it has salt and pepper). How much you trim doesn't matter much. Fat side up or down (even experts disagree on this). To wrap, or not wrap, or use foil, or paper. Experts disagree on that too.

Here's the essentials: Start with a good piece of meat. Costco Choice grade is fine. Start low for a few hours (at least 4) to get a lot of smoke (180-225). Smoke tube helps if you have a pellet grill. When the temperature stalls (about 160 degrees), I wrap it tightly in foil and add some moisture (broth, apple juice, Dr. Pepper, doesn't really matter much). Don't wrap too loose, or you will get pot roast. Some like paper instead of foil, but I haven't experimented with that enough to recommend it.

I then usually put the wrapped brisket it on a cookie sheet and finish it in the oven. The smoker has done its job at that point. At this point, you want to get it up to temperature until the probe goes in and moves about easily. This usually happens about 195-200. I like to try to bring it up to temperature slowly. If you are behind on your time, and you crank it up over 300, you risk burning it, drying it out, and burning the sugars in whatever liquid you put in there. If you can get it up to temp without exceeding an oven temperature of 250, you will have a moister brisket. Time is your friend. Much better to finish your brisket 8 hours early than to have to crank it up to get it done in time.

When you do get to temp, let it sit for a few hours, still wrapped. A cooler with paper towels works well. Cut right before serving.

Here's my trade secret: When you open the foil to start cutting, collect as much of the liquid from the foil as you can. Hopefully, you have a cup or two. Separate the fat from that and discard the fat. What's left should be mixed about 50/50 with a good BBQ sauce. I call this "barb au jus" sauce, and its the best thing in the world to pour on your brisket.

The only bad briskets I've ever cooked were either overcooked or undercooked, or got burnt trying to bring them up to temp too quickly.