Traeger Smoked Brisket - Tender beef brisket recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the trick to smoking a tender brisket? ›

Keep the fat side up so the juices can drip through the meat. Wrap in foil. Begin by smoking your brisket unwrapped so the fat, spices, smoke, and heat start to create the bark. For about half of the cooking time, wrap your meat in foil to preserve moisture and also steam the meat to make it even more tender.

Keeping a water pan in the smoker is the best way to retain moisture. After the first 2-3 hours start spritzing your brisket with water, apple juice, hot sauce or apple cider vinegar every 30 minutes to an hour. This helps keep it moist and stops it from burning.

Place the fat side of the brisket up, and let it cook for about 2-3 hours for the bark to set. Spray your bark every hour or so as needed. Continue cooking until the stall or until your brisket is tender and ready to some off the smoker.

Set your pellet grill to 225℉ and preheat, lid closed, for 15 minutes. Place brisket on the grill grate fat side down, and cook for approximately 6 hours or until the internal temperature reaches 160℉.

The temperature of the meat begins to rise again -- which you want because brisket gets more tender the longer you cook it. Legend has it "The Texas Crutch" first came into being on the competition barbecue circuit. In these contests, smoked meat must be delivered to the judges at a specific time.

Brisket can be done in a range of 200-210°F (93-99°C), but as a general rule, it's safe to bet on 203°F (95°C). Brisket should be tender but not so tender it's falling apart. You should be able to slice it into pieces that can just hold together, requiring a little pull to come apart.

Brisket contains a lot of connective tissue, which can make it tough. The type of connective tissue in brisket is called collagen. Cook the meat quickly and you get tough, dry meat. Cook a brisket slowly, with some liquid, and the collagen turns into gelatin.

The brisket is at its most tender when it reaches an internal temperature of around 195 to 205°F (90 to 96°C). However, the exact temperature for peak tenderness can vary based on factors like the cooking method, the grade of the meat, and personal preference.

Brisket meat is tough if cooked quickly, but when cooked slowly, the intramuscular fat melts and tenderizes the meat. The long cooking process is ideal for delivering additional flavor to the beef. For the dry heat of smoking, apply a spice rub before cooking.

Your biggest opportunity to improve this dish is to cook much longer. Generally at least 12 hours at 225 degrees F. If you want, you can begin on the smoke and then move to an oven to finish. The general rule of thumb is that you don't get much more smoke adhesion after hour 2 or so.

Is it better to smoke brisket at 225 or 200? ›

I think the sweet spot for brisket is 225-250°F. This low temperature allows the brisket to render nice and slowly while having enough time to absorb all that smoke flavor. Cooking a brisket hot and fast can tighten up the connective tissue in the meat which will leave it tough and chewy.

If You Ask Us, Fat-Side-Down Is The Way To Go

So, the next time you're cooking a delicious cut of brisket on your wood pellet grill, remember these tips: no flipping, basting, braising, and always cook fat-side-down.

You want to wrap your brisket before the stall. With the help of a wireless meat thermometer, you can monitor the temperature of the brisket as it cooks and when it reaches 160°F-170°F, you can wrap the brisket.

Should You Smoke Your Brisket Fat Side Up or Down? Ask almost any contestant on the competition barbecue circuit, including Traeger's own Chad Ward, whether to cook a brisket fat side up or down, and you will likely get the same unanimous answer: fat side down.

Preparing a smoked brisket dry rub recipe is the first step you take in making a smoked beef brisket recipe. The rub flavors the brisket and readies the meat for the smoker.

There's no need for a tenderiser; it's all in the cooking. Season to taste with your favourite seasonings. Wrap in heavy-duty aluminium foil securely.