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Texas Style Smoked Brisket Flat (Pellet Smoker)
Low and slow is the secret to Texas style smoked brisket, and this recipe proves you don't need a whole packer to get there. A brisket flat seasoned with Hardcore Carnivore Black and smoked on a pellet smoker delivers a dark, crackling bark with a deep smoke ring and tender, juicy slices that hold together just long enough to pick up before they melt. This is the Texas style smoked brisket recipe for anyone who wants real results without cooking for a large crowd.
Servings: 8
Equipment
- Pellet smoker (recipe tested on Pit Boss 700FB2)
- Leave-in probe thermometer
- Sharp boning or trimming knife
- Uncoated pink butcher paper (do not substitute regular butcher paper or parchment, which are coated)
- Spray bottle
- Small cooler (for extended rest, optional)
Ingredients
Brisket
- 7 lbs brisket flat
- 3 tablespoons Hardcore Carnivore Black Activated Charcoal Meat Seasoning Rub
For Smoking
- Water or low-sodium beef broth, in a spray bottle for spritzing
For the Wrap
- ¼ cup beef tallow, melted
Instructions
- Trim the fat cap on the brisket flat down to about ¼ inch thick using a sharp knife. Remove any large hard pieces of fat and any tough silver skin from the meat side. Pat the entire brisket dry with paper towels, then return it to the refrigerator uncovered until you are ready to season and smoke it. Do not season the night before.
- On the day of the cook, preheat your pellet smoker to 225°F using oak, hickory, or a competition beef blend pellet. While the smoker preheats, remove the brisket straight from the refrigerator and set it on a clean work surface. Sprinkle the Hardcore Carnivore Black seasoning directly from the bottle, holding it about 12 inches above the meat for even coverage. Aim for 75 to 80 percent coverage where you can still see meat through the rub, then press gently into the surface with your hands.
- Set the brisket fat cap side up on the smoker grate with the thin end away from the fire pot. Insert a leave-in probe thermometer into the thickest part of the flat, making sure the probe tip is centered in the meat and not resting near the fat cap or the surface. Do not open the smoker until the meat reaches 110°F or the 2-hour mark, whichever comes first.
- After 2 hours or once the brisket reaches 110°F internally, begin spritzing every 30 to 45 minutes. Hold the spray bottle about 12 inches above the surface and apply 8 to 10 pumps in an even pass across the full length of the flat, targeting the meat areas and avoiding the fatty areas when possible. The surface should look lightly glistened, not dripping.
- Continue smoking and spritzing until the internal temperature reaches 160°F and the bark is dark mahogany in color and firm to the touch. This takes approximately 5 to 7 hours from the start of the cook.
- When the internal temperature reaches 160°F, press a finger into the fatty areas. If the fat squishes and oozes, the brisket is ready to wrap. If not, increase smoker temperature to 250°F and continue cooking until the fat renders. If the internal temperature reaches 180°F before the fat renders, wrap it anyway.
- Remove the brisket from the smoker and place it on a clean work surface. Lay a sheet of uncoated pink butcher paper on the surface, long enough to wrap the brisket on all sides with enough extra to tuck underneath. Pour all of the melted beef tallow onto the paper, spreading it across the area where the brisket will rest and the adjacent area where the paper will fold up over the top. Set the brisket meat side down into the tallow. Fold the near edge up and over by an inch or two, fold both side edges in snugly, then roll the package forward onto the remaining paper to cover the top. Roll forward once more to tighten and secure the ends. If using a leave-in probe, press it straight through the paper into the thickest part of the meat.
- Return the wrapped brisket to the smoker fold side down. Cook at 250°F until the internal temperature reaches 200°F to 203°F and a probe slides into the thickest part of the flat with no resistance, about 2 to 3 more hours.
- When the brisket is probe tender, remove it from the smoker. Leave it fully wrapped in the butcher paper and rest for a minimum of 2 full hours before slicing. For an extended rest, allow the internal temperature to drop to about 180°F on the counter, then place in a small cooler with a towel directly on top of the wrapped brisket. Close the cooler and allow the internal temperature to drop to 140 to 145°F, which can take 6 to 12 hours.
- Unwrap the brisket and place it on a cutting board. Identify the direction of the grain — the long muscle fibers running through the flat — and slice against the grain in slices about ¼ inch thick. Slices should hold together but bend slightly when lifted. Serve immediately.
Nutrition Facts
Texas Style Smoked Brisket Flat (Pellet Smoker)
Amount per Serving
Calories
638
% Daily Value*
Fat
31
g
48
%
Saturated Fat
11
g
69
%
Trans Fat
0.1
g
Polyunsaturated Fat
1
g
Monounsaturated Fat
14
g
Cholesterol
251
mg
84
%
Sodium
319
mg
14
%
Potassium
1339
mg
38
%
Carbohydrates
1
g
0
%
Fiber
0.2
g
1
%
Sugar
0.05
g
0
%
Protein
84
g
168
%
Vitamin A
39
IU
1
%
Vitamin C
0.2
mg
0
%
Calcium
36
mg
4
%
Iron
8
mg
44
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only. This information comes from online calculators. Although whatsinthepan.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.
