When it comes to cooking brisket or meat in general, the most important thing is its flavor. A significant factor determining the final flavor of your brisket is the pellet you use. Most people don’t even realize this and think that pellets don’t make much difference. The truth is, that only the best pellets can give you the best flavor.
Many people keep using the same pellets that came with their grills, and they fail to realize the fantastic flavors they miss out on. However, this lack of understanding makes it more challenging to pick out the best pellets for smoking brisket from the market. So, we are here to help.
Best pellets for smoking 2022- Tested and Reviewed
| IMAGE | PRODUCT | DETAIL | PRICE |
|---|---|---|---|
EDITORS CHOICE
 | Camp chef Competition Blend Pellets |
| Check on AmazonCheck on BestBuy |
BUDGET PICK
 | Green Mountain apple pellets |
| Check on AmazonCheck on BestBuy |
Crisp Taste
 | Traeger Grills signature blends hardwood pellets |
| Check on AmazonCheck on BestBuy |
Gluten Free
 | Pit-boss Hickory Pellets for Brisket |
| Check on AmazonCheck on BestBuy |
100% Real
 | Royal Oak- oak Pellets for Brisket |
| Check on AmazonCheck on BestBuy |
Sweetwood
 | Kona- Best Flavor Pellets for Smoking |
| Check on AmazonCheck on BestBuy |
Whiskey Flavor
 | Louisiana Grills 55410 Pellets |
| Check on AmazonCheck on BestBuy |
1. Camp chef Competition Blend pellets:
Nothing feels better than the taste of an excellent flavored BBQ or brisket piece in your mouth. However, as good as it may seem, a good flavor is pretty hard to achieve. It is where camp chef competition blend pellets come into play. These pellets are made explicitly from pure hardwood.
It gives you the crisp hardwood flavor while retaining the original taste of the meat as well. The competition blend is perfect for almost any kind of meat, but I would suggest going for Hickory or Mesquite if you want a strong flavor in your meat.
These pellets are made using food-grade material. Moreover, they have less moisture, which makes them burn less and produce more heat. As a result, it reduces the ash.
While most wood pellets are made from a cheap mixture and chemicals to give it a good enough smoke, Camp Chef competition blend pellets are made from pure hardwood, ensuring that you get what you paid for.
Camp Chef- Best Wood Chips for Grill
- Low moisture causes it to burn less (low ash production)
- 100% food-grade materials
- Suitable for BBQ, briskets, and fishes
- Oil and chemical-free hardwood
- Klin dried, low moisture for quick ignition
- A few complaints about late delivery
Specifications:
- Flavor: Cherry, maple, Hickory
- Brand: Camp chef
- Weight: 20lb
- Material: Pure virgin Hardwood
If anyone wants to get the strong flavor of pure hardwood smoke, I suggest buying this pellet. You can go with Hickory instead of the competition blend, a mixture of all tastes for a more robust flavor. Be sure to check the type of meat you are working with since Hickory might not be suitable for fish. With that said, it is a worthwhile pellet to buy.
2. Green Mountain apple pellets- Best Wood for Smoking Texas Brisket
These pellets are made to last for years if not used. The package comes with a 28lb bag, so you know you are getting a lot of pellets. Moreover, the price is excellent, and anyone can easily afford it.
I love the apple flavor that the smoke produces. It sits well with your briskets or BBQ. and makes them feel a bit juicy. Moreover, It is also available in Fresh wood and Texas blend.
These are perfect for backyard BBQ parties or even a turkey for a family dinner. Moreover, these work best with grills. I love the different diameters on these pellets, making them last longer than other pellets that I have used.
The smoke gives a mixture of applewood, Hickory, and red oak flavor, which is strong but gentle at the same time. The final product is super soft and cuts like butter. Furthermore, the low moisture contents give a perfect smoke and make them burn a bit less.
Green Mountain Grills Cooking Pellets
- Efficient smoke burns fewer pellets and produces more heat
- It gives a strong flavor with a gentle touch
- These pellets last a long time which makes them ideal for storing for BBQ
- Big diameter causes them to burn much longer
- Low moisture on the pellets
- Might have some problems with packaging (a customer reported the pellets being dusty)
Specifications:
- Flavor: Apple, Hickory
- Brand: Green Mountain grills
- Weight: 28lb
- Material: Hardwood with a blend of applewood, Hickory, and Oak
I used these pellets for BBQ in my backyard, and the results were just great. It produces just the ideal amount of smoke and gives a delicate yet strong flavor (just the way I like it). This is a pretty neat price for a 28lb bag.
3. Traeger Grills signature blends hardwood pellets:
Pellets come in different flavors, each good on its own, but the best thing about the signature blend is that it contains a mixture of those flavors. Moreover, it goes well with almost any kind of meat. BBQ, brisket, fish, you name it.
It gives you a massive advantage as you can cook anything with the Traeger Grills signature blend pellets. I love the crisp taste that the smoke produces from this pellet. You can feel the strong flavor of natural hardwood.
However, this pellet isn’t just a random hardwood pellet. It was developed due to years of research and testing with different material mixtures and compositions. That research led to manufacturing a pellet with the perfect cell structure and gives the ideal burn-to-smoke ratio.
My favorite part about this pellet is the amount of moisture. It’s not too much to prevent burning and not too little to produce large flames. The humidity is just the ideal amount that enables the pellets to cook almost any kind of meat.
