Pit Boss Brisket Recipe – Easy Pitboss Brisket

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If you love juicy smoked brisket with a crispy bark, this Pit Boss brisket recipe will have your mouth watering! It’s just what you need for a big cookout, dinner with family, or a holiday meal.

It’s a classic dish with its fall-apart texture, crispy bark, and delicious smoky flavors. But smoking can be intimidating for those just starting, so I am going to show you exactly how to smoke it like a pitmaster.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe?

There are several reasons why you’ll love this super juicy brisket; I have listed some below.

Rich and Flavorful: Smoking infuses it with a delicious smoky flavor that infuses the meat, resulting in a rich and savory taste. The slow cooking process allows the flavors to develop fully, making each bite incredibly flavorful.

Tender and Juicy: Smoking low and slow breaks down the tough connective tissues in the meat, resulting in a tender and melt-in-your-mouth texture. The slow cooking process also helps retain the natural juices, keeping the meat moist and succulent.

Beautifully Smoked Bark: The smoking process creates a beautiful crust called the “bark” on the outside of the cut. This bark adds an incredible texture and a concentrated flavor that perfectly complements the tender meat.!

Impressive for Gatherings: It is a crowd-pleaser and a fantastic centerpiece for gatherings and barbecues. Its aroma and appearance will impress your guests, making it a popular choice for special occasions and celebrations.

Leftovers: Being such a big cut you’ll likely have leftovers. These leftovers can be utilized in various ways, such as making sandwiches or tacos or adding them to soups and stews. It’s a delicious and convenient option for meal planning.

What Do You Need?

• Brisket
• Kosher salt 
• Ground black pepper 
• Worcestershire sauce 
• Water
• Rub
• Pink Butcher paper 
• Meat Thermometer
• Pellets mesquite or hickory 
• Cooler

How to Make Pitboss Brisket

Step 1: Prep and Apply The Rub

Leave the brisket in the refrigerator until you want to trim it. Trimming the brisket is much easier when the meat is cold rather than at room temperature. 

Trim off the excess fat, leaving about 1/4 of the fat on the surface – enough that the meat stays moist during the long cook but thin enough that the smoke can permeate and allow for bark formation.  

You can use the brisket trimmings for burgers or sausages.

Coat both sides of the meat with a brisket binder, like mustard or oil, and then cover with the rub. When I make a rub for brisket, I usually add garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, brown sugar salt, and pepper, I have included the amounts below.

• 2 tbsp Black pepper
• 2 tbsp Salt
• 2 tbsp smoked paprika
• 1 tbsp Onion powder
• 2 tbsp Garlic powder
• 1 tbsp Ground Coriander
• 1 tsp Cumin

Combine the Worcestershire sauce and water in a spray bottle. 

Preheat the smoker to 225°F —250°F and up your Pit Boss indirect cooking. Load the hopper with your favorite wood chips. Ensure enough chips to last the cook, topping up when necessary.

Beef brisket works best with mesquite and hickory. However, flavors can be mixed to create a unique combination. You can also buy a ready-mixed blend. 

Step 2: Smoke

Place in the smoker on the cooler side of the grate, fat cap side down. Then close the lid to maintain a consistent temperature.

You should also spritz every 45 minutes after the first 60-90 minutes of cooking. If the brisket spritz recipe is too strong, you can make it with juice, Worcestershire sauce, or beer and dilute it with water.

Step 3: Wrap

If the temperature begins to stop rising between 146°F and 165°F, you may experience a stall. To combat this, wrap in butcher’s paper. Wrapping in the final stages also helps to retain moisture.

Step 4: Rest in a Cooler and Then Slice

The recommended temperature to pull out the brisket is between 200°F – 204°F. Once you reach that temperature, remove the meat from the smoker and wrap it in a towel.

Then, place the brisket in a cooler to rest until it reaches 140°F; you need to allow time for the melted collagen and connective tissue to distribute throughout the meat.  After resting the brisket in a cooler until it reaches 140°F, unwrap and slice against the grain.

Read More: For the step-by-step process for resting brisket in a cooler, see my resource here. 

Which Cut Should You Use?

The brisket consists of two sections—the point and the flat—and when it’s kept as one piece, it’s known as a packer brisket.

