temperature.

Its large cooking surface provides ample space for burgers, brats, rib-eyes, and more. The sturdy iron cart is easy to move around, and the precision ventilation dial ensures perfect cooking every time. Plus, the patented slide-out ash drawer makes cleanup a breeze!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How do I use a Charcoal Smoker?

Using a Charcoal Smoker is easy and much like cooking over an open fire:

1. Open the smoker and fill it with wood chips, pellets, or chunks.

2. Ignite the fuel using either a charcoal chimney, electric starter, or by placing crumpled newspaper under the grate and lighting it.

3. Once the fuel has ignited, open the air vents on the smoker to let oxygen in and to regulate the temperature inside the unit. Close them once the fuel has burned down to embers.

4. Place your brisket, ribs, or other meat onto the top rack, close the lid, and set a timer for 1 hour.

5. After an hour has passed, open the smoker and check the colour of the meat and its internal temperature.

6. If you want a darker crust on your meat, leave it in the smoker for another 15 minutes. If you prefer a lighter crust, remove it from the smoker after an hour and let it rest under aluminium foil for 20-30 minutes.

What is the best type of charcoal for smoking a brisket?

When using a Charcoal Smoker, you’ll want to use hardwood charcoal as opposed to briquettes. This is because briquettes are made with fillers that are designed to produce long-lasting fuel rather than heat. They may also have additives that can create soot on your meat.

Hardwood charcoal, on the other hand, is just that: wood that’s been burned down into charcoal. It burns hotter than briquettes and is the preferred fuel for smoking brisket.

How long should I smoke a brisket?

You’ll find recommendations to smoke your brisket anywhere from 2-12 hours on BBQ forums, recipes, and videos. There’s no right or wrong answer to this question since everyone has different preferences for how their food tastes.

What we can say is that it takes at least an hour per pound of brisket to smoke, and the smoker should never dip below 200°F after you establish the “smoke ring”.

For example, a 3-4 lb brisket will take anywhere from 3-4 hours, depending on the thickness of your brisket, how much it weighs, and what type of meat you’re cooking.

A brisket weighing 8-9 lbs will take around 12 hours.

What is the “Smoke Ring”?

The smoke ring is what you’re looking for in a smoked brisket. It’s that pink ring of meat underneath the bark around the outside of your brisket that’s a telltale sign you smoked your meat correctly.

The smoke ring is formed when you introduce a combination of heat and vaporized smoke particles (nitrogen dioxide) to the surface of the meat. These particles are brought to the surface along with combustion gases from the burning coals through a process called absorption.

Nitrogen dioxide is highly soluble in water. Vaporized, this gas can pass through the meat to interact with myoglobin proteins on the surface of the brisket.

Myoglobin is a protein found in animal tissue that takes on a purplish colour when it’s converted into oxymyoglobin by oxidation.

When myoglobin and nitrogen dioxide meet, they combine and create a pink colour called the smoke ring.

Which Temperature Should I Smoke My Brisket At?

You should smoke the brisket at 225°F using your smoker.

The best way to maintain the temperature in your smoker is by adding more coals as necessary. Experiment with different amounts of coals based on the amount of meat you’re cooking and how much heat you want to channel into it.

At 225°F, you’re able to maintain a low enough temperature for around 4 hours without adding any more coals. When you do add coals, only add one or two at a time. This will prevent the temperature from fluctuating too much.

How do I know if my meat is done?

The best way to tell if your meat is done cooking is to use a digital instant-read thermometer. Insert the probe into the thickest part of the meat without touching any bone, fat, or gristle.

When your brisket is done cooking, its internal temperature should be at least 185°F. At this temperature, the meat should have a pink ring around its exterior and be fork tender.

Brisket tastes best when it has a smoke ring. The smoke ring forms when the protein myoglobin in the meat reacts with nitric oxide from the wood smoke, allowing it to take on a pinkish color. You’ll see this ring most prominently in cuts of meat that are 3/4″ thick or more.

If you don’t see a smoke ring after smoking the meat for several hours at 225°F, try increasing the temperature to 275-300°F for the last 30 minutes of cooking. This will increase the time that it takes for your brisket to cook, but it will also allow the meat to absorb more smoke and create a deeper, darker ring.

Conclusion 

Choosing the best charcoal smoker can be a bit of a challenge, especially since there are so many brands and types on the market these days. 

Brisket is a popular cut of meat that demands to be cooked slowly. If you’re looking for one perfect smoker for this purpose, look no further than our definitive review of the best charcoal smoker for brisket.

Once you feel confident in your choice, you can rest assured that your BBQs for many years to come will always be smokey, saucy, and full of flavor.

Thanks for checking out our post! If you’re still unsure about which one is the best for your needs, we encourage you to find a review on the model that interests you and take a look at what other people have to say about it.

This will help you narrow down the choice and ensure that you’re making a decision that you can be satisfied with! We’ll see you at the next one. You can also check our article on the Best Charcoal Smoker for Beginners.

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