how long can you rest a brisket? The correct answer

Last Updated on: 21st October 2022, 12:36 am

Most beginner backyarders consider that the smoking process is done after taking the brisket out of the smoker.

But to their surprise, there is still one last step involved to make sure your effort to quit smoking pays off.

This step is the resting of the brisket.

Resting brisket has many benefits which we will discuss later, but first we need to discuss how long you can rest your brisket.

Because the resting time has a huge impact on the appearance and flavor of the brisket.

It can be really frustrating to see your effort being wasted due to resting for too long or cutting it too early.

Believe me, I have been there and it really is easy to mess it up.

After years of testing with several briskets, here is what I learned.

As per general rule, brisket can usually rest for 1-4 hours, depending on the size of the brisket.

The larger the brisket, the more time it will need to rest.

In addition, if you are resting points and flat portions separately, then you can rest them for a maximum of 3 hours.

Here are the main points of what we are going to discuss in this article.

• Depending on size, the brisket can be rested for 1-4 hours.
• You can use the faux cambro technique or oven if you want to maintain the internal temperature of the brisket.
• Resting has many benefits, ranging from redistribution of meat juices to enhancing the flavor of brisket.
• You should be careful about carryover cooking to avoid the brisket overcooking.

How long can you rest a brisket

As mentioned earlier, brisket can rest for 1-4 hours depending on the size of the brisket.

If you are smoking a smaller brisket, then 1 hour will be enough, but in the case of larger briskets that are over 20 pounds, you need to give them at least 2 hours to rest.

The size of the brisket is the main determinant of the time for resting.

Brisket size depends on the size of the cow or any other animal when it is butchered.

So if the brisket is smaller, it means it will be soft and will require less time for resting.

During smoking, when the internal temperature of the brisket reaches the boiling temperature, the moisture starts evaporating. It is also known as the stall phase.

So, due to evaporation, the moisture in the brisket is drawn towards the surface of the brisket.

Due to this, the deeper portion of the brisket becomes dry while the moisture is collected on the surface of the brisket.

If the brisket is sliced immediately after pulling it off the smoker, then the meat juices will spill out and affect the appearance of the brisket.

That’s why we rest the brisket.

so that the moisture present on the surface of the brisket should sink in and be reabsorbed by the fibers of the meat.

This process varies depending on the size of the brisket, so it’s important to take the size into account before making the final decision.

In short, the brisket should be rested for at least some time before slicing to allow it to become tender and juicy.

The resting time of the brisket will vary depending on the size of the brisket.

Later in this article, we will discuss the most common sizes of brisket in correlation with their resting time.

Another thing to consider is whether you are resting the point and flat separately or as a whole.

If the brisket is divided into two portions, then its size will decrease and it will require less time for resting.

The resting time of the brisket depends on size

As discussed earlier, the resting time of brisket depends on the size of the brisket.

Briskets typically weigh between 10 and 20 pounds.

But in some cases, it can be below 10 pounds or above 20 pounds.

Here is the resting time for these briskets, depending on size .

Resting time for briskets weighing less than ten pounds

In some cases, the brisket size can be less than 10 pounds.

These are softer than the usual briskets and don’t require much resting time.

You can rest briskets under 10 pounds for at least 30 minutes and you will be good to go.

However, if you can wait a little longer, resting for a couple of hours would be ideal.

Because of the smaller size , the moisture will redistribute in less time.

Moreover, due to their being smaller, the fibers of such briskets will absorb the meat juices more quickly.

You also need to be careful about resting them for too long because it can result in the brisket cooling.

Brisket resting time of 10-15 pounds

It is one of the most common sizes for briskets.

Due to being larger in size , this type of brisket will require more time for moisture to redistribute into the brisket.

In addition, these briskets usually have a tougher texture than smaller briskets.

You rest such briskets for at least 45 minutes before slicing.

It will give the fibers enough time to absorb the meat juices.

But if you have some extra time , then make sure to rest this brisket for 1-2 hours for better results.

Resting time for briskets in the 15-20 pound range

Most of the briskets available commercially are usually in this range.

These are tougher in texture and require more effort to smoke.

So you need to be really careful about resting them because it’s easier to mess them up by resting for too long or too short a time.

If you are smoking a brisket in this range, then you should considerably rest them for at least an hour before slicing them.

Even after one hour, you will still need to wear insolation gloves before slicing them, because some meat juices can still be present on the surface.

Resting time for briskets weighing more than 20 pounds

These are the real beasts of the brisket.

