Dig in to my beginner-friendly Traeger smoked brisket flat recipe with details for smoking 5 LB flat cut brisket. Get everything you need to smoke it with confidence…. Including the proper smoke time, temperature, brisket rub suggestions, fat cap trimming help, and butcher paper wrapping details. Let’s smoke it…
HEY THERE — Don’t forget I post quick, easy recipes on Instagram. Join me at @sipbitego.
How long does it take to smoke a brisket flat (5 LB)?
Plan for about 10-11 hours total (fingers crossed that works for you, too!). This Sip Bite Go demonstration recipe for 5 LB smoked brisket flat took about 9.5 hours total…
- 15-30 minutes prep time trimming and seasoning.
- 3 hours (and some change) smoke time directly on the pellet grill grates.
- 10-15 minutes wrapping brisket flat in butcher paper and moistening it with ACV.
- 6 hours or so, wrapped in butcher paper (fat cap side UP for juicy yumness).
- Plus some rest time (my husband swears –tried to enforce – a full hour of rest time, while wrapped in butcher paper (optional), but I usually want to take a peak, and a nibble within 30 minutes because it smells so good).
- Allow for an hour of rest time to let the brisket rest before putting it in the fridge.
Why do you suggest smoking a brisket flat with the fat side up VS. fat side down?
Does it matter which side of the brisket faces UP during the smoking process? Yes! Fat side UP means that the fat is going to drip down juice through the meat as it cooks. If you put the fat side down, the fat cap is close to the heat source and the fat will drip down onto the paper and not the meat.
Can you recommend a brisket rub for this recipe?
I used Meat Church Holy Cow Rub for this demo on smoking brisket flat. If you don’t own any Meat Church seasoning, I recommend you treat yourself to this sampler pack. Another favorite from that brand that we love to use is this Meat Church Holy Voodoo Rub. Oh and also the Honey Hog Seasoning for smoked chicken thighs and smoked pulled pork recipes.
Why do you leave the brisket flat in the butcher paper as it cools?
As a rule of thumb, I leave brisket wrapped while resting but you don’t have to and some people swear against it.
What can you make with leftover brisket?
Make these smoked nachos or add it to some smoked pizza.
How long does it take to smoke a 15 lb beef brisket?
Smoking a FULL brisket (not just the flat part, as demonstrated in this recipe) will take quite a bit longer! A 13, 14, or 15 lb beef brisket smoke time is closer to 15-20 hours.
Ingredients
Here’s what you need to make it.
- Brisket flat (this recipe is with 5 LB, but will work for 6 LB as well, you’ll just need a longer cook time)
- BBQ Seasoning (any beef / brisket rub, I used Meat Church Holy Cow Rub)
- Apple cider vinegar
Note: I didn’t add black pepper and kosher salt to this particular cook, because the Meat Church rub is so flavorful, but add salt and pepper if desired to your seasoning.
If you’re looking for a fast smoker recipe (under 30 minutes) check out my smoked pizza and smoked flanken ribs.
First, why trim the fat cap on brisket flat before smoking?
Want a good bark on your brisket? Want a deep, smokey flavor? You’ll have to trim the brisket flat from excess fat before smoking it.
Why??
When you purchase brisket for smoking it, there’s typically more fat on it than you’ll be able to cook down. So the fat won’t render correctly during the smoke time. It’ll throw off the ability of the smoke to get fully into the cut of meat. And you’ll likely have uneven cooking issues like burnt edges and tough spots.
How far do you trim brisket flat fat?
You’ll find that the brisket flat has a fat cap that runs from end to end. To overcome any potential brisket flat smoking issues having to do with excess fat, you need to trim it down the entire fat cap to about a quarter inch. That’s enough to create flavorful moisture, which means you’ll have a juicy brisket flat without all the extra fat.
How to trim fat off brisket flat
So exactly how do you trim fat from brisket flat?
- Prep pellet grill brisket flat for trimming fat and silver skin. Pat brisket flat dry with paper towel. Place the brisket flat with the fat side UP on a large cutting board.
- Remove excess fat. Use a sharp paring knife or another sharp knife to trim off excess fat and silver on the brisket. The best way is to almost “shave off” a layer of fat at a time, so you don’t accidentally take too much off at once. You want to keep the fat cap on top intact, but trim it down to leave an even ¼ inch on top of the brisket flat.
