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A smoked brisket on a cutting board next to pickles.
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Pellet Grill Brisket

This Pellet Grill Smoked Brisket is a classic Texas-style brisket cooked low and slow with a simple salt and pepper dry rub, a clean smoke flavor, and slices that bend without falling apart. The flat cooks until it is probe-tender and perfect for slicing while the point stays juicy and delicious.
This recipe is a failsafe method for getting a perfect result, every time. The key is to ultimately pull the brisket from the smoker once the thickest portion of the flat is probe-tender. So fire up that smoker and get that brisket ready to go, but be sure to plan ahead because brisket is an overnight cook with this method! Use my Meat Smoking Calculator to get customized cooking times and an efficient plan.
Prep Time45 minutes
Cook Time18 hours
Resting Time2 hours
Total Time20 hours 45 minutes
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: brisket, smoked brisket
Servings: 16 servings
Author: Joshua Boquist

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 1 whole packer brisket 12 to 14 lb
  • 1/4 cup kosher salt
  • 1/4 cup coarse black pepper freshly ground

Instructions

  • Preheat the pellet grill to 225°F using your favorite pellets.
  • Trim the brisket while it is cold. Remove loose edges and hard pockets of fat, square the sides, and leave about ¼ inch of fat on the fat cap.
    Trimming the fat off a brisket.
  • Mix the kosher salt and black pepper together. Season the brisket evenly on all sides, including the edges. Let it sit while the pellet grill preheats, or refrigerate uncovered for several hours if seasoning ahead.
    Covering a brisket with salt and pepper.
  • Place the brisket on the grill, fat side down, with the point facing the hotter side of the smoker.
    Placing a brisket on a hot pellet grill.
  • Smoke the brisket unwrapped until the bark is dark and no longer rubs off easily. This usually happens around 165°F to 170°F internal temperature in the thickest part of the flat, or about 8 to 12 hours.
  • Wrap the brisket tightly in pink butcher paper and place it back on the smoker, seam side down on the grates.
    Wrapping the smoked brisket in paper and continuing the smoke.
  • Continue cooking until the thickest part of the flat is probe tender, usually around 200°F to 203°F internal temperature.
  • Wrap the brisket in an old towel and place it in a cooler to rest for at least 2 hours before slicing. The cooler will keep it safe and warm for at least 2 hours and up to 6 hours. Keep the thermometer in the brisket while resting to ensure it is in the safe zone, above 140°F.
    Brisket wrapped in blanket and resting in cooler.
  • Slice the flat across the grain into pencil-thick slices. When you reach the point, rotate the brisket or separate the point from the flat so you can keep slicing against the grain.
    A smoked brisket on peach paper showing the dark bark.

Notes

Timing

  • A 12 to 14 lb whole packer brisket usually takes about 16 to 20 hours of active cooking at 225°F, plus rest time.
  • Cook by bark appearance and texture, internal temperature, and probe tenderness rather than the clock.

Point and Flat

  • Keep the point and flat attached during the cook for a traditional whole packer brisket.
  • After resting, rotate the brisket or separate the point from the flat so each muscle can be sliced against the grain.

Wrapping

  • Wrap when the bark is set, and the brisket is usually around 165°F to 170°F internal temperature.
  • Butcher paper preserves bark better, while foil cooks faster and gives a softer bark.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 serving | Calories: 520kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 44g | Fat: 38g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Cholesterol: 155mg | Sodium: 650mg