Pit Boss Brisket Recipe

The thought of a juicy smoked brisket with a crispy bark gets my mouth watering! But smoking a brisket can be intimidating for those just starting out, so I am going to show you exactly how to cook on your Pit Boss.

Follow my tried and tested smoked brisket recipe below! Soon you’ll be creating pitmaster-worthy brisket!

Why You’ll Love This Smoked Brisket?

There are several reasons why you’ll love this smoked brisket recipe:

Rich and Flavorful: Smoking brisket infuses it with a delicious smoky flavor that permeates 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 brisket 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 brisket moist and succulent.

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

Impressive for Gatherings: Smoked brisket is a crowd-pleaser and makes a fantastic centerpiece for gatherings and barbecues. Its aroma and appearance are sure to impress your guests, making it a popular choice for special occasions and celebrations.

Leftovers: Smoked brisket tends to be quite generous in portion size, meaning you’ll likely have leftovers. These leftovers can be utilized in various ways, such as making sandwiches, tacos, or adding them to soups and stews. It’s a delicious and convenient option for meal planning.

What Do You Need to Smoke a Beef Brisket On Pit Boss?

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

How to Smoke a Brisket in a Pit Boss

Below are the five simple steps for smoking a brisket in your Pit Boss

Step 1: Prep The Brisket and Apply The Rub

Coat both sides of the brisket with the binder then cover with the rub. When I make a rub I usually have garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, brown sugar salt and pepper in it. Combine the Worcestershire sauce and water in a spray bottle. 

Preheat the smoker to a temperature setting of 225°F – 250°F and up your Pit Boss indirect cooking. Load the hopper with your favorite wood chips. Ensure there are enough chips to last the cook, topping up when necessary.

Step 2: Smoke The Brisket

Place the brisket in the smoker on the cooler side of the grate with the fat cap side down. Then close the lid to maintain a consistent temperature. Spray the brisket every two hours with the Worcestershire and water mixture. Smoking unwrapped for several hours will give a beautiful bark crust.

Step 3: Wrap Your Brisket

If the temperature begins to stop rising between 146°F and 165°F you may be experiencing the brisket stall. To combat this wrap your brisket in butcher’s paper or alfoil. Then wrapping in the final stages retains the moisture giving a lovely juicy brisket with a delicious smoky flavor.

Step 4: Rest Your Brisket in a Cooler

When it reaches 204°F remove the brisket from the smoker wrap it in a towel.

Then place the brisket it in a cooler to rest until it reaches 140°F

Which Cut of Brisket Should You Use?

Brisket is made up of two sections – the point and the flat and when its keep as one piece its known as a packer brisket.

If you can you use the whole packer cut. This will produce a better quality of smoked brisket.

The point is the fattier section and contains more marbling. I recommend using the point if you plan on chopping the brisket up to serve. The point is the pointy part of the brisket. It is smaller and fattier and normally used for burnt ends or chopped brisket.

The flat is a larger and leanest muscle. If you want to get those uniform slices of brisket 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.

How to Trim the Brisket

Leave the brisket in the refrigerator until you want to trim it. Trimming the brisket is a much easier task 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.

What P-Setting to Use for Cooking Brisket?

When your cooking a brisket , I recommend leaving the P-Setting to the default P4 factory settings.

What Wood Chips to Use for Brisket?

Beef brisket works best with mesquite and hickory wood chips.

However wood chips flavors can be mixed to create a unique flavor combination. Or you can buy a ready mixed blends. 

How Long Does It Take To Smoke A Beef Brisket On A Pit Boss?

It takes 45-60 minutes per pound of beef brisket 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 be experiencing the brisket stall. Remove and wrap the brisket in aluminum foil or butcher paper when its stall between 150°F – 160°F

Make sure you fold the edges up to prevent liquid from leaking, and return it to the grill. Monitor until the internal temperature reaches 190-200F.

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

Should You Spritz Your Brisket?

You should also spritz the brisket every 30-40 minutes, with juice, Worcestershire sauce or beer.

What Temperature Do You Cook A Brisket On A Pit Boss?

You should cook brisket between 220°F – 255°F. 

If your unit doesn’t have a temperature display I would recommend getting dual probes. This allows you to monitor the meat temperature as well as the grill temperature. 

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 how to control the temperature fluctuations make sure you see my resource.

What to Sides Serve With Brisket?

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

Some simple sides are mashed or smoked potatoes. Or you can try some of my favourite’s like:

• Smoked Mac and Cheese
• Smoked Zucchini
• Corn Bread
• Green Beans

Can You Freeze Leftover Brisket?

If you want to freeze your brisket you can.

The best way to freeze it is using a vacuum pack, then you don’t have to worry about freezer burn.

What to Do With Leftover Smoked Brisket?

Smoked brisket can taste even better the next day!

We like to smoke a whole packer, then have leftovers for the whole week. You can use it for sandwiches, or get creative.

Here is my two favorite ways to use leftover brisket

Smoked Brisket Chili

Leftover Brisket Pie

Smoked Brisket Lasagne

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 Brisket Stalling? Try The The Texas Crutch

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

This is due to the water in the meat being pushed to the surface and evaporating on it. This then cools the surface temperature of the meat and 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 your brisket.

After wrapping your brisket in butcher’s paper or foil make sure you place your thermometer back in the meat before putting back in the smoker. 

Once the meat reaches 197°F remove the foil and place it place in the smoker unwrapped.

How to Know When Brisket Is Done?

You know the brisket is done once it reaches 203°F. Then pull the brisket from the smoker and place in the cooler.

How Long to Rest Brisket

Place the brisket in a cooler. You want to bring the temperature down from 200°F to 140°F over a 4-hour period.

You want to wrap your brisket in butcher’s paper and then in a towel, then place your brisket in a cooler. 

You need to allow the time for the melted collagen and connective tissue to distribute throughout the meat. 

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

How to Slice and Serve Your Brisket 

Once you have rested the brisket for 1-2 hours it is time to slice it. 

Make sure you wait to slice your smoked brisket 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. 

There are two ways we like to slice brisket. No matter which one you choose just 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. I

f 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 you slice the flat, just remember to cut against the grain.

Slice the Whole Packer Brisket 

This is the easier method, plus it ensures 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.

What Else Can I Smoke on my Pit Boss Pellet Grill?

There are hundreds of recipes to cook on a Pit Boss, check out some of my favourite’s below:

Brown Sugar Rubbed Salmon

Smoked Beef Cheeks

Tri Tip

Baby Back Ribs

Flank Steak

My Super Simple Brisket Recipe

Smoked brisket has never been easier or tastier with this simple recipe:

Serving Up The Brisket

After resting the brisket in a cooler until it reaches 140°F unwrap and slice against the grain.

What To Do With Your Leftover Brisket

Leftovers are one of the best things about smoking a brisket

Leftovers Cottage Pie Recipe (Shepherd’s Pie with Leftover Beef Brisket)

Smoked Brisket Chili

Brisket Sausage Rolls

Brisket Lasagna

Smoked Brisket Nachos

If you’re lucky enough to have leftovers, a cold brisket sandwich makes a delicious lunch!

With a few easy steps and a bit of know-how, you will be well on the way to perfect smoked beef brisket.

Smoke On!

Charlie

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