An Easy Guide to Weber Kettle Snake Method Brisket

Texas smoked brisket – just the thought of it can make your mouth water. The perfectly seasoned, smoky, juicy meat is a BBQ lover’s dream. 

Now you can enjoy this smoky, juicy brisket at home anytime. Yes, it’s true because this blog post will be your go-to guide. Here, we’ll share the secrets of making the delicious brisket with snake method at home with a Weber kettle. 

Don’t worry; the guide will be easy. We’ll share everything step by step so you can enjoy this delicious dish in the comfort of your own home without having to go to a fancy restaurant or a backyard BBQ party. 

Step-by-Step Guide to Weber Kettle Brisket

Here’s the step-by-step guide to making the juicy, tender Weber Kettle brisket. We’ve divided the guide into several steps. 

In the first one, we’ll share the items you need; then, we’ll move toward the process of making the snake grill. Lastly, we’ll discuss the seasoning and how you can cook brisket. So let’s get started! 

Step 1 – get the essentials. 

Below are the important things you need while making Weber kettle brisket. 

Snake method

• Briquettes. 
• Wood chips.
• Chimney. 
• Aluminum foil drip tray. 
• Grill. 

Seasoning 

• Salt 
• Black pepper 
• Sprinkling jar. 

Grilling 

• Weber kettle. 
• Meat thermometer. 
• Melted butter and water mixture. 
• Beef broth. 

Step 2 – Make a snake in a few minutes.

Start with setting up your Weber kettle. If you’re using it after a long time, it’s important to clean the grill along with the accessories a night before cooking. Once you’re done with it, make sure you have all the necessary items. 

Get six to eight coals and put them into the chimney of the Weber kettle, then light them up. Afterward, put the chimney aside so you can make a snake with charcoal briquettes on the grill. 

To make a snake, get some brisket and put them in a row. Make sure the briquettes touch each other. Some people overlap the briquettes, which isn’t necessary; you have to put them in a way that they only touch each other and can burn together.

   

Once it’s done, you’ll notice the row of briquettes will look like a ring. You have to repeat the same process for the second row. Start placing the briquettes alongside the first row and again ensure that the briquettes touch each other. 

Wait, that’s not all; you need to set up one last ring of briquettes to make the perfect snake on the grill. But before you do that, get some wood chips and place them on briquettes.

One important point you should remember is these wood chips shouldn’t touch each other. Otherwise, they’ll burn quickly.  After forming the last ring over these wood chips, set the wood chips on the first and second rows of the briquettes. Assure to keep a distance between these wood chips. Lastly, start putting briquettes on the wood chips in a row. 

Now the catch, the briquettes should be near each other, even in the third row. In the end, the snake of the briquettes will look like the image below. 

After setting up the briquettes in the snake shape in the grill, it’s time to burn these coals. Get all coals from the chimney and place them at the starting point of the briquette ring. By doing this, the briquettes will start burning. 

Step 3 – Cook brisket & enjoy

Step three is all about preparation and cooking brisket on the grill. For your ease, we’ve divided this part into several sections where we’ll discuss how you can trim, season, and cook the brisket separately. 

Trim the brisket 

The first thing you need to do is trim the brisket. This is a crucial step because, without proper trimming, the taste of the brisket won’t be great. 

So hold your brisket, and put it down on the cutting board. Find a sharp knife and understand what part you have to trim. 

Usually, brisket has fat and silver skin all over it, which you also see in the image above. The fat and silver skin doesn’t taste delicious like a muscle; moreover, it doesn’t become softer, so you have to cut the fat part. To do this, all you need is a sharp knife. 

Take the knife and hold the fat part. Trim the fat carefully and ensure you don’t cut the muscle along with it. 

Follow the same process for the other side, which is called the “fat cap.” This side of the brisket will have thick fat. Try to trim most of the parts, particularly from the corner that will be thicker, around 1 inch. 