These briskets are usually not available commercially.

But these can take several hours or days to smoke completely due to their tougher texture.

Obviously, this will necessitate more rest time.

As per our experience, you should consider resting such briskets for at least 90 minutes to 2 hours before slicing them.

Due to their larger size , these will require more time to redistribute the meat juices.

But you need to be careful about cooling down at the same time.

If your brisket is beginning to cool down during resting, then you should consider resting it by using the faux cambro technique or in an oven.

What does “carryover cooking” mean while resting brisket?

Carryover cooking means a continuous increase in the temperature of the brisket after it has been removed from the smoker.

Carryover cooking usually occurs in the resting phase.

The temperature of the brisket can increase by 5–15 °F depending on the size and texture of the brisket.

So it is really important to keep in mind that the cooking of the brisket will not stop after you have removed it from the smoker.

A good way is to remove the brisket 5–10°F before it reaches the target temperature .

For example, if you are aiming to cook a brisket at 190°F , then it is a good idea to remove the brisket at 185°F and place it for resting.

Otherwise, carryover cooking will result in an increase in temperature and overcooking of the brisket.

Resting is really a crucial part of smoking.

You need to be careful about both the minimum and maximum range of the brisket to rest.

If you slice the brisket too early, it will result in the spilling of the meat juices.

If you let the brisket rest for a longer time , it will continue to cook or cool down.

So it is important to set a defined range for the resting of the brisket.

Brisket should be rested for at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours, depending on size.

This range is really important for the brisket to rest.

You can’t rest each and every brisket for 30 minutes or for 4 hours.

Take into account the size of the brisket and decide based on the ranges given above.

At the same time, you should not get overwhelmed by decision-making because it’s the only way to properly master smoking.

Why do we need to rest the brisket?

Resting is a really important step in brisket. It is not an optional phase; rather, it is mandatory for every brisket to rest before slicing it.

There are several benefits of resting brisket.

Some of them are given below.

It allows redistribution of meat juices

Resting brisket allows the redistribution of the meat juices.

When the brisket is rested, the meat juices will sink in and be reabsorbed by the meat fibers.

Due to this, the meat juices will not spill out upon slicing.

Meat juices are one of the most important parts of smoked brisket.

This is usually the moisture present in the brisket.

When smoking brisket, the brisket is poked on the surface to check the color of the meat juices to check for doneness.

So you know that meat juices are present on the surface of brisket and spill out upon poking the brisket.

But do you know from where these juices come?

The answer is that it is actually the moisture of the brisket that is drawn to the surface during evaporation.

It is drawn to the surface during the stall phase.

But once the brisket is done smoking, it still remains on the surface of the brisket.

So, if the brisket is sliced immediately after smoking, the meat juices will spill out and affect the texture of the brisket.

increases the tenderness of the brisket

In addition to the redistribution of meat juices, resting also helps to make the brisket more tender.

The tenderness of brisket usually occurs for two reasons: due to carryover cooking and by retaining moisture if covered.

Carryover cooking is one of the most neglected phenomena in the smoking world.

For sometime after taking the brisket out of the smoker, it will continue to increase in temperature for some time.

This increase in temperature will break down the fibers of meat and make it more tender.

Secondly, if the brisket is covered during the resting, then it will retain the moisture of the brisket and cook it by steaming for some time.

It will help the brisket become even more tender and juicy.

After resting for some time, the brisket will be soft enough to be pulled off easily.

enhances the flavor

Resting brisket also helps in increasing the flavor of brisket.

Its like giving a final chance to the rub and other stuff to sink into the brisket completely.

The rubbed particles will sink deeper into the brisket along with the meat juices.

In addition, if you have applied sauce to the brisket by mopping during smoking, then resting will have an even greater effect on flavor.

The sauce and rub applied to the brisket will mix up and enhance the flavor of the brisket.

Should you wrap the brisket while resting?

Another hot debate topic in the bbq space is wrapping or covering brisket during resting.

There are thousands of schools of thought on this issue.

One prefers to cover while the other likes to rest the brisket uncovered.

And apparently, both of them are right.

There is no hard and fast rule for whether to wrap your brisket during resting or not.

It’s your personal choice.

There are benefits to both approaches, and you have to decide which one you prefer, depending on your personal choice.

Covering the brisket during resting makes it more tender and juicy because it allows easier redistribution of meat juices.

In addition, it also cooks brisket by steaming for some time, which makes the brisket more tender and increases its tenderness.

On the other hand, resting the brisket without covering it helps us retain a better and crispy bark.

