How to Smoke a Brisket

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Since Mike and I bought a Traeger, we have been cooking more brisket and nailing it! So I figured I would share with you our tips and tricks on How to Smoke a Brisket on a pellet grill.

The first time we cooked a brisket on the Traeger it took about 20 hours! So we have been trying to perfect our methods so that we could share it with you! We have been LOVING trying new recipes on the smoker. I love cooking on it, too because it as simple at plugging it in and hitting a button. Everything from smoked appetizers all the way to desserts! YES! Great for when the weather is hot and you don’t want to fire up the oven.

What we love about Smoked Brisket

We have cooked a brisket a few times in the past on our other smokers but they never turned out the best. Well, practice makes perfect and we have been getting it down pretty good. What we love about smoked brisket is that it is tender beef, perfect for slicing right after cooked for sandwiches. Then the leftovers are great! We love the leftover brisket for tacos and bbq pizza!

• Perfect results
• Tender
• Perfect to feed a crowd for a party
• Great in many recipes

And have you ever heard of Smoked Trisket? Make sure to check out Smoked Brisket Style Tri-Tip from OrWhateverYouDo.com!

What you need to smoke a brisket

• A Smoker (we have a Traeger now)
• Sharp Knife
• Rubs/ Seasonings
• Beef Tallow (optional)
• Meat Thermometer or Meat Probes
• Butcher Paper or Foil
• Wood pellets (if using a pellet smoker)

Watch the video on How to Smoke A Brisket Below!

How to Smoke A Brisket on a Pellet Smoker

Smoking a brisket takes some time and patience but the end results are great. The day before you plan to put in in the smoker, prep the meat.

Step 1: Prep the brisket

First you need to trim the fat down to about 1/4 inch. Then you need to take off the silver skin. This takes some careful trimming and patience almost like fileting a fish.

Step 2: Rub it down

Then we rubbed it down with some mustard and seasonings of choice. Lately we have been doing without mustard and just going straight with the seasonings. There isn’t an exact recipe that we use to smoke a brisket, so explore with your seasonings and rubs in your cupboards. We also like to inject the brisket with either beef broth or Dale’s Liquid Steak Seasoning. (see below) Lately we have tried some Brisket Injection packs, too.

Then wrap it in plastic wrap and put it in the refrigerator for 12 -24 hours until you are ready to start the smoking process.

What temperature do you Smoke a Brisket?

Step 3: Fire up the smoker

When it is go time, fire up your smoker. We start rolling at 185 degrees F. Place the brisket in the smoker, shut the lid and let the smoking process begin. We place ours with the fat side down, but that is our preference. The Traeger comes with meat probes, so we stick those in there, too.

We always start ours before we go to bed. Then the next morning when we wake up we raise the temperature of the smoker to 225 degrees F. So about 8 hours at 185 degrees, then raise it to 225 degrees.

How long does it take to Smoke a brisket?

Depending on the size of your brisket and how well you can control the temperature of your smoker will determine how long it will take to cook the brisket. An approximate time is about an hour an half per pound. We have had the meat take as long as 20 hours and as little as 12 hours. So we usually start ours before we go to bed at night so that it is ready to eat late afternoon the next day.

Step 4: Wrap it

Once the internal temperature of the brisket reaches 165 degrees, we take ours out and wrap it in butcher paper. We have started drizzling Beef Tallow at this point and wrapping it. Then place it back in the smoker for a few more hours.

What should the internal temperature of a smoked brisket be?

When it reaches the 203 degrees or until “probe tender” we pull the brisket. Then wrap it in a clean towel and let rest in a cooler for at least an hour. When ready to serve, slice and enjoy!

Can I prepare my brisket ahead of time?

Since we are usually cooking the brisket for a party, we like to have it done ahead of time and then slice when everyone is here. So if your brisket is done early- that is okay! Wrap it in a towel and place in a cooler. It will stay hot for hours!

I like to make mine into a BBQ Brisket Sandwich! The next day- leftover brisket makes great nachos, pizza, sliders, or loaded fries!

Like this smoker recipe? Make sure to check out:

• Spicy Sausage Smoked Queso
• Hot Pepper Jelly Smoked Meatballs
• Orange Cranberry Smoked Cocktail
• Cajun Smoked Crawfish Dip
• Juicy Spatchcock Smoked Turkey

Some of our favorite Smoking Accessories, Seasonings & Rubs

• KOSMOS SPG
• BEEF TALLOW
• PINK BUTCHER PAPER
• DALES LIQUID STEAK SEASONING
• MEAT MARINADE INJECTOR
• LIQUID BRISKET INJECTION

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How to Smoke a Brisket

See step by step how to smoke a brisket!

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Active Time15 hours hrs

Resting Time1 hour hr

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: BBQ, Smoked Food

Keyword: BBQ, Brisket, How to Smoke A Brisket, Smoked Brisket, smoker, traeger

Equipment

• Smoker

Materials

• 1 Beef Brisket
• 1/2 cup Mustard optional
• Beef Broth or Dale's Liquid Seasoning
• Rubs & Seasonings of choice
• Beef Tallow optional
• Butcher Paper

Instructions

• Using a sharp knife, trim fat off of beef to about 1/4 inch.
• Then carefully remove the silver skin of of meat.
• Rub with mustard and seasonings of choice.
• Inject brisket with beef broth or liquid steak seasoning.
• Cover and let refrigerate for at least 12-24 hours until ready to begin smoking process.
• Start your smoker and get the temperature up to 185 degrees F.
• Place beef brisket in smoker and if using probes, insert them now.
• Close the lid and let the smoking process begin.
• We let it smoke at this temperature until the next morning (about 8 hours).
• n raise the temperature of the smoker to 225 degrees until the internal temperature of the brisket reaches 165 degrees.
• Then remove from smoker and (add Beef Tallow if desired) then wrap in butcher paper or foil.
• Place back in smoker and let cook until internal temperature reaches 203 degrees.
• Once the meat is to desired temperature, remove and wrap in a clean towel and place in a cooler. (leaving butcher paper on)
• Let rest at least an hour or until ready to serve.
• Slice against the grain and serve.

Video

Notes

**cooking times will vary depending on size of brisket and temperature control of smoker. 

An approximate time is an hour and a half per pound. You will have a stall period, so always allow yourself extra time. It is okay for it to be ready early and for it to rest wrapped for a few hours. 

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What are some things to do with leftover Brisket?

We love shredding the meat and using them in tacos or our favorite is BBQ Brisket Pizza right on the grill/smoker! Use a cast iron pan, pizza dough, bbq sauce, cheddar cheese, and leftover brisket!

What to make to go with smoked brisket??

Check out my Southwestern Style Cheesy Potatoes or my Smoked Spicy Sausage Queso!