If you rub it several days or even several hours before you put it on the smoker do not use salt...wait for the salt until right before you put it on. Salt BRINGS OUT THE MOISTURE in anything you put it on. I let my meat come up to room temp then put salt/pepper on 15 minutes or so before I put it on. The quality of your meat, quality of your SEASONED wood (green wood will flavor your meat more, for worse flavor than the TYPE of wood your using) and keeping it low/slow is your tracks to follow. You can get fancy with a rub but really salt/pepper are 95% of it. All other rub ingredients are for kicks and giggles. Wrap the meat AFTER you get a good dark...almost burnt looking bark. Wrapping ceases all the smoke and if a foil wrap speeds up the cook time while keeping moisture in. If your using select, choice or a prime that don't look so prime wrap in foil for sure. A really good cut of brisket can be wrapped in paper. Burn a CLEAN fire...meaning seasoned wood and plenty of air. Spritz the meat starting after about 3-4 hours into the cook. I use apple juice/apple cider mix...but water works...really anything. Spritzing does not flavor the meat, just keeps from drying out and if you use something with a little sugar it can help form a bark. Let it rest 1-2 hours and CALL me for a taste test. I like Budlight lime also

Don't open it all the time to check on it, or it will never get done. You let all the heat out, and takes time for it to heat up again and get going. As Franklin says, if you look'n you ant cook'n.

watch BBQ with Franklin on Youtube. Salt and Pepper is all you need

Which Kroger for prime- I just see choice at $1.67?

Your probably in the wrong city

No problem, I have relatives all over the place; what exact Kroger has prime brisket for $1.77-- I want to get some.

Cypresswood and champions forest in nw Houston is where I got them

Brisket turned out great thanks to all the THF help.

Here are a few things I did:

1.) Kept the heat at 250 for the 11.5 hours of total cook time
2.) Used hickory wood (added 2 pieces of soaked & 1 piece of dry every 20-30 minutes)
3.) Picked up the brisket at my local Krogers (a limp 12 lb $34 brisket)
4.) 6.5 hours on my off set smoker and finished wrapped in foil in the oven
5.) Dabbed the brisket surface every 1.5 hour with a olive oil/Karbach Lemon & Ginger Beer mix
6.) Pulled the brisket from the smoker at 160 internal temp, wrapped in oven till 188, and put in Rtic cooler for 1.5 hours

Edit for seasoning: Salt, coarse black pepper, and garlic powder

Now I want to cook a brisket....