Traeger Grills Pellets- Best Traeger Pellets for Brisket
- Pure wood-fired flavor
- It comes with pellet and spice rub options
- Produces very little ash
- The ideal amount of moisture gives the exact perfect smoke
- Signature blend goes well with almost any meat
- Having mixed flavors might prevent you from getting the whole experience of a single flavor
Specifications:
- Flavor: Signature blend
- Brand: Traeger
- Weight: 20lb
- Material: Hardwood
To sum it up, this pellet is perfect if you are not sure which flavor you want to go to. I suggest you buy this as a backup plan as this works well with any kind of meat, be it turkey, brisket, BBQ, or anything else this hardwood pellet has got your back. I consider it to be one of the best pellets for smoking.
4. Pit-boss Hickory Pellets for Brisket:
If you are looking for a pellet that can produce just the right amount of smoke and give you that solid smoky flavor, then this is the right pellet for you. It is ideal for pork and brisket. Moreover, the premium quality wood used in the manufacturing of this pellet burns very hotly and cleanly.
Unlike most other pellets, the pit-boss hickory blend pellet is made from 100% pure hardwood, and the quality of the wood speaks for itself. I like the natural smoke that this pellet creates. Moreover, it is chemical-free.
It is available in several other flavors, so I would recommend trying them out yourself and then choosing which fits your taste. I like Hickory because it works the best with brisket, and if you are using this pellet for smoking brisket, I will suggest the same.
Pit Boss 40 lb- Best Pit Boss Pellets for Brisket
- Produces a solid smoky taste that is ideal for beef
- Burns hot and clean
- 100% pure hardwood with no chemicals and oils
- It gives that natural juicy flavor to the meat
- Even available in 40lb bag to store for later use
- customers reported problems with the box in which the pellet bag was delivered
Specifications:
- Flavor: Hickory
- Brand: Pit boss
- Weight: 18.4lb
- Material: Natural Hardwood
It is an ideal pellet for anyone who likes solid and smoky flavor in their meat. Unlike the other pellets that use chemicals and sprays to achieve the smoke and taste, this pellet does it naturally. Moreover, it is very affordable compared to other pellets on the market. I would highly recommend this pellet.
5. Royal Oak Hardwood Charcoal Grilling pellets:
Royal Oak charcoal pellet is one of my favorite charcoal pellets. It is made from natural hardwood Charcoal, giving it a smoky BBQ flavor. Buying this will make a fine addition to your grills. Moreover enhances the flavor of your grill and gives you a nice and crisp smoky BBQ and beef flavor.
I love the charcoal touch in the flavor. It enhances your experience. It doesn’t contain any chemicals for extra smoky flavor or scent. Everything about this pellet is natural, and as a result, the final product gives you a natural charcoal flavor.
These pellets are water-resistant and can endure rainwater. It doesn’t absorb water and has minimum moisture. It allows them to burn well and produce little smoke. What’s more, is that you can use it with any grill.
Royal Oak- oak Pellets for Brisket
- Suitable for all grills
- It gives you the authentic BBQ flavor with hardwood charcoal
- Water-resistant
- Produces just the ideal amount of smoke due to low moisture
- It contains no additives and chemicals
- It has little smoke, so the charcoal flavor might be mild
Specifications:
- Flavor: Charcoal
- Brand: Royal Oak
- Weight: 28.9lb
- Material: Hardwood charcoal
Even though this pellet is ideal for BBQ, it doesn’t mean you can’t use it for other meat. I tried it for brisket, and the charcoal flavor was just incredible. The taste is mild and doesn’t overlap with the original flavor of the brisket or BBQ meat. To sum it up it is worth buying.
6. Kona Griller Smoker tube pellets variety pack:
There is an easy solution if you can’t decide on a single flavor for your pellets. Kona-Griller smoker pellets come with four packs of different flavors for you to try. You can even use it as a tester to test different flavors before purchasing a big bag of a single flavor.
The flavors included in this are Hickory, premium blend, Oak, and their Signature Sweetwood Blend. Each of these flavors comes in a 2 pounds pack which is far easier to carry than those 30lb bags.
This even gives you to option to change to a different flavor since it isn’t that big of a commitment. Each bag lasts about 20 uses which is enough for a whole grilling season. Moreover, having different flavors gives you the option to try It on another meat.
I suggest using Oak and Hickory for brisket smoking since it gives a strong flavor.
Kona- Best Flavor Pellets for Smoking
- Several flavor options
- Can work with any grill
- Can be used as a flavor tester
- Small packs make it easier to carry
- All flavors are made of 100% natural materials with no added chemicals
- It cannot be used as your primary smoking pellets since these are best used as samplers
Specifications:
Flavor: Hickory, Premium Blend, Oak, Signature Sweetwood blend
Brand: Kona
Weight: 8 pounds (total)
Material: Hardwood for all flavors
To sum it up, if you are not sure which flavor to buy, you can simply buy this pellet and try them out yourself. The packs are small and easy to carry, making them less hassle to move around. They can also be used for turkeys and are among the best pellets for smoking turkeys.
7. Louisiana Grills Tennessee Whisky barrel pellets:
If you want to integrate a whisky flavor into your briskets or BBQ, then this is the pellet for you. Louisiana grills have manufactured these pellets by making a 20/80 whiskey barrel and Oak blend. This blend gives it a characteristic sweet and robust flavor unique only to this pellet.
If you want to try something different, I would highly suggest going for this pellet since it offers a juicy and smoky flavor and is ideal for brisket or red meat in general.
It uses actual whiskey barrels instead of chemicals and sprays to get the flavor. That’s why I love its taste so much.
Louisiana Grills 55410 Pellets
- Unique flavor with whiskey barrels
- Uses actual whiskey in manufacturing the pellets
- Ideal for brisket
- Burns slowly
- 40lb of pellets with an affordable price
- Some people might not like the burning smell
Specifications:
- Flavor: Whiskey
- Brand: Louisiana Grills
- Weight: 40lb
- Material: Plastic (