Stop doing math from the wrong direction. Enter when you want to eat — get exactly when to light the fire.
🔥 Build My Brisket Plan Free →Generic brisket calculators give you a flat minutes-per-pound estimate. This one works backward from when you want to eat — factoring in your actual pit type, live weather data, wrap method, and rest time. Enter your details and get a full timeline: fire start, wrap window, pull temp, and rest period.
No account required · Works on mobile · Takes 60 seconds
Every variable that changes your actual cook time is included — not just weight.
The foundation of every time estimate. Enter your post-trim weight for accurate results.
Offset, pellet, kamado, or kettle — each is timed differently. A kamado and an offset at 225°F don't cook the same.
225°F, 250°F, or hot and fast. Each produces a different timeline and bark profile.
Butcher paper, foil, or no wrap. Wrap strategy affects stall duration and total cook time.
Wind and temperature via ZIP code. Cold and wind add hours — the planner adjusts automatically.
Minimum rest time plus automatic stall buffer. Designed so you never finish late.
A flat "1.5 hrs/lb at 225°F" estimate ignores that a kamado and an offset at the same setting produce meaningfully different results — an offset runs 10–20% slower due to heat loss and temperature swings. It ignores that a 40°F windy day adds 2+ hours to an offset cook. And it doesn't tell you when to light the fire — it tells you how long, which is only half the information you need when you're planning around a 6pm Saturday serve time.
Most brisket calculators tell you the cook takes 18 hours. What you actually need to know is: if I'm serving at 6pm Saturday, what time do I light the fire? That's a different calculation — and it requires working backward from your serve time, not forward from an arbitrary start. That's exactly what the planner does.
Here's what the planner produces for a 12lb brisket on an offset smoker, serving at 6pm Saturday in 45°F weather:
12 lb brisket · Offset smoker · 225°F · Butcher paper wrap · Serving Saturday 6:00 PM · 45°F weather
Your brisket weight, your pit type, your weather — get your exact timeline in 60 seconds.
Build My Brisket Plan Free →A basic calculator gives you a total cook time estimate. This one works backward from your serve time — so you get an actual clock time to light your fire, not just a number of hours. It also factors in pit type (a kamado and an offset at the same temperature produce different results), live weather via ZIP code, wrap method, and builds automatic buffer time into every plan. See the start time calculation guide to understand the formula.
Yes — buffer time is built into every plan automatically. The stall is the most unpredictable part of a brisket cook, lasting anywhere from 2 to 6 hours. Rather than guessing, the planner builds buffer into the schedule so an extended stall still gets you to the table on time. If you finish early, the faux Cambro hold keeps the brisket perfect for 4–6 hours.
Yes, completely free. No account required, no email signup, no subscription. Works on any device including mobile. Takes about 60 seconds to fill in your details and get a complete plan.
Yes — plans can be saved locally in your browser. You can also print the schedule or screenshot it to take to the backyard. No login required to save.
Yes — the main smoke planner supports 14 cuts including pulled pork, ribs, brisket, chicken, turkey, pork belly, and more. Every cut uses the same backward-from-serve-time approach. Brisket is the most complex because of the stall — but the planner handles all the math regardless of cut.