Pellet Smoker Brisket

Andy | Dinner | American

Prep time: 12 min Cook time: 29 min Servings: 15

So I wanted to create a recipe that focuses on cooking brisket in a pellet smoker instead of an offset smoker. Now, I've cooked dozens of briskets in my offset smoker and it is so delicious but it’s a pain as you have to stoke the fire every 20 minutes for at least 12 hours. Whereas with a pellet smoker, you can kind of set and forget.

We’re doing a Texas style brisket today with yellow mustard as the binder and seasoning it with salt and pepper, that’s it. I set my pellet smoker to 107°C and we’re going to cook it all the way through to 73°C. Then we’ll wrap it in butcher's paper and put it back in the smoker until it reaches 95°C. After it’s cooked, it needs to rest to allow the moisture and fat to redistribute throughout the meat (about 6-8 hours). Once that’s done just carve it up and you have a beautiful, moist brisket with a great crust on the outside.

My thoughts on offset vs pellet

The pellet smoker is so much easier to use as you don’t have to tend to it as much and it’s easier to set up. However, if you’re wanting a real smoking experience you’ll get that from the offset. Taste wise I think they’re both incredible and super juicy, but the offset does give you a better bark.

If you're new to BBQing, I suggest you give the pellet smoker a go and I don’t think any of your guests will taste the difference.

Times

You need to allow yourself about 34 hours from prep to ready for this brisket, here's why:

Prep will take 30 minutes then it needs to marinate overnight (at least 12 hours)
The total cook time is 10-12 hours depending on the size of the brisket
You'll then need to rest it for 8 hours before you carve and serve

I would generally prep this on a Friday lunch/afternoon and then get it on the smoker early Saturday to cook all day, let it rest overnight on Saturday and its ready for Sunday lunch.

Ingredient notes

Packer brisket: this is a cut of beef that has the point and the flat. It’s a cut that’s pretty much only used for BBQ. Head to your butcher and ask for a nice oval shaped brisket with a good consistent fat cap on it.

Yellow mustard: You want American mustard.

Tallow: Rubbing the brisket with tallow before wrapping adds fat back to the bark and helps keep the surface moist during the second phase of the cook. You can render your own from the trimmings or buy it pre-made from a good butcher. Lard works as a substitute if you can’t find tallow.

Equipment

Chopping board
Chef’s knife
Wire rack
Baking tray
Small bowl
Pellet smoker
Butchers paper

Ingredients

6-7kg packer brisket
½ cup cooking sea salt (or Kosher salt)
½ cup coarsely ground black pepper
⅓ cup yellow mustard
¼ cup beef tallow

Directions

Day 1
Trim the brisket of excess fat to make the top smooth. You want roughly a 6mm (¼ inch) fat cap over the top, and you want to have the brisket in the most aerodynamic shape possible (save the trimmings for sausages or burgers).
Mix the salt and pepper in a small bowl. Rub one side of the brisket with half of the mustard, then season heavily with half of the salt and pepper mix. Turn the brisket over and repeat on the other side, making sure you get the sides of the brisket also.
Place the brisket on a wire rack over a tray and refrigerate, uncovered, overnight.
Day 2
Preheat a pellet smoker to 110°C (225°F). Note: most pellet smokers operate in 5°C increments, so 110°C is the closest setting to the target of 107°C and will give the same result. Place the brisket in the centre of the smoker, fat side facing up.
Smoke the brisket until the internal temperature reaches 73°C (165°F), approximately 5-8 hours, depending on the thickness of the brisket piece.
Remove the brisket and place on a board. Rub the outside with the beef tallow, then wrap the brisket up tightly in several layers of butchers paper.
Return the beef to the smoker and continue cooking until the internal temperature reaches 96°C (205°F) (the brisket should feel like soft butter when probed), approximately 3-5 hours (again it depends on the size of your brisket.
Remove the brisket and leave it to rest in a 50°C (122°F) oven without the fan. Alternatively, you can wrap it in clean tea towels and place in an esky. Leave it to rest for 6-8 hours.
Day 3/once it’s rested
Unwrap the brisket and transfer to a clean board. Slice into 10mm (⅜ inch) thick slices and serve warm with some BBQ sauce and your favourite BBQ side dishes.

Recipe notes

Chef Tips

Trim for shape, not just the fat cap

Most people trim brisket to reduce the fat cap and stop there. I also trim for shape, to get the whole piece as aerodynamic and consistent in thickness as possible. The flat end is naturally thinner than the point, and if you leave them as-is, the flat dries out before the point is done. Aim for a 6mm fat cap across the top and knock off any hard corners or thin edges. Save every trimming. You can grind them for mince or render the fat down to make your own tallow for the wrap.

Read the probe, not the clock

Timing is a guide, not a rule. Depending on the size of the brisket and how stable your smoker runs, you can be anywhere from 8 to 14 hours in and still not be done. The real test at the end of the cook is the probe. At 96°C, it should slide into the thickest part of the flat with almost no resistance, like pushing into soft butter. If it’s meeting any resistance, keep going. Trust the feel over the number and don’t pull it early.

Reheat your brisket

If you found you've rested it for too long and it's not as warm as you would like, just pop it in the oven on a low heat for around 10 minutes to bring the outside temperature back up. I generally find it's still warm even after a long rest, especially if it's resting in the oven.

Storage

Store sliced brisket in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. To reheat, place the slices in a baking dish with a splash of beef stock or water, cover tightly with foil, and warm in the oven at 150°C (300°F) for 15-20 minutes. The whole unsliced brisket freezes well. Wrap tightly in butchers paper and then in foil and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.

FAQs

Can I make this without a pellet smoker? Yes. A kettle BBQ or offset smoker works the same way at the same temperature. If you’re cooking in a standard oven, you’ll miss the smoke ring and the smoke flavour, but the technique is identical. Set it to 110°C and follow the same internal temperature targets.

Do I have to rest it for the full 6-8 hours? The longer rest makes a noticeable difference, but 2 hours is the minimum if you’re pressed for time. Resting in a 50°C oven is the best method because the temperature stays consistent. If you use an esky (cooler), just make sure you wrap it in tea towels before going in.