smoked competition-style brisket with smoke ring cooked on pit boss wood pellet grill. sliced thin on cutting board

Competition Smoked Brisket

Competition Smoked Brisket

Rated 3.75 by 8 users
Category Smoke Beef
Servings 12
Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 14 hours

In this episode of Blue Ribbon BBQ, Hall-of-Fame Pitmaster Lee Ann Whippen shows us how to smoke a Competition-Style Brisket low and slow on the Pit Boss Wood Pellet Grill. She'll also share tips and tricks along the way that will help you recreate this recipe at home, or on the road at your next BBQ competition.

Selecting your brisket: 

Look for a prime brisket with the thickest Flat (thin end of the brisket) about 2” and well marbled throughout.

Wood Pellet Suggestion:

Lee Ann Whippen reccomends a combination of Oak blend pellets and Cherry blend pellets for added wood-fired flavor.

Author:
Lee Ann Whippen
smoked competition-style brisket with smoke ring cooked on pit boss wood pellet grill. sliced thin on cutting board

Ingredients

  • 1 16-18 lb. prime whole brisket
  • 1/2 cup Butcher BBQ Brisket injection marinade
  • 2 cups cold water
  • 32 oz. low salt beef broth
  • 1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
  • 3/4 cup Kosher salt
  • 1/4 cup Lawry's Seasoned Salt
  • 1 cup coarse ground black pepper
  • 1/4 cup garlic powder

Special Tools

  • Small Bowl
  • Temperature Probe
  • Towel

Directions

  1. Trim silver skin on bottom of brisket being careful to keep smooth. Cut large pocket of fat as much as possible without making hole.
  1. Flip the brisket over and make vertical cuts across, through fat only, in between flat and point. Remove all fat on the point. Remove fat from the flat, if needed, leaving an even 1/4" thickness.
  1. Fill an injector with brisket injection, beef broth, and cold water mixture. From the bottom of the brisket, inject (about 1 tablespoon per pound) evenly and following striations of fat lines, gently pulling syringe out, with each injection.
  1. Rub the entire brisket with Worcestershire sauce. In a small bowl combine Kosher salt, Lawry's Seasoned Salt, pepper and, garlic powder. Then, generously season the brisket with the seasoning mixture, patting lightly to adhere to all sides.
  1. Allow the brisket to rest for 30 minutes.
  1. Preheat your pellet smoker to 275°F. We recommend using Oak and/or Cherry blend pellets. Place a water pan in the smoker to maintain moisture levels, if needed.
  1. Place the brisket on the smoker grate, fat side up.
  1. Maintain a consistent temperature of 275°F throughout the cooking process. After 2 hours, turn the brisket fat side down.
  1. Continue to smoke until it reaches an internal temperature of 165°-170°F, or until the dry rub is set, approximately 6 hours. Note: smoke times and temps will vary depending on the size and thickness of the brisket.
  1. Remove the brisket from the smoker, wrap in butcher paper or heavy-duty aluminum foil to help retain moisture and speed up the cooking process, and place back in the smoker fat side down.
  1. Continue cooking until the internal temperature reaches 200-205°F, or until thermometer probe easily slides in. This can take another 4-6 hours, depending on the brisket.
  1. Once the brisket reaches your desired internal temperature, remove it form the smoke, open the wrap to let the steam out, and rewrap it. Then, place the wrapped brisket in a towel and let rest in a closed cooler for 3 hours minimum. This allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat, resulting in a more tender brisket.
  1. When ready to serve, slice the brisket against the grain into thin slices. Enjoy!

Recipe Video