This easy Pellet Grill Smoked Brisket recipe will produce the most tender, fall-apart, and juicy brisket you've ever tasted. The recipe requires no brisket trimming. Just coat it in a delicious dry rub before slowly smoking it on a pellet smoker. Then, finish it in the oven with red wine or juice for added moisture.
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This recipe was a shared collaboration with my friend, Jackie Fookes - who happens to be a professional chef, caterer, and owner of Merry Folks Catering.
This brisket recipe is one they routinely serve at weddings and functions - and it's always a huge hit. The first time I had brisket was at Jackie's wedding, and it was amazing. Everyone talked about how fantastic it was. I feel very privileged that she shared her recipe with me and permitted me to share it with you.
To give you an idea of how long it takes to smoke a brisket and finish it in the oven, we put the beef brisket on the smoker at 10:30 p.m., then got up at 5:30 a.m. to add liquid and put it in the oven to finish. It was done cooking at 1:30 p.m. It cooked for 15 hours, so leave lots of time.
❤️ Why you'll love this recipe
- Finishing the brisket in the oven ensures perfectly tender meat every time.
- While smoking brisket requires attention, this method lets you set it in the oven and go about your day.
- Whether it's for a summer BBQ, a wedding, or Christmas dinner, this brisket will be a showstopper.
- Everyone loves brisket, and it makes enough to feed large groups of people.
- You will love the leftovers that can be used in Leftover Smoked Brisket Sandwiches, tacos, chili, and brisket mac and cheese.
🥩 Ingredients
- Brisket. We used a whole packer beef brisket that we cut into three sections.
- Dry rub. It contains kosher salt, brown sugar, black peppercorns (crushed with mortar and pestle, dehydrated onions, garlic powder, paprika (or smoked paprika), and cayenne pepper. For more of a Texas-style brisket, use my Homemade Smoked Brisket Rub.
- Liquid. Use red wine, apple juice, pineapple juice, or beef broth.
See the printable recipe card below for the full list of ingredients and quantities.
♨️ Step-by-step instructions
How to prepare a brisket for smoking
Step 1: Mix together the kosher salt, brown sugar, juniper berries, black peppercorns, dehydrated onions, garlic powder, paprika, and cayenne pepper.
Step 2: Do not trim the fat cap for this recipe. Dry the brisket with a paper towel. Use your hands to rub the dry rub into the brisket. Make sure to do the top, bottom, and sides.
Pro Tip: Cut the brisket into two or three sections so they will fit into a baking dish.
How to smoke brisket on pellet grill
Step 3: Place the seasoned brisket directly into baking dishes, aluminum pans, or a roasting pan so that you can catch the drippings. Place on the grate of your preheated pellet grill.
Step 4: Smoke at 225 degrees F for 5-7 hours until the internal temperature in the thickest part reaches 150 degrees F.
Pro Tip: The sides of a baking sheet aren't high enough to hold the liquid you will be adding, so use a baking dish or aluminum pan.
How to finish brisket in oven
Step 5: Place brisket into a baking dish or aluminum pan. Add red wine (or liquid of your choice) until it's ⅓ to ½ up the sides of the brisket. Cover with parchment paper, then aluminum foil.
Step 6: Cook brisket in the oven at 250-260 degrees F for 8-14 hours until the internal temperature reaches 205 degrees F, or when a carving fork hits the bottom of the pan through the meat when dropped from an outstretched hand.
💭 Expert tips
- Press the rub firmly into the meat to help it adhere to get a flavorful crust.
- Let the brisket sit with the rub for an hour while the brisket comes up to room temperature.
- Use a meat thermometer to avoid overcooking.
- Pull off the smaller sections, the flat, when ready, and let the largest portion, the point, cook a bit longer until done.
- Cut the oven brisket against the grain.
❓ Recipe FAQs
For this recipe, we're keeping the fat cap on to retain moisture and flavor, so there's no need for a water pan.
Yes, you can season the brisket and let it sit in the fridge overnight.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or the freezer for up to 2 months. Reheat in the oven at a low temperature, covered, to retain moisture.
Cook brisket in the oven for 8-14 hours, until the internal temperature reaches 205 degrees F.
Yes. Lay parchment paper over the beef brisket then cover tightly with aluminum foil. The parchment paper will stop the brisket rub from sticking.
🥗 Side Dishes
♨️ More smoked beef recipes
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- Jeri
Recipe
Slow Cooked Oven Smoked Brisket
Equipment
- Pellet grill
- Baking pans or aluminum pans
- Meat Thermometer
- Aluminum foil
- Parchment paper
Ingredients
- 10-14 pound whole packer cut brisket untrimmed.
- 1 bottle red wine or 3 cups of apple juice, pineapple juice, or beef broth
Dry Rub Ingredients
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon juniper berries
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorns cracked
- 1 teaspoon dehydrated onions
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Instructions
- Prepare the dry rub: Mix brown sugar, kosher salt, juniper berries, black peppercorns, dehydrated onions, garlic powder, paprika, and cayenne pepper in a bowl.
- Season the brisket: Without trimming the fat cap, pat the brisket dry with a paper towel. Rub the spice mixture generously over the top, bottom, and sides of the brisket. Cut the brisket into two or three sections to fit into a baking dish.
- Smoke the brisket: Preheat your pellet grill to 225°F. Place the seasoned brisket in baking dishes and place on the grill grate. Smoke for 4-7 hours, or until the internal temperature reaches 150°F.
- Oven finish: Remove the brisket from the pellet smoker. Pour red wine (or your choice of liquid) into each pan until it reaches ⅓ to ½ up the sides of the meat. Cover first with parchment paper, then tightly with aluminum foil.
- Cook: Cook brisket in the oven at 250-260°F. Cook for 8-14 hours until the internal temperature in the thickest part of the meat reaches 205°F. The brisket is ready when a carving fork easily penetrates through the meat when dropped from an outstretched hand over the meat.
- Serve: Let the brisket rest for 10-15 minutes, then slice and serve.
Video
Recipe Notes:
- Press the rub firmly into the meat to help it adhere to get a flavorful crust.
- Let the brisket sit with the rub for an hour while the brisket comes up to room temperature.
- Use a meat thermometer to avoid overcooking.
- Pull off the smaller sections, the flat, when ready, and let the largest portion, the point, cook a bit longer until done.
- Cut the brisket against the grain.
NUTRITION INFORMATION
The provided nutritional information is an estimate per serving. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
About Jeri Walker
Jeri Walker is the founder and CEO of Winding Creek Ranch. She is a self-taught home cook who specializes in easy family-friendly recipes. Jeri is also a food writer who regularly writes articles for MSN. Read about Jeri's journey and connect with her on your favorite social media channels!
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