How To Smoke A Brisket On A Pit Boss?

To make a delicious piece of brisket, every step is important, especially the smoking stage. It needs to be done methodically, requiring the chef to be patient, meticulous, and pay attention to every small detail of the brisket. Thus, to optimize the meat smoking process, use a Pit Boss smoker.

In this article, you will learn the entire recipe on how to choose delicious meat, how to season properly and adjust the smoking temperature throughout the cooking process. Let us help you impress your family and friends with the perfect brisket.

Choosing The Right Brisket

The first step in creating a delicious brisket dish is choosing the right piece of meat. However, many people will not know what a delicious piece of brisket looks like. We’ll give you some advice from famous chefs on how to choose meat to smoke.

• When shopping for meat, look for whole breasts, including both flat and pointed muscles. The reason is that the whole canned brisket will have more shape in the way of cooking. The flat part has less fat, suitable for those who like lean meat. Having both parts in the same cut of meat allows you to cook and serve more variety, satisfying different tastes of people. When grilling brisket, the outer bark is one of the most important factors that determine the flavor and appeal of the dish. Whole breasts, with their large, uniform surface, help create a more perfect crust than individual pieces of meat. Whole breasts are often of better quality because they are not chopped, minimizing the loss of nutrients and natural flavor.
• Regarding the thickness of the meat, we recommend that you choose meat that is about 1-2 inches thick. This is the perfect thickness so that when cooking the meat, it can cook from the inside out, avoiding the situation where the outside is burned while the inside is still undercooked. Additionally, at 1-2 inches thick, the meat retains moisture better during cooking, especially when grilling or smoking. This thickness helps prevent the meat from drying out, retaining its softness and natural flavor.
• About meat quality, you can check with the naked eye through the color of the meat such as looking for a bright red color, firm texture and good marbling. Marbling refers to the thin lines of fat that run throughout the meat and will help keep it moist and tender during the smoking process.
• Choose a brisket that has a thick, even layer of fat on one side, called the protective fat layer. This layer of fat will help protect the meat from drying out during the prolonged smoking process and also add flavor to the final product.
• In order of priority when choosing Brisket, first is the highest quality USDA Prime, followed by USDA Choice and USDA Select. Prime will have the most marbling and softness, but it can also be the most expensive.
• Or if you know absolutely nothing about meat, you can ask the butcher or an acquaintance for the best advice in choosing meat to cook.

Preparing The Brisket

Next is the step that requires precision because it affects the cooking process and your health, preparing the brisket.

Trimming Fat 

An important step in preparing meat for grilling or smoking. Too much fat can make the dish greasy and difficult to eat because when cooked, the fat will melt and make the meat greasy. Trimming the fat ensures the meat cooks more evenly, as thick fat can hinder the cooking process from the inside out. 

Furthermore, this helps create a crispy and delicious bark, allowing the spices and smoke to penetrate the meat better. A thin layer of fat is just enough to keep the meat moist without drying it out, retaining its natural flavor and avoiding the risk of the meat burning or charring. 

This also helps reduce cooking time because there is no time for the fat to melt, helping the dish to be completed quickly while remaining delicious and soft. Trimming fat not only improves flavor but also ensures the meat cooks evenly, retains moisture and saves cooking time.

Apply The Rub 

Making meat delicious depends on the rub, a mixture of spices used to marinate meat before grilling or smoking. The rub can include many different ingredients such as salt, pepper, sugar, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and other spices depending on taste and cooking style.

Let It Sit

Letting the meat rest for at least an hour after applying the rub cannot be overlooked in the meat preparation process. This resting time gives the flavors in the rub time to penetrate and blend into the meat, creating a richer and richer flavor. 

In addition, the spices will penetrate deep into each fiber of the meat, ensuring the meat has a uniform flavor after cooking. Resting time also helps natural enzymes in the meat soften the muscle fibers, creating a more tender and easier-to-eat meat. Leaving the meat at room temperature helps it reach an even temperature before cooking, ensuring it cooks evenly from the inside out. 

This process also helps keep the meat more moist throughout the cooking process, preventing the meat from drying out and maintaining its palatability.

Get Your Smoker Ready

Meanwhile, you should prepare the Pitboss smoker to optimize cooking time. One of Pit Boss’s strengths is its ability to control precise and stable temperatures, thanks to its digital control system and integrated temperature sensor, something that conventional smokehouses can hardly guarantee. All of these factors make the Pit Boss smoker a superior choice for those who are passionate about cooking and desire the tastiest piece of brisket.

