2025: Year of the Brisket

When 2025 started, I made it my New Year’s resolution to master brisket on my pellet grill and for once in my life, I can honestly say I followed through with my resolution and obtained a lifelong skill. These pictures are random and of course I didn’t document the last 2-3 briskets I cooked where I really dialed everything in

After smoking 10 briskets, I found simplicity is key.

Here’s a brief summary of what I learned:

– only trim the hard fat, once you find the soft buttery layer stop trimming. Cut off the cauterized parts and any especially fatty or veiny chunks of meat, shoot for corvette aerodynamics in terms of general shape

– season and dry brine in the fridge overnight (no binder)

– leave smoker set to 210 for the entire cook. Just like my cousin Drew, it’s a slow one. Leave the lid closed until you do your first temp check after 6-7 hours and do some simple math to estimate how much cook time is left

– only wrap in butcher paper when internal temp is 198-203 and you’re taking it off the heat

– then wrap in a towel and use the cooler method to rest for 6-7 hours

– my favorite pellet was B&B Post Oak and least favorite was anything Traeger; I tried Pit Boss post oak and competition blend, Costco blend, Kingsford Hickory and Grillmaster’s choice, Bear Mountain Gourmet BBQ, B&B Post Oak, and Traeger’s Pro Blend, Signature Blend, and mesquite