How to trim silver skin from brisket flat
What’s silver skin?
After trimming the obvious fat from the top, it’s time to clean up what’s called the silver skin. The silver skin is basically large pieces of connective tissue membrane that (similarly to excess fat) also prevents the brisket rub flavors from penetrating the beef.
What does brisket silver skin look like?
You’ll find it easily because it’s tough (which is why it’s chewy if you leave it on the brisket). To locate silver skin, set the brisket flat on a cutting board so the fatty side faces up. It’s clearly not tender meat. And you just trimmed off the excess fat. So what’s left will be the silver skin.
How do you trim silver skin?
Pierce a sharp knife between the gristle / silver skin and brisket flat meat. It’s a delicate dance to trim the silver skin without taking off brisket meat, so carefully and slowly do your best to lift the tough membrane from the beef and discard it.
How to smoke a brisket flat on a pellet grill
Now I’ll walk you through this brisket flat recipe on the Traeger.
Detailed steps for Traeger smoking brisket flat
- Preheat the Traeger Grill (or whatever pellet smoker you’re using) to 250 degrees F for 15 minutes before it’s time to smoke brisket. I like setting out brisket about 20-30 minutes ahead of time to help bring it to room temperature.
- Prep brisket flat for smoking. Season brisket with the Voodoo seasoning by massaging the seasoning into the brisket top, bottom, and sides.
- Smoke brisket flat on Traeger. Place your brisket on the pellet grill grates fat side up and smoke brisket flat until the internal temperature of the flat of brisket reaches 160 – 170 degrees F, measured in the thickest part of the meat. This will take about 3 hours and 15 minutes. Remove partially smoked brisket flat from the grill. Keep the lid to the smoker closed and the smoker on.
- Prep butcher paper for smoking brisket flat. Add apple cider vinegar to a spray bottle and set aside. On a large work surface, roll out butcher paper. (I leave it on the roll so I can adjust the size as needed, but usually I’ll use a piece that’s about 5-6 times larger than your piece of beef). The inside of the butcher paper should be facing up. Spray the inside of the butcher paper (where you’re going to set the brisket down) with some apple cider vinegar, until the area that will touch the brisket flat once it’s wrapped is fully moistened.
- Wrap brisket flat in butcher paper. Place half smoked brisket flat near the edge of the butcher paper. Spritz it with the spray bottle to moisten it with more apple cider vinegar, for juicy good luck while smoking. (IMPORTANT – You’ll want to keep track of the SIDE of the brisket flat that has the FAT CAP when rolling it!! You’ll want to “end” with the FAT CAP UP. This way it will OOOOOOZE juiciness because the fat will drip down as it cooks.) Wrap the brisket flat a few times in the butcher paper, folding edges in like a burrito so it bundles together to create a cozy, moist little sleeping bag environment for your beef.
- Smoke brisket flat in butcher paper. Add your little bundle of joy brisket flat back on the smoker grill grates, fat cap side UP (hope you kept track of it!). Smoke the flat until the internal temperature has reached 200 – 205 degrees F.
- Rest smoked brisket flat and enjoy. When time is up, remove the brisket flat from the smoker and let it rest (we usually let it rest in the butcher paper, but you don’t have to – it’s debatable) for at least 30 minutes, or an hour if you’re my husband. Slice against the grain and enjoy.
Best brisket recipes from Sip Bite Go
Make it a meal… pop a bunch of sides in the smoker to go with this BBQ main, with my recommendations of what else to smoke at 250°F…
Next, try these Traeger smoked potato skins for a cheesy, bacon-filled appetizer.
Can’t wait to hear what you think!
I’d love to know how your version turned out! Drop a rating and leave a comment below to help the Sip Bite Go community. And if you snapped any photos, tag me on Instagram—I love sharing reader pics in my Stories!
Feel inspired to cook with my free Foodie Friday newsletter.
Traeger Smoked Brisket Flat (5 LB Pellet Grill Demo) Recipe | Sip Bite Go
Video
Ingredients
- 5 LB brisket flat trimmed of fat cap and silver skin (see notes and Sip Bite Go video)
- ½ cup BBQ Seasoning any beef / brisket rub, as much as you’d like
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
Instructions
- Preheat the Traeger Grill (or whatever pellet smoker you’re using) to 250 degrees F for 15 minutes before it’s time to smoke brisket. I like setting out brisket about 20-30 minutes ahead of time to help bring it to room temperature.
