The secret to smoking a brisket is getting to stay in those little papers. I couldn't resist.

I adapted a propane burner to my New Braunfels Smoker from Academy. The burner is set for 275 degrees and a pan sits on top of it for the wood. It's the wood that flavors the meat not the heat, so wood is only used for smoke. I set my temp, put a piece of wood in the pan and load the meat around eleven and go to bed. No staying up all night jacking with the fire and trying to regulate heat. I cook it fat cap up for 14 hours, don't wrap it, and cook it for 13-14 hours. I almost have to take it off the pit with a spatula.

Everyone has their own magic rub. I use a mixture of Texjoy steak seasoning and Texjoy BBQ Rub, right out of the jug with enough water to make a paste, and put the rub on it right before it goes in the pit, no marinating needed. I found that if I marinate it, the blood from the brisket washes the rub off the bottom of the brisket.
A friend who ran a BBQ joint for about 9 years ate some of my brisket and said it was some of the best he had ever eaten, so I'm not going to mess with success.

Forget the foil.
Use unwaxed butcher paper!!

Make tons of smoke and smoke your brisket raw. Your going to want to put some cuts into the brisket so that it can cook faster. Once it has got a nice smoked coloring put it in an aluminum pan with your dressings. Add some water and cover it. Feed it some fire and let it cook for about 8 hours if thin or 12 to 18 if thicker. Once it's cooked rip the foil up a little to allow evaporation. This is when you start to smoke it out again. Let it cool off if your going to slice it. I enjoy it brazen hot because it shreds into pieces and I'm usually starving by the time it's done cooking. I slap it on hamburger bun if I haven't eaten it all up.

Unless your into the show and tell method... ( visual, perfectly cooked but not too tender) which I think is a joke try this. Rub brisket with whatever rub you buy, smoke it for five hrs dousnt matter what temp as long as it's smoking and isn't over 250 then wrap it with foil stick it in oven at 200 for eight hrs. So easy and as good as any I've eaten. If ya can get freshly cut peach wood I would use that. The end.

Pick a rub rub packer trimmed brisket with oil of choice followed by the rub. smoke with your choice of wood 1.5 hrs per lb. @ 200�. Let stand and slice.

My old smoker wouldn't hold temp for squat so I had to add time.

Butcher paper not foil.

Foil is easier since all you have to do is wrap it up and slap it on the grill and go away. Never tried butcher paper but I bet it's more of a hassle.

You are correct. But the taste is NO comparison.

Trim that brisket well Just a thin fat cap and remove all the silver skin. The fat you want to render is inside the meat, not the outside. If you cook it low and slow, you don't need a fat cap.

Keep your smoke clean...just a thin wisp is all you need. Thick, rolling, boiling smoke will make your brisket bitter. Burn your fire to coals and add small amounts of wood to keep the temp and smoke going.

Wrap your brisket in paper bag or unwaxed butcher paper.

When done, allow the brisket to cool slowly in a ice chest an hour before slicing. This will allow the brisket to recover some moisture and slice much easier.

Gman

Long and slow at a stable temp around 225-250% always works for me. Salt Lick makes a great rub also that helps.