Heads up: this post contains affiliate links. If you buy through them, I may earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you. I also own Chef Bobby’s Kitchen, so yes, I’m biased about the rubs – but I made them because I use them. This post isn’t sponsored by Farmfoods; I bought the brisket myself.

Right then. Can a Farmfoods brisket – yes, the frozen one from Farmfoods – actually make proper low and slow barbecue? I had to find out. So I bought one, defrosted it, and smoked it on my Weber kettle with oak for six and a half hours. Spoiler: you really don’t need to spend a fortune at the butcher’s.

Why I tried a Farmfoods brisket

Brisket has got expensive. Walk into a butcher’s and ask for a full packer, and you’ll feel it in your wallet. Meanwhile, Farmfoods – the frozen food shop most of us have round the corner – sells brisket for a fraction of that. Naturally, I wanted to know if cheap frozen brisket could hold up on the smoker.

Because it’s frozen, planning matters. Defrost your Farmfoods brisket fully in the fridge before it goes anywhere near the heat. Give it a day or two depending on size. Rushing that step is the quickest way to an uneven cook.

Farmfoods brisket cook at a glance

• Meat: frozen brisket from Farmfoods, fully defrosted
• Cooker: Weber kettle with the side table (the Performer)
• Smoke wood: oak chunks
• Cook temperature: 110–125°C
• Total cook time: around 6½ hours
• The stall: hit at 68°C internal, then wrapped
• Seasoning: Chef Bobby’s Kitchen Linchpin x SPG, then Pitmaster Rub
• Temperature tracking: Inkbird wireless meat thermometer

The kit I used

A budget brisket deserves a no-fuss setup. Three bits of kit did the heavy lifting.

The Weber kettle with the table

I cooked on my Weber Performer – the kettle with the table bolted to the side. That table is a proper game changer: rubs, tongs, wrap and a brew all within arm’s reach. Set it up for indirect heat, and it holds low-and-slow temperatures far better than people give it credit for.

Oak chunks for the smoke

For smoke, I went with oak chunks. Oak is the classic brisket wood. It’s steady, clean, and gives that deep smoky flavour without turning bitter. Chunks rather than chips, too, because they burn slowly and keep the smoke rolling.

The Inkbird wireless thermometer

I tracked the whole cook with my Inkbird wireless thermometer. No wires trailing out of the lid, no lifting it to check and losing heat. I watched the internal temperature on my phone the entire way, so I knew the moment the stall kicked in. With a cheaper cut like a Farmfoods brisket, nailing your temperatures matters even more.

Seasoning a Farmfoods brisket: two layers of flavour

First on was Chef Bobby’s Kitchen Linchpin x SPG. That’s your salt, pepper and garlic base – the foundation every good brisket needs. Pat the defrosted meat dry first, then get an even coat all over.

Then I followed it with Chef Bobby’s Kitchen Pitmaster Rub. That’s where the bark comes from. Layering the two gives a savoury backbone from the SPG, then extra colour and punch on top. It’s how you make budget meat taste anything but. Both are on the Chef Bobby’s Kitchen shop and TikTok Shop.

How to smoke a Farmfoods brisket on a Weber, step by step

1. Defrost fully. Farmfoods brisket comes frozen, so thaw it in the fridge until there’s no ice left in the middle.
2. Set up for indirect heat. Coals to one side, brisket on the other. Add your oak chunks on top of the lit coals.
3. Get the kettle to temperature. Aim for 110–125°C and use the vents to hold it there. Small tweaks, not big ones.
4. Season and probe. Linchpin x SPG first, Pitmaster second. Next, pop the Inkbird probe into the thickest part.
5. Smoke until the stall. Lid on, leave it alone and let the oak do its thing.
6. Wrap at the stall. Mine stalled at 68°C internal. At that point, I wrapped it up tight.
7. Back on the smoker. Wrapped brisket straight back on the Weber to push through and finish.
8. Rest, then slice. Give it a good rest before you cut in. Slice against the grain.

What is the brisket stall, and why wrap?

The stall is when your brisket’s internal temperature just… stops. It can sit there for ages. Moisture evaporating from the surface cools the meat as fast as the smoker heats it. Mine hit that wall at 68°C.

Wrapping stops that evaporation, so the temperature starts climbing again. As a result, you save hours and keep the meat juicy – which is especially handy with a leaner, cheaper cut. By then the smoke and bark are already on, so you’re not giving anything up.

The verdict: Is Farmfoods brisket worth it?

Honestly? Yes. About six and a half hours all in, and my Farmfoods brisket came out smoky and tender, with a cracking bark from that SPG and Pitmaster combo. All on a kettle. Treat cheap frozen brisket with the same respect you’d give an expensive cut – defrost it properly, season it well, watch your temps – and it’ll punch well above its price.

So next time you’re in Farmfoods, have a look in the freezer. Your next barbecue might be sitting right there.

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And if you want that bark on your own brisket, shop my rubs below and light that kettle already!