As mentioned above, while wrapping, the moisture trapped inside the foil can affect the bark of the brisket and make it messy.

So it’s a personal choice whether you want to cover the brisket or not.

If you want a tender and soft brisket, then make sure to cover it.

If you want a crispy and good bark , then you don’t have to cover the brisket while it’s resting.

Is it bad to rest brisket for too long?

The simple and straightforward answer to this question will always be yes.

It’s a rule of nature that an excess of anything is hazardous, and so is the case with resting brisket.

You have to set a defined range for resting the brisket.

As a general rule, brisket should be rested for no more than 4 hours.

After 4 hours, the brisket will start to cool down and become hardened.

So you should consider serving your brisket after resting it for a maximum of 4 hours.

As discussed above, resting has many benefits, ranging from the redistribution of meat juices to making the brisket tender.

But if overdone, these benefits can turn into cons. You should consider deciding on a range for resting the brisket for only 4 hours maximum.

The most common effect of resting brisket for too long is that it will start to cool down and become hardened.

If your brisket is cooled down, then it will not be very presentable while serving it to guests.

You can avoid the cooling down of the brisket by resting it in an oven or by using the faux cambro technique.

But you might end up overcooking the brisket if you rest it for too long.

You need to be really careful about the internal temperature of the brisket while resting it in an oven.

In short, you should only rest brisket for a maximum of 4 hours to make sure it retains its original texture.

If you count your resting point and flat portions separately, then the maximum range further drops down to 3 hours.

How to rest a brisket with the faux cambro technique?

The Faux cambro technique is one of the most effective for the resting of brisket.

It can help you store your brisket for up to 4–8 hours, depending on how effectively you carry it out.

It might sound complicated, but it is really simple to store brisket using the faux cambro technique.

Here is a step-by-step guide to resting your brisket using the faux cambro technique.

By resting your brisket this way, you can easily store it for 4 hours in its original texture.

You can store it for an even longer time, but it will start to cool down and get messy due to the moisture trapped inside the foil.

It is an effective way to rest your brisket because it will keep the internal temperature of the brisket constant.

By wrapping the brisket in foil and placing it in a cooler, we basically minimize the chances of heat loss and increase insolation.

How to rest brisket in the oven

If you want to rest your brisket without cooling it down , then the oven is an effective tool to do that.

You can rest your brisket for up to 8 hours before serving.

It is usually used when you are finished with your brisket and have hours before serving.

Although it is a good technique and can help you store your brisket for hours, there is still a risk while doing this.

While resting your brisket in the oven , you might end up overcooking it, which might affect the texture of your brisket.

If you’re going to rest your brisket in the oven, pick one with a low temperature of 160°F-170°F.

If you can’t find such a one, then make sure to find one with at least a lower range of no more than 180°F.

There are no complications involved in the process of resting your brisket in an oven.

You just need to set your oven at the lowest temperature and put your brisket into the oven.

You don’t need to wait for the oven to reach the desired temperature; rather, you can place the brisket inside the oven as soon as you remove it from the smoker.

While putting your brisket into the oven , make sure to place a temperature probe in the brisket.

It will help you to stay informed of the internal temperature of the brisket and avoid it overcooking.

If the internal temperature of the brisket exceeds 160°F , then you should consider removing it from the oven.

Is there a difference between resting and holding while smoking meat?

Usually, resting and holding brisket are confused with each other and used interchangeably.

You can even see pro pitmasters using these terms alternatively because there is no information available on such topics.

The difference between holding and resting brisket lies in the internal temperature of the brisket.

In resting, we cool the brisket a little bit to allow redistribution of meat juices, while in holding, you need to maintain the internal temperature of the brisket for a longer time.

While resting brisket, we tend to place the brisket at room temperature to allow the meat juices present on the surface to sink back into the brisket.

Moreover, we do it for a maximum of 4 hours to avoid cooling it too much.

While in the case of holding, we are more focused on maintaining the temperature of the brisket near 160°F to make sure the brisket is served fresh.

That is, we are more concerned with storing than with resting.

In short, resting can be done at room temperature to allow the meat juices to be absorbed back.

While holding should be done by faux cambro or by oven to make sure the internal temperature of the brisket remains constant.

Final verdict

You can rest the brisket for 1–4 hours, depending on the size of the brisket.

Resting brisket is important, but you need to be careful about resting it for too long.

If you want to maintain the internal temperature of the brisket, then consider storing it in the oven or using the faux cambro technique.