Pellet Grill Brisket

This brisket recipe begins by trimming the whole packer brisket to remove excess fat, silver skin, and grey meat, leaving about a quarter-inch fat cap over the flat and point. Then, a dry brine rub made from kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, brown sugar, garlic powder, and paprika is generously applied over the entire brisket surface. The brisket is set uncovered on a wire rack-lined baking sheet and refrigerated overnight to dry brine, which seasons the meat deeply and helps form a flavorful crust during smoking.

On the day of cooking, the pellet smoker is preheated to 190ºF until thin blue smoke appears. The brisket is placed fat side down on the grill grates with the point facing the heat source and smoked for about eight hours or until the internal temperature reaches 150-155ºF. Monitoring temperature with a probe thermometer throughout is advised to ensure doneness. After this smoke phase, the brisket is wrapped in butcher paper or foil before continuing to cook if desired.

Once cooked and cooled, the brisket should be wrapped tightly and stored in the refrigerator for up to four days or frozen for up to three months. Reheating is best done slowly at a low temperature covered with foil to retain moisture. The recipe recommends serving about half a pound per person. The final product is expected to have a well-formed bark from the rub and smoke with tender, juicy meat thanks to the slow cooking and resting process.

Using a meat thermometer to monitor temperature is critical for this large cut, as the endpoint around 202-205ºF signals that connective tissues have broken down for maximal tenderness. The recipe favors a careful, low-and-slow approach typical of smoking brisket on a pellet grill.