Once you’re done cutting the fat, find silver skin. It’s also fat, but it won’t be thick and white. Instead, it will be transparent, and you can easily see the muscle through it. To trim it, hold this silver skin, and cut. 

Note: Some people don’t find the silver skin problematic. If you’re one of them, then no need to trim it away. 

Season the brisket

After trimming, you have to season the brisket, but before you do that, leave the brisket overnight in the fridge. In the morning, get salt and pepper in equal amounts from your kitchen (both should be coarse). Mix them well and store them in a spice sprinkler jar. 

Sprinkle this mixture of salt and pepper all over the brisket and leave it for 30 minutes. You can also use other spices like chili powder or coriander. Some people prefer a layer of mustard paste, so it all depends on what you like. 

Pro Tip – Don’t forget to rub the brisket well after sprinkling the spices. 

Cook brisket on the grill. 

Here’s how you can cook delicious brisket on the grill. 

1. Preheat the Weber Kettle to 225-250 degrees Fahrenheit and place an aluminum drip tray in the center of the briquettes to catch any drippings.
2. Place the brisket on the grill with the point muscle facing the hot side and the flat muscle facing the cold side.
3. Cover the grill with the lid and periodically check the temperature using a meat thermometer and the Weber mobile application. You can set minimum and maximum temperature alarms to prevent overcooking or undercooking the brisket.
4. If the temperature drops below 225-250 degrees Fahrenheit, open the vents fully until the temperature goes high. Once the temperature returns to the desired range, close the vents halfway.
5. Check the brisket after a few hours and spritz it with a mixture of melted butter and water if it appears dry. Be sure to spritz only the corners of the brisket, not the middle.
6. Add more wood chips and coals as needed to maintain the temperature.
7. Once the brisket is fully cooked, remove it from the grill and wrap it in aluminum foil with half a cup of beef broth.
8. Place the brisket in the oven at 300 degrees Fahrenheit. After about 30 minutes, check the meat’s tenderness with the help of a thermometer. 
9. Remember to insert the thermometer probe into the flat muscle. This is because it’s the thickest part; if it’s tender and juicy means the overall brisket is fully cooked. 
10. If the brisket isn’t tender as you want, leave it for another 25 to 30 minutes in the oven. Again check the tenderness using the digital meat thermometer. 

Frequently Asked Questions 

How to moisten a dry brisket during cooking? 

If you notice that your brisket edges are turning out to be dry during the cooking, you can apply the mixture of melted butter and water. Remember, you have to spritz this mixture on the edges, not the center. 

How do the vents work on a Weber kettle?

The vents on the Weber kettle work by controlling the flow of air into and out of the grill.

• Open the bottom vent wider to increase the temperature. By doing this, you’ll allow more oxygen to enter, which increases the temperature. 
• You can close the bottom vent partially or fully; it’ll reduce the flow of oxygen into the grill and help decrease the temperature. 

How long does it take to cook brisket on a charcoal grill?

The cooking time depends on several factors, like how big the size of the brisket is, its thickness, and the temperature of the grill. Generally, we’ve noticed if the temperature is around 225-250°F, you can easily cook a big-size brisket in up to 14 – 15 hours. 

How long will a charcoal snake burn?

A charcoal snake consisting of three rows of briquettes can easily burn for up to 15 hours. If you’ve used fewer briquettes, the burning time will decrease.  

Final Words 

We hope this comprehensive guide to the Weber Kettle Snake Method Brisket has been helpful to you. With these easy step-by-step instructions, you’ll be able to cook a brisket like the best barbecue restaurants. Trust us; it’s easier than you think!

Remember, patience, attention to detail, and a consistent cooking temperature are the key ingredients to making a perfect brisket. 

Take the time to learn and understand how your grill works, and be sure to maintain a steady temperature throughout the cooking process. We wish you the best of luck on your barbecue journey and hope you enjoy the delicious results!