Brisket is usually cooked until the internal temperature in the thickest part of the flat is around 195–205°F (90–96°C), with many pitmasters targeting about 200–203°F for ideal tenderness.

Safe internal temperature

  • Beef is safe to eat from 145°F and up when properly handled, but brisket is still very tough at that point because the collagen has not fully broken down.
  • For classic BBQ-style brisket , aim for 195–205°F internal and then rest it well so the juices redistribute.

Best range for tenderness

  • Many guides and pitmasters note that most briskets “finish” somewhere between 200°F and 210°F, with 203°F often cited as a reliable sweet spot.
  • Others describe the ideal window as 195–205°F, emphasizing that tenderness matters more than the exact number.

How to know it’s done

  • Use a good meat thermometer and check several spots; the probe should slide in with little resistance, like into softened butter, not feel tough or rubbery.
  • Combine internal temperature with feel: if it’s in the 195–205°F zone and feels soft and jiggly, it is ready to come off and rest.

Cooking temperature vs. internal temp

  • Common smoker/oven temps for brisket are 225–275°F, which allow “low and slow” cooking so the connective tissue can fully render.
  • At these pit temps, a full packer brisket often takes 12–18 hours to reach about 200–205°F internally, depending on size and cooker.

TL;DR:
Cook brisket low and slow at roughly 225–275°F until the internal temperature reaches about 195–205°F (with 200–203°F being a popular target), then judge by how tender it feels before serving.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.