- Prep brisket flat for smoking. Season brisket with the Voodoo seasoning by massaging the seasoning into the brisket top, bottom, and sides.
- Smoke brisket flat on Traeger. Place your brisket on the pellet grill grates fat side up and smoke brisket flat until the internal temperature of the flat of brisket reaches 160 – 170 degrees F, measured in the thickest part of the meat. This will take about 3 hours and 15 minutes. Remove partially smoked brisket flat from the grill. Keep the lid to the smoker closed and the smoker on.
- Prep butcher paper for smoking brisket flat. Add apple cider vinegar to a spray bottle and set aside. On a large work surface, roll out butcher paper. (I leave it on the roll so I can adjust the size as needed, but usually I’ll use a piece that’s about 5-6 times larger than your piece of beef). The inside of the butcher paper should be facing up. Spray the inside of the butcher paper (where you’re going to set the brisket down) with some apple cider vinegar, until the area that will touch the brisket flat once it’s wrapped is fully moistened.
- Wrap brisket flat in butcher paper. Place half smoked brisket flat near the edge of the butcher paper. Spritz it with the spray bottle to moisten it with more apple cider vinegar, for juicy good luck while smoking. (IMPORTANT – You’ll want to keep track of the SIDE of the brisket flat that has the FAT CAP when rolling it!! You’ll want to “end” with the FAT CAP UP. This way it will OOOOOOZE juiciness because the fat will drip down as it cooks.) Wrap the brisket flat a few times in the butcher paper, folding edges in like a burrito so it bundles together to create a cozy, moist little sleeping bag environment for your beef.
- Smoke brisket flat wrapped in butcher paper. Add your little bundle of joy brisket flat back on the smoker grill grates, fat cap side UP (hope you kept track of it!). Smoke the flat until the internal temperature has reached 200 – 205 degrees F.
- Rest smoked brisket flat and enjoy. When time is up, remove the brisket flat from the smoker and let it rest (we usually let it rest in the butcher paper, but you don’t have to – it’s debatable) for at least 30 minutes, or an hour if you’re my husband. Slice against the grain and enjoy.
Notes
- Place the brisket flat with the fat side UP on a large cutting board.
- Use a sharp paring knife or another sharp knife to trim off excess fat and silver on the brisket. The best way is to almost “shave off” a layer of fat at a time, so you don’t accidentally take too much off at once. You want to keep the fat cap on top intact, but trim it down to leave an even ¼ inch on top of the brisket flat.
- With the fat cap side up, use a sharp knife to locate the thick silver skin (the thick membrane of connective tissue) and cut it off from the brisket meat.
Nutrition
YOU MIGHT LIKE THESE
Pro tip: One of my go-to tricks for perfectly cooked food every time is using the right BBQ meat thermometers.
Jenna Passaro says
Stan
Jon says
I don’t know why you have suggestions for leftovers. I used this recipe to cook my first brisket, and there were no leftovers. The brisket came out tender, juicy, and flavorful. It was so easy to follow and made the guys think I knew what I was doing.
Roy says
No complaints about this recipe. I have been following it since my first brisket, and now get frequent requests to make brisket for parties and such. Only thing is I don’t get anywhere near 9 hours of cook time. From wrapping till 200 it’s about 2 hrs for me. Am I not wrapping it enough? Should I decrease the temp?
Jenna Passaro says
Hi Roy – it’s crazy because some cuts of brisket cook way faster, too. So just keep temping it and like they say — you should serve brisket the next day because you never know when it will actually be done!
Nate says
Hi, I used your recipe for my first try at making a brisket. I found that it took about 6hrs total for it to reach 204 when cooking at 250 F. It was on the grill uncovered for about 3 hrs, but then only took another 3 (and change) to hit 204. All told, it will have cooked and rested for 7 hours. Not sure if this is a similar experience for you, or if I’m just having a fluke. Thanks for the recipe!
Ron says
Good but I declare shenanigans! It varies. Total cook time for my 5lb brisket was 5.25hrs (3.5hrs+1.75hrs) to 190 degrees. Clearly your mileage may vary, mine did.
Mitch says
I am new to Traeger grills and using your flat cut brisket recipe right now. When you let it rest in the foil where do you let it rest at? and if you put it in the fridge how do you reheat it? Thanks for everything Mitch