Traeger Smoked Brisket

A Traeger smoked brisket is the ultimate meaty main course for summertime pool parties, backyard BBQs, the 4th of July, or Father's Day! This easy brisket recipe still follows a 'low and slow' method, but it's fast compared to most other brisket recipes because you can have your perfectly tender, juicy brisket on the table in well under 4 hours! The key to the best Traeger smoked brisket is using a mustard base to coat the meat and, of course, the best brisket dry rub!

The Best Quick Smoked Brisket

A smoked brisket is the king of summer cookout meats and knowing how to make one will make you the most popular person at the party. If you haven't smoked a brisket before, this recipe is a great place to start! (I've also included some useful tips and tricks so you can start smoking with confidence!)

If you're worried about how long it takes to cook a brisket, this method is the 'fast' version. In brisket time, 'fast' means you can get started and have a fall-apart-tender brisket on the table without waiting 10+ hours!

Jump to:

• The Best Quick Smoked Brisket
• What Is Brisket?
• 🥘 Ingredients
• 🔪 How To Make Traeger Smoked Brisket
• 💭 Angela's Pro Tips & Notes
• 😋 More Smoker Recipes
• 📖 Recipe Card
• 💬 Reviews

What Is Brisket?

A whole brisket, often times referred to as a full packer or packer brisket, comes from the chest or pectoral muscles of the cattle. You may also hear it referred to as "120 beef brisket, deckle-off, boneless" as this is how it is referred to by the North American Meat Processors Association.

As the name suggests, a '120' brisket means it is boneless and the first 4 ribs have been removed (for comparison a no. 118 is a beef brisket with the bones intact). The 'deckle' is the hard area of fat between the rib cage and the pectoralis muscle that has also been removed.

Any further trimming of your brisket before you get to cooking is left up to you!

🥘 Ingredients

It should be no surprise that the most important ingredient is a good, high-quality cut of meat. Look for a brisket that is uniform in size all the way around (or as close to it as possible), this will help the meat cook evenly!

• Beef Brisket - 10 pounds (or just about 10 pounds).
• Apple Cider Vinegar - ½ cup.
• Water - ½ cup to be combined with the apple cider vinegar.
• Mustard - ½ cup of yellow mustard.
• Brisket Dry Rub - 2 cups of my brisket dry rub.

*Be sure to see the recipe card below for ingredients, amounts & instructions!*

🔪 How To Make Traeger Smoked Brisket

Though I made this brisket on a Traeger, any brand of smoker will work! You will also want a good sharp knife, large cutting board, and food-grade spritz bottle.

Trimming Your Brisket

1. Trim the underside. To prepare your 10 pound brisket, flip it upside down with the fat cap on the cutting board. Use a sharp knife to trim any excess fat or silverskin from the underside. Then, locate the large, moon-shaped area of pure fat and slice it off in a sawing motion. It does not need to be 100% removed, just enough to level it that area with the rest of the brisket so it will cook evenly.
2. Square. To 'square' your brisket just means to trim it so it is fairly the same thickness throughout. Do this by trimming the long, thin strips of fat off the sides. No need to fully remove it, just trim until the meat is as uniform in shape and thickness as you can make it. Do the same to the ends of the brisket. Keep in mind, the point of the brisket will be somewhat knobby and not uniform and that is fine. Just be sure to remove any loose or hanging meat to prevent it from burning.
3. Trim the fat cap. Flip your brisket over and slice through the fat cap to remove excess fat. You want it to be between ¼" and ½" in thickness all the way across. Once your brisket is looking fairly uniform all the way around, you're ready to get smoking.

Smoked Traeger Brisket

1. Prep. Preheat your smoker to 300°F (150°C). Combine ½ a cup of apple cider vinegar and ½ a cup of water in a food-grade spritz bottle and set it aside. Then, slather mustard on all over your trimmed brisket and season it generously with 2 cups of brisket dry rub.
2. Smoke. After your smoker has come to temperature, place the seasoned brisket fat-side-down on the grill grate. Cook it for 1 ½ hours undisturbed.
3. Spritz. After 1 ½ hours, open the smoker and spritz your brisket with the apple cider vinegar blend. Do this every 30 minutes for another 1 ½ hours or until the brisket reaches an internal temperature of 204°F (95°C).
4. Rest. Transfer your smoked brisket to a large serving platter or cutting board. Tent a piece of foil loosely over the top and let it rest for at least 15 minutes.
5. Serve. Slice your brisket against the grain when serving.

Pair your Traeger smoked brisket with your favorite BBQ sides like smoked corn on the cob or loaded baked potato salad. You can also check out our page on what to serve with brisket for more suggestions. Enjoy!

💭 Angela's Pro Tips & Notes

• Though I did not brine my brisket, many people opt to brine it overnight in a sugar and salt solution and that is fine if you prefer. 
• Resting your brisket is essential in keeping it tender and juicy! This gives the meat enough time to re-absorb its own juices as it sits.
• Storing: Keep leftover Traeger smoked brisket in a shallow, airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. To freeze, use heavy duty freezer bags and squeeze out as much air as possible. Use within 3 months.
• Reheating: Thaw frozen leftovers in the fridge overnight. To reheat, wrap the brisket in foil and place it in a baking dish. Pop it in the oven at 300°F (150°C) for 20 minutes or until heated through.

😋 More Smoker Recipes

• Smoked Ribeye Steak
• Hamburgers
• Smoked Tomahawk Steak
• Traeger Smoked Turkey
• Smoked Brats
• Smoked Brussel Sprouts

📖 Recipe Card