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How long to let brisket rest before slicing
If you’re wondering how long you should be letting your brisket rest before you slice into it, then follow this very helpful advice.
You should be resting a brisket in a cooler or a warming oven for at least three to five hours before even thinking about slicing into it.
As you pull it off the smoker, it is piping hot at around 200 degrees in internal temperature.
That is way too hot to begin slicing into it immediately.
All of the moisture and tenderness that you’ve worked so hard to get, will effectively evaporate if you decide to slice into it too early.
That is why it is always recommended to let any cut of meat, let alone a brisket that you just smoked for several hours, begin resting and let the internal temperature come down to around 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
Final Thoughts
As you finish your barbecue cook and are ready to pull the brisket off the smoker, you will want to place it directly into an ice cooler or a warming oven for about 3 to 5 hours.
This is especially true for larger cuts of meat.
You want the internal temperature to come down from 200 degrees Fahrenheit all the way down to at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
That is a safe temperature to begin slicing meat at, and will not risk drying it out.
Robert is a certified Pitmaster, with over a decade of experience in smoking the best meats you’ll ever feast upon. He also has a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Texas at San Antonio. When he’s not researching technical topics, he’s most likely barbecuing in his backyard.