The point is that the fattier section contains more marbling. I recommend using it if you plan on chopping the brisket up to serve. The pointy end is smaller and fattier and is typically used for burnt ends or chopped brisket.

The flat is the largest and leanest muscle. If you want uniform slices, you should go with the flat. However, it is much leaner than the point. Therefore, if you cook the flat without the point, it can dry out.

What P-Setting to Use?

I recommend leaving the P-Setting to the default P4 factory settings on Your Pit Boss.

How Long Does It Take To Cook?

It takes 45-60 minutes per pound to reach the optimal temperature of 204°F. However, it’s best to monitor with a temperature probe.

After 4 hours of smoking, start checking the internal temperature with a probe. It should be around 145°F.If the temperature stops rising at 140°F – 150°F, you might experience the brisket stall. Remove and wrap the brisket in aluminium foil or butcher paper when its stall between 150°F – 160°F

Fold the edges up to prevent liquid from leaking, then return the dish to the grill. Monitor until the internal temperature reaches 190-200F.

When the brisket’s internal temperature reaches 190-203F, remove it from the smoker and let it rest, still wrapped, for at least an hour in a cooler.

What Temperature Should You Cook At?

I recommend setting the temperature between 220°F 255°F. If your unit doesn’t have a temperature display, I recommend getting dual probes. This allows you to monitor the meat and grill temperatures. 

You might find that on a hot or cool day, the temperature of your grill will fluctuate. That is normal; however, if you want some tips on controlling the temperature fluctuations, see my resource.

What to Sides Serve With It?

You can go traditional with your sides for brisket or go all out. 

Some simple sides are mashed or smoked potatoes. Or you can try some of my favorites, like:

• Smoked Mac and Cheese
• Smoked Zucchini
• Cornbread
• Loaded Mashed Potato Casserole

Storing Leftovers

You can freeze your leftovers. The best method is to use a vacuum pack, which prevents freezer burn.

Don’t Have a Pellet Grill? Here Are the Recipes You Can Use:

Brisket on a Big Green Egg

Smoked Brisket on a Traeger

Is Your BBQ Beef Brisket Stalling? Try The Texas Crutch

When smoking, you may experience the stall.  When you cook slowly and low and reach 145°F – 155°F, the meat can stall and stop rising temperature. 

This is due to the water in the meat being pushed to the surface and evaporating. This cools the surface temperature of the meat and the surrounding temperature. 

This means your meat might sit around 145°F – 155°F for hours! It can be stressful, especially if you have hungry guests waiting. So, you can combat the stall by using the Texas crutch. It’s just another name for wrapping.

After wrapping in butcher’s paper or foil, make sure you put your thermometer back in the meat before putting it back in the smoker. Once the meat reaches 197°F, remove the foil and place it in the smoker unwrapped.

How to Slice and Serve

Once you have rested it for 1-2 hours, it is time to slice it. Make sure you wait to slice your meat until your guests are ready to eat and only slice how much you need. If you cut it all up, it can dry up when you reheat your brisket. 

We like to slice it two ways. Regardless of which one you choose, ensure you slice against the grain.

Separate the Point from the Flat, then Slice.

This is a good option if you want to make burnt ends or have guests who don’t want fattier cuts.

First, find the fat line. This line runs diagonally through the brisket; you just need to cut along it. If you need help finding it, just pull on the flat and see where the meat begins to come apart. Once you locate it, cut along it. Then, slice the flat; remember to cut against the grain.

Slice the Whole Packer

This method is easier, ensuring you get a bit of leaner and fattier meat. As you cut, you’ll see a slight line that runs diagonally; this separates the point from the flat.

More Recipes

There are hundreds of recipes to cook on a Pit Boss; check out some of my favourites below:

Brown Sugar Rubbed Salmon

Smoked Beef Cheeks

Tri Tip

Baby Back Ribs

Flank Steak Pit Boss

What to Do With Leftover?

Brisket tastes even better the next day! We like to smoke a whole packer and have leftovers for the whole week. You can use it for sandwiches or get creative.

Leftovers Cottage Pie Recipe

Smoked Brisket Chili

Brisket Sausage Rolls

Brisket Lasagna

Smoked Brisket Nachos

Smoke On!

Charlie

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