Recipe

Traeger Brisket

A simple salt and pepper brisket that comes out tender and smoky with a dark bark, a juicy flat, and a point that practically melts.

By Matt Campbell

•

4.8

A sliced smoked beef brisket on a wooden cutting board with a dark peppery bark and visible smoke ring, juices glistening under warm kitchen lighting

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Brisket on a Traeger is one of those projects that feels intimidating right up until you do it once and realize the grill is basically doing the babysitting. Your job is just season, manage the heat, and know when to wrap. Then you let time do the flexing.

This is my go-to Traeger brisket for when I want that Texas-style vibe: bold pepper, a mahogany bark, and slices that bend without breaking. No fussy injections required, no sugar bomb rub, and no need to panic at the stall. We are cooking like a friend is in the kitchen with you, which means we are going to taste, adjust, and keep it fun.

A whole beef brisket wrapped in pink butcher paper on a clean kitchen counter next to a roll of butcher paper and a chef's knife

Why It Works

Simple seasoning, big payoff: A properly bold salt and pepper rub plus a little garlic gives you a bark that tastes like brisket, not pot roast.
Traeger-friendly timeline: Low and steady smoke early, then wrap to power through the stall and protect tenderness.
Sliceable and juicy: A long rest lets the juices settle so you get clean slices instead of brisket crumble.
Leftovers that stay good: A gentle reheat method keeps tomorrow’s brisket from turning dry and sad.

Pairs Well With

Storage Tips

Fridge: Cool brisket, then store in an airtight container with any juices. Best within 4 days.

Freezer: Freeze sliced or chunked brisket with a splash of reserved juices or broth in a freezer bag. Press out air. Best within 2 to 3 months.

Reheat without drying out: Put slices in a baking dish, add a few spoonfuls of juices (or low-sodium beef broth), cover tightly with foil, and warm at 275°F until the thickest slice hits about 145 to 165°F (usually 20 to 35 minutes, depending on thickness). If you have a sous vide setup, brisket in a sealed bag at 150°F until warmed through is pure magic. For slices, plan about 45 to 90 minutes. For thicker chunks, go longer.

Sliced brisket stored in a glass meal prep container with a little cooking juice at the bottom on a kitchen counter

Common Questions

What size brisket should I buy?

For most families, a 12 to 15 pound whole packer brisket is the sweet spot. You will lose weight to trimming and rendering, so plan on about 1/2 pound cooked brisket per person (more if you want generous leftovers).

Do I cook brisket fat side up or down on a Traeger?

I go fat side down on most pellet grills because the heat often comes from below. The fat can act like a little heat shield for the flat. If your particular setup runs hotter from above, flip that logic. The real rule is: protect the flat.

What internal temperature is brisket done?

Use temperature as a guide, not a finish line. Brisket is usually ready to come off around 200 to 205°F, but the true test is feel. A probe should slide into the flat with almost no resistance, like room-temperature butter.

What is the stall and do I have to wrap?

The stall is when evaporation cools the meat and the temperature seems stuck, often around 150 to 170°F. You do not have to wrap, but wrapping in butcher paper or foil helps you push through it, keeps the flat from drying out, and gets dinner on the table before everyone starts snacking on chips like it is their job.

Butcher paper or foil?

Butcher paper: best bark and a more traditional texture.
Foil: fastest and juiciest, but bark can soften more.
I prefer paper for brisket on a Traeger unless I am racing the clock.

How long should brisket rest?

At least 1 hour, and 2 to 4 hours is even better if you can hold it warm (in a cooler or a low oven). For food safety, keep the brisket above 140°F internal during a long hold. If your oven does not hold low temps reliably, use a cooler method and check with a thermometer.

Matt Campbell

I have always had a huge passion for the culinary arts, people, working as a team, and so on. I wanted to pursue my love for cooking initially at Virginia Commonwealth University with a culinary arts degree; however, I instead decided to apply myself and acquire more practical skills. My end goal is to eventually open my own restaurant or similar establishment.

