How to Cook Brisket On a Pellet Smoker: A Step-by-Step Smoked Brisket Recipe by John Eckels

Pellet smokers are an easy and effective way to create awesome barbecue at home. Pellet smokers are computer controlled and automatically regulate the temperature. Some are even programable where you can set specific temperatures and times creating a pre-determined cook cycle. You simply load your smoker with pellets, set the temperature and it runs on auto pilot as opposed to a traditional “Stick Burner,” which requires constant monitoring and stoking to maintain the cook temperature.

There are lots of claims that pellet smokers do not produce enough smoke to make a good brisket. The key here is to understand your machine. When pellet smokers run at high temperatures they operate more efficiently and produce less smoke. The key here is to go low and slow. Some manufacturers include recipe books and create videos on how to make brisket, pulled pork, etc. Some of these recipes call for an unusually high-cooking temperature and short-cook cycle. I saw one for a brisket which instructed you to set the smoker at 275 degrees F. I personally think this is way too high and fast to create a really good brisket. You might as well put it in the microwave oven. The favorite temperature of most skilled pit masters appears to be around 220 to 230 degrees F.

I recently made an overnight brisket for Father’s Day. This brisket smoked for a total of 17 hours, mostly at a temperature of 200 degrees F. This is a very safe temperature to go overnight while you are sleeping. Lots of smoke is produced by the smoker and you don’t have to worry about your brisket overcooking.

A lot of people seem to be intimidated with cooking a brisket. It is actually very easy. It just takes time and planning. For example, you need to rub or dry brine the brisket hours before putting it in the smoker. Also, when you smoke meat, there is no exact formula for time. Everything is done by temperature and every piece of meat is different. It usually takes one to one and a half hours per pound at 225 degrees F.

Finally, don’t worry about getting it done too soon. A brisket can rest for hours before serving. Below are pictures and steps for the awesome Father’s Day briskets I recently smoked. The large one is a packer, which consists of both the flat and point. The smaller brisket is just a flat.

Here are some notes before we get started for the ingredients and equipment needed:

• Brisket: I recommend a 10-plus pound full packer. A large flat is also acceptable. The point portion of a packer will have the tender and juicy burnt ends.

• Smoker Pellets: I ended using about 30 pounds for this brisket.

• Brisket Rub: You can use your favorite seasoning or make my brisket rub recipe.

• Butcher Paper or Heavy Aluminum Foil: Needed to wrap the brisket.

• Spray Bottle: This is to spritz the brisket. You can fill it with water and apple cider vinegar, or beef broth or the combination of beef broth, soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce (that's what I used).

• Remote Thermometer: You can get an inexpensive one where the temperature probe connects to the unit via cable or a WIFI/Bluetooth thermometer that connects to your phone. I use a Chef IQ Smart Wireless thermometer. A standard instant read thermometer is also very helpful. At the end of the process, you take temperature reading is a few different places. Also it can be used to gauge the tenderness of the brisket. It go in very easy like probing a stick of softened butter.

• Foil Pan: To catch the grease. This makes cleanup much easier.

Serve the smoked brisket for special occasions like Father's Day, Mother's Day, July 4th, Memorial Day or Labor Day. You can even smoke a brisket just because and have it for dinner (a high-protein dinner!) with your favorite side dishes (freeze some for later!). I like to use the leftovers for brisket sandwiches.

Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 12 to 24 hours
Total Time: 12 to 24 hours
Servings: 20 (based on a 10-pound brisket)

Ingredients

• 1 brisket (at least 10 pounds)
• brisket rub
• water, apple cider vinegar, soy sauce, beef broth, Worcestershire sauce (I used a combination of beef broth, soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce)

Here's how to make it: 

1. Trim your brisket. The goal is to have almost all the fat removed from the top and to have a 1/4-inch fat cap on the bottom. There are lots of video’s on how to properly trim a brisket.
   
2. Apply a generous coating of rub. You can use your favorite rub or use my homemade rub recipe.
   
3. Wrap in plastic and put on a baking sheet. I like to use a vacuum sealer. Refrigerate at least four hours for the rub to get soaking wet. This process is called dry brining. I let mine sit in the refrigerator for 36 hours. Having wet surface is a must. The wet surface absorbs the smoke and creates the bark and smoke ring.
   
4. Preheat the pellet smoker to the low or “high smoke” setting. FYI: you are supposed to leave the door or lid open on the initial startup. Some people have experienced their glass shattering when it is started with the door closed. Place brisket in the smoker for an hour or two for heavy smoke then turn the temperature up to 200 degrees F. Also notice the empty aluminum pans in the bottom. This will make your cleanup much easier. Notice how wet the surface of the brisket is. The rub is literally a paste consistency. I put the large packer brisket fat side down on the upper rack and the small brisket flat fat side up on the lower rack. Notice the small rod sticking out the back of the right side of the smoker toward the back near the large packer brisket. This is the smoker temperature sensor. This needs to be kept clean and not have anything touch it. FYI, I have my smoker loaded with 40 pounds of oak and hickory pellets. Finally, make sure the water pan in the bottom of the smoker is completely full of water.
   
5. I put the brisket in the smoker at 8 p.m. and let it go all night at 200 degrees F. This is what it looked like the next morning after 12 hours. I moved the packer brisket to the lower rack and turned the flat fat side down. I used a spray bottle to spritz the bark which was drying out from being in there all night. The spritz consisted of 1 cup of beef broth, 1 teaspoon of soy sauce and 1 teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce. The small brisket will be ready to wrap in about an hour. Turn up the smoker temperature to 225 degrees F. You may need to spritz the brisket a few times during this cycle.
   
6. When the bark reaches the desired color, use either butcher paper or heavy aluminum foil to wrap your brisket. I prefer butcher paper myself. If using butcher paper, spritz the inside of the paper with your spray bottle. This prevents the bark from sticking to the paper. There are a lot of videos showing how to wrap a brisket. Why do we wrap our briskets? When the internal temperature of the meat hits the high 150s to low 170s it goes through a stall process or plateau. The meat keeps taking in heat but the temperature does not rise. This can last for many hours. Wrapping the brisket significantly speeds up this process. It is often referred as "the Texas crutch."
   
7. Make sure to wrap the brisket tight, like a baby in a blanket. Insert a temperature probe into the thickest part of the flat. The point has too much fat to get an accurate reading. It is safe to turn the smoker up to 250 degrees F after the brisket is wrapped. If you have time, keep it at 225. Continue cooking until the internal temperature is 200 to 205 degrees F. 202 degrees F is my goal.
   
8. After the brisket has reached its final temperature, i.e. 202 degrees F, it needs to rest for at least one hour. Leave it in the wrapper. If it is just for a couple hours you can let it sit on the counter. If it is more than two hours you can put it in a cooler to keep it warm. It it is more than four hours it should stay in the smoker at 150 degrees F or in the oven. Goldee’s BBQ in Texas lets their briskets rest for 12 hours in a 150-degree warmer before serving. This is the thin portion of the flat, which is leaner and is a bit dryer than the point. Note the epic bark and awesome pink smoke ring!
   
9. This is slicing closer to the point. Notice how the meat is very moist and starting to fall apart. My wife and daughter are helping themselves to the really good pieces.
   

Recipe cooking times, nutritional information and servings are approximate and provided for your convenience. However, 30Seconds is not responsible for the outcome of any recipe, nor may you have the same results because of variations in ingredients, temperatures, altitude, errors, omissions or cooking/baking abilities. Any nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and it is up to the individual to ascertain accuracy. To ensure image quality, we may occasionally use stock photography.

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