Preparing The Pit Boss Grill

Many people still don’t know how to prepare a Pit Boss grill for smoking, leading to a piece of meat that isn’t delicious. The procedure follows these steps:

Soak Wood Chips

Before smoking, soak the wood chips in water for at least 30 minutes. Soaking wood chips plays a role in controlling the burning rate and smoke production. When wood chips are soaked for enough time, they will absorb water, reducing the burning rate when placed in the smoker.

Not only does this prevent burning too quickly, but it also helps produce consistent smoke over a long period, ensuring the meat is smoked evenly and imbued with flavor.

Choose The Type Of Wood Chips

Choosing the type of wood chips is equally important because each type of wood brings its unique flavor. Hickory and oak are commonly used for brisket because they provide a strong, rich flavor that is ideal for rich grilled meats. Mesquite, with its stronger flavor, is often used for meat dishes that require a characteristic richness. Applewood, with its sweet and gentle flavor, is suitable for those who want a more delicate and gentle flavor.

Preheat Grill 

Before placing the brisket in the oven, preheat the oven to 225°F (about 107°C). This is the ideal temperature for smoking brisket, allowing the meat to cook slowly and evenly, creating a tender and succulent final product. 

This low and steady temperature allows the meat to be exposed to the smoke longer, absorbing rich flavors and retaining the necessary moisture. Preheating the oven ensures a stable temperature from the start, allowing the meat to start cooking immediately when placed in the oven, optimizing the cooking process and achieving the tastiest results.

Place Brisket On Grates

Once the grill is preheated, place the brisket on the grill with the fat side facing up. During cooking, the fat will melt and help keep the meat moist, while also adding a rich flavor. Placing the fat side up allows the fat to drip down and penetrate the meat, preventing the meat from drying out during long cooking. This is an important technique to ensure your brisket is tender, juicy, and has the most flavor.

Elevate Brisket With Wire Rack (Optional)

If you want to ensure that your brisket cooks evenly, you can elevate the meat by placing it on a wire rack. This will allow air to circulate the meat, helping it cook more evenly. 

Using a rack not only helps distribute the temperature evenly but also prevents the meat from coming into direct contact with the grill, avoiding unwanted scorching. This technique helps you achieve the perfect brisket, with all sides of the meat cooking evenly and retaining optimal moisture.

Add Water Pan 

To help maintain humidity in the smoker and prevent the meat from drying out, place a tray of water in the smoker. You can use any type of tray that can hold water, such as a disposable aluminum tray or a cast iron pan. Fill the tray with water and place it on the grill next to the brisket. 

The water tray will evaporate during the cooking process, creating a moist environment that helps the meat stay soft and not dry. This technique not only maintains the meat’s necessary moisture but also helps distribute the temperature more evenly in the oven, ensuring your brisket will be cooked evenly and deliciously.

Smoking The Brisket

After processing the meat, you need to understand how to smoke meat properly. Factors you need to understand include time, temperature, rest and technique.

Smoke For 6 – 8 Hours 

First, you need to smoke the brisket for 6 to 8 hours, at a temperature of 225°F (107°C). This is the temperature that helps the meat cook evenly and absorb the flavor of the smoke. During this process, the internal temperature of the meat will fall to about 160°F (71°C). 

By the time the meat reaches this temperature, it has begun to absorb the spices and flavors from the smoke, preparing it for the next stage of slow cooking and tenderness.

Wrap The Brisket

After the brisket has been smoked for several hours, it’s time to wrap it in foil. Wrapping the brisket in foil and adding moisture helps the meat retain its tenderness and enhances the flavor, ensuring you have a delicious and flavorful dish.

Smoke For Another 4 – 6 Hours 

Place the wrapped brisket back on the grill and continue smoking for another 4-6 hours. By continuing to smoke the brisket until the internal temperature reaches 195-205°F, you’ll get a tender, juicy, and flavorful brisket. This ensures that every part of the meat is cooked evenly and to the best quality.

Rest The Brisket 

Letting the meat rest for at least an hour before slicing is an important step to help retain moisture and make the brisket more tender, juicy, and flavorful. This ensures your brisket will be of the highest quality when enjoyed.

The Takeaway

Smoking a brisket on a Pit Boss grill is a time-intensive endeavor, but the delicious results make it all worthwhile. Start by selecting a high-quality cut of brisket and preparing it meticulously, ensuring you trim the fat and apply a flavorful rub. Maintain a consistent smoking temperature and adhere to the recommended cooking times for optimal results. 

With practice and patience, you’ll master the art of smoking brisket, achieving a tender, juicy, and flavorful masterpiece every time. Your dedication will pay off with every bite, impressing friends and family alike.