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[Ckoss]

Did my first brisket(s) on my YS640. I did a flat and a full packer. The weather was cold, low 30's and it was pretty windy. I used Pit Boss comp blend pellets to run the cooker, with some lumberjack char hickory in my amazen tube. The smoke ring was incredible, but it didn't seem to have the depth of flavor I've got in the past on some of my other cookers.

Here was my method:
1)Started low (hopefully) for more smoke penetration; around 190-200 degrees.
2)Packer and Flat on top shelf.
3)About 2.5 hours later, cranked heat up to 240, then a little later 275
4)Wrapped at 160ish
5)Pulled at 202
6)Rested for two hours.
7)Sliced.

Looking for any advice to get better results. Everything tasted good, but I don't know if it's the lack of smoke or what, but it tasted like it was missing something.

[Ralphie]

Beautiful picture.  How did you season it? 

[Ckoss]

I was experimenting with some different rubs. On the flat, I went with Cash Cow from BPS. The packer I did a light layer of fajita seasoning, and then heavier with a home made rub.

[Ross77]

I don’t have a Yoder but IMO Pit Boss Comp Blend is light on smoke flavor. I’ve tried a few different Comp Blends and wasn’t impressed.

Try a wood specific pellet next time. Either 100% hickory or a mesquite blend. I’ve had good luck with the Lumberjack pecan blend when I smoke brisket. 

[Ckoss]

I think that's a good idea, thanks. My thought was use the Pit Boss really for heat and hope the amazen tube would provide good smoke. But I don't think that's working.

[Ross77]

You’ll get a lighter flavor from a pellet smoker vs say a stick burner. If you used a smoke tube and the smoke flavor still wasn’t enough, you may be used to a more instense smoke flavor.

Maybe try lumberjack 100% hickory in both the hopper and the smoke tube.

[Ralphie]

Do ya'll have the same avatar or is my computer acting funny?

My personal preference is to have mesquite wood heavily involved with brisket.  I also go fairly heavy with black pepper in my brisket rub and go light on sugar (opposite of my pork rubs).  If you want an extra kick in the shorts with smoke flavor, maybe you could experiment with smoked black pepper.  You can buy it off the shelf but I've had good results with smoking whole black peppercorns and grinding it.  But be aware that that pepper mill will forever need to be dedicated to your smoked spices after that. 

Which leads me to: I love smoking salt and spices.  Particularly spices that you can grind like cumin, peppercorn, rock sea salt, fennel seed, and more.  It adds great depth to dishes that you don't cook on the grill and it takes virtually no effort and planning as you can just throw a small metal bowl or pan in the pellet grill while you are smoking something else depending on heat output. 

[LowSlowJoe]

You smoked a full packer in under 9 hours from what I can tell.   I personally usually take 12 to 18 hours, sometimes in the past even more.   

Of the 5 pellet grills I own, the one that smokes the best , really starts to taper off in smoke production at about 275F, and for the most part the best smoke it produces is at about 225F. A couple other pellet grills I own start to really taper off with smoke production at about 250F.   

 My recommendation would be to run at about 225F to 250F on your next cook, 225F until the stall, then bump it up to 250F after that... and just wait it out.   I also highly recommend getting some 100% Hickory pellets, they produce about the best smoke flavor of any pellet IMHO.   I do run 100% Mesquite now and then, or mix it with 100% Hickory sometimes too, but 100% Mesquite is a bit tricky to find sometimes, and I still feel 100% Hickory will give you the most flavor, regardless of the availability of Mesquite.  You might want to add a pan of water off to the side ( near the hottest part of the grill, so it'll actually get the water near boiling to produce some steam.  Some say the moisture will help smoke 'stick' to the food, I don't know for sure if it does, but I do personally like the way my brisket turns out with a bit of humidity added into the grill. )

  Pellet grills do give a more subtle smoke flavor than many stick burners do, however you should be able to produce some very good tasting brisket on a pellet grill.

A brisket I cooked this weekend

[LowSlowJoe]

Here's the temperature data on my recent brisket,  the label for point and flat are reversed  my brisket was on the upper shelf of my PG500, water pan in the direct grilling area. The photo of the meat in the grill was taken about 8 hours into the cook, when I went out to check to see if there was still some water left in the pan ( and to add more ).

[Fire708]

My wife likes the milder smoke flavor the Pellet grill gives compared to using wood chunks on my vertical smoker. I use a smoke tube and lumberjack hickory in the hopper and tube. For beef I like heavy black pepper recipes about 2:1 pepper to salt in the rub.

[Ckoss]

Thanks for the advice, I think I'll first experiment with different pellets. Those of you suggesting 100% hickory LJ, have you tried the 100% oak? I know oak is popular for brisket, but I've never used it.

[LowSlowJoe]

Thanks for the advice, I think I'll first experiment with different pellets. Those of you suggesting 100% hickory LJ, have you tried the 100% oak? I know oak is popular for brisket, but I've never used it.

I have tried Oak, I used to use Oak when I had a stick burner, and I really liked it , but with pellets I haven't been as impressed with it.   I'd give Hickory a try first... 

My most recent was done with a mix of Hickory and Mesquite.

[Free Mr. Tony]

I've pretty much ditched wrapping briskets altogether during the cooking phase. It makes them sort of pot roasty tasting to me. I cook it straight through at 250-275. Let it sit out for 20 minutes or so on the counter, then wrap in foil or butcher paper. Let it sit until internal temp is 150 or so. The extra time in the smoker unwrapped gives more smoke, but also makes it taste more like bbq brisket than roast. The bark gets pretty hard when its on the pit, but softens considerably during the resting stage.

[Goosehunter51]

I've pretty much ditched wrapping briskets altogether during the cooking phase. It makes them sort of pot roasty tasting to me. I cook it straight through at 250-275. Let it sit out for 20 minutes or so on the counter, then wrap in foil or butcher paper. Let it sit until internal temp is 150 or so. The extra time in the smoker unwrapped gives more smoke, but also makes it taste more like bbq brisket than roast. The bark gets pretty hard when its on the pit, but softens considerably during the resting stage.

I am going to try this soon, I like it

[Free Mr. Tony]

I've pretty much ditched wrapping briskets altogether during the cooking phase. It makes them sort of pot roasty tasting to me. I cook it straight through at 250-275. Let it sit out for 20 minutes or so on the counter, then wrap in foil or butcher paper. Let it sit until internal temp is 150 or so. The extra time in the smoker unwrapped gives more smoke, but also makes it taste more like bbq brisket than roast. The bark gets pretty hard when its on the pit, but softens considerably during the resting stage.

I am going to try this soon, I like it

You'll find it's also the easiest. No wrapping and unwrapping, check temps, then messy re-wrap. Just open lid, probe, close lid. Repeat every so often.

The method (I guess you could say any method) seems to work best with a well marbled brisket. The fat that melts out of the flat while cooking keeps the bark a little more moist than super lean briskets. I have bought a couple select briskets from Walmart just to experiment on. The bark gets harder from less fat, but still softens during the rest. Butchers injection helps out a select brisket considerably.