Trim the brisket the night before your cook. Using a sharp boning or trimming knife, remove excess fat from the fat cap down to about a quarter-inch thickness. Trim away any hard, waxy fat that will not render during the cook, and remove the thin sections of flat that would dry out and burn. A properly trimmed brisket is the foundation of a great result, so take your time here.

Coat the entire surface of the brisket with a thin, even layer of yellow mustard. This acts as a binder and helps your seasoning stick. Do not worry about the flavor, it cooks off completely and you will not taste it in the finished product.

Season the brisket generously with your salt and pepper rub, using roughly equal parts by volume. Apply a heavy, even coat to all surfaces including the sides and any exposed meat from trimming. If you are using garlic powder, mix it into the rub before applying. For a 12 to 14 lb packer brisket, you want a visible crust of seasoning. Wrap loosely in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight, or for at least 2 hours.

Pull the brisket out of the refrigerator 60 minutes before cooking so it can come closer to room temperature. While it rests on the counter, fire up the smoker and dial it in to a steady 250 degrees Fahrenheit. Add your wood chunks to the firebox or smoker box. Wait until you see thin blue smoke rather than thick white billowing smoke before putting the meat on. Thin blue smoke means clean combustion and clean flavor.

Place the brisket fat side up on the smoker grate, away from direct heat. Insert your leave-in probe thermometer into the thickest part of the flat muscle, making sure it does not touch any fat pockets. Close the lid and maintain your 250 degree target throughout the cook. Resist the urge to open the smoker in the first few hours. Every time you lift that lid you lose 15 to 20 minutes of cooking time.

Monitor your internal temp closely as it climbs. Around the 150 to 170 degree range, do not be surprised when the temperature stops moving for an extended period. This is the stall, caused by evaporative cooling on the brisket surface. It can last anywhere from 2 to 4 hours. This is completely normal and is your signal to get your butcher paper ready.

When your brisket hits an internal temp between 165 and 170 degrees Fahrenheit and you are satisfied with the color and bark development, it is time to wrap. You are looking for a deep mahogany color, a firm exterior crust, and visible smoke ring development on any exposed meat edges. Pull the brisket off the smoker and set it on your large cutting board.

Tear off two overlapping sheets of unlined peach butcher paper, each about 4 feet long. Lay them flat on your cutting board in a cross pattern to create a larger wrapping surface. Place the brisket fat side down in the center of the paper. Pull the long sides of the paper up and over the brisket, folding them tightly against the meat surface. Then fold the short ends over like a burrito and tuck them firmly underneath. The wrap should be snug but not crushing the bark. A loose wrap lets too much steam escape, while an overly tight wrap can compress your bark.

Return the wrapped brisket to the smoker, fat side up, and reinsert your probe thermometer through the paper. Continue cooking at 250 degrees Fahrenheit. With the paper wrap in place, the brisket will now power through the stall much more quickly. Monitor the internal temp as it climbs toward the 195 to 205 degree finish zone.

Start checking for doneness when the internal temp reaches 198 degrees. The temperature number is a guide, but the real test is probe tenderness. Insert your thermometer probe or a wooden skewer into the thickest part of the flat. It should slide in and out with almost no resistance, like pushing into warm butter. If you still feel any tension or drag, give it another 30 to 45 minutes and test again. The point will almost always be done before the flat, so always test the flat.

Once the brisket passes the probe tenderness test, pull it off the smoker. Do not unwrap it yet. The rest is just as important as the cook itself. For best results, place the wrapped brisket in an empty cooler lined with a folded towel, close the lid, and let it rest for a minimum of 1 hour. Two hours is even better. This rest allows the muscle fibers to relax and the juices to redistribute evenly throughout the meat. Skipping the rest is the number one mistake home cooks make with brisket.

After resting, unwrap the brisket over your cutting board to capture all the precious juices that have pooled inside the paper. Separate the point from the flat by locating the fat seam between the two muscles and slicing through it. Slice the flat against the grain into pencil-thin slices, about a quarter-inch thick. The point can be sliced or cubed for burnt ends. A proper brisket slice should hold together when lifted but pull apart with gentle tension. Serve immediately and enjoy the payoff from your low and slow dedication.