Kitchen Essentials

Traeger pellet grill (or any pellet smoker)
Instant-read thermometer
Leave-in probe thermometer (highly recommended)
Sharp boning or chef’s knife (for trimming)
Large cutting board
Disposable gloves (optional, but nice for rubbing and wrapping)
Pink butcher paper (or heavy-duty foil)
Small spray bottle (apple cider vinegar and water)
Cooler or low oven for resting

The first brisket I ever made was a full confidence situation on the outside and a quiet panic on the inside. I kept opening the lid like I was checking on a sleeping baby, which is the fastest way to turn “steady heat” into “why is my cook taking forever.” Now I treat brisket like a long playlist: set the vibe, stop messing with it, and let the smoke do its thing. The win for me is always the same moment, when you slice the flat and it holds together, then drapes over your finger without snapping. That is the brisket handshake.

Traeger Brisket

(4.8 Reviews)

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 10 to 14 hours

Total Time 12 to 18 hours (including rest)

Servings 10 to 12

Ingredients

1 whole packer brisket (12 to 15 pounds), choice or prime
1/4 cup kosher salt (Diamond Crystal) or 3 tablespoons Morton
1/4 cup coarse black pepper (16-mesh is great if you have it)
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder (optional but nice)
2 tablespoons yellow mustard or hot sauce, for binder (optional)
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar + 1/2 cup water, for spritzing
Traeger pellets (oak as a base, plus hickory or cherry if you want it punchier)

Rub note: Brisket size, trimming, and pepper grind vary, so seasoning is not a one-size situation. This mix is a solid starting point for a 12 to 15 pound packer. If you like an extra bold bark, go up to 1/3 cup each or even 1/2 cup each. The goal is a confident peppery coat you can actually see. Use all of the mix, and if you still see bare spots, mix a little more and keep going.

Kosher salt, coarse black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and a brisket on a sheet pan on a kitchen counter

Instructions

Trim the brisket. Keep it cold for easier trimming. Remove hard, waxy fat and silver skin. Trim the fat cap to about 1/4 inch wherever it sits on your brisket. (We will decide fat side down versus up on the grill later.) On the side between the point and flat, shave down the big thick seam of fat so smoke and heat can do their job.
Season. Pat dry. If using mustard or hot sauce, rub a thin layer over the brisket. Mix salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder, then season generously on all sides. You should see a confident peppery coat, not a light dusting. If you still see a lot of bare meat, keep going and mix more if needed.
Preheat the Traeger. Set grill to 225°F. If your grill has a Super Smoke setting, use it for the first few hours. Load pellets you actually like eating, because they show up in the final bite. I like oak as a base, then hickory for punch or cherry for a little sweetness. Place a drip pan if you want easier cleanup.
Smoke unwrapped. Put the brisket on the grates fat side down (most Traegers benefit from this). Insert a probe into the thickest part of the flat. Close the lid and let it ride.
Spritz (optional, but helps bark). After about 2 to 3 hours, when the surface looks set and not wet, spritz lightly every 45 to 60 minutes with the vinegar-water mix. Do not overdo it. We are not giving the brisket a bath.
Wrap when bark is right. When the brisket hits around 165°F and the bark is a deep mahogany that does not scrape off easily, wrap tightly in pink butcher paper (or foil). A quick check: gently touch the bark with a finger. If it does not rub off and it feels dry and set, you are ready. Put it back on the grill, seam side down.
Finish the cook. Keep cooking at 225°F or bump to 250°F after wrapping to move things along. Start checking tenderness around 198°F. Pull when a probe slides into the flat with very little resistance, usually 200 to 205°F.
Rest like you mean it. Keep the brisket wrapped. Let it sit on the counter just long enough to stop steaming hard, usually 20 to 30 minutes, then hold warm for 1 to 4 hours in a cooler (towels help) or in an oven set to 150 to 170°F. Food safety note: for a long hold, keep the brisket above 140°F internal. Many home ovens run hot or swing low at these temps, so a quick thermometer check removes the guesswork.
Slice and serve. Before you cook, it helps to notice the grain direction and even snap a quick phone photo, because the bark can hide it later. Separate point from flat if you want clean slices. Slice the flat against the grain into pencil-thick slices. The grain changes direction in the point, so rotate it and slice against the grain, or cube it for burnt ends. Sprinkle a tiny pinch of salt on a slice and taste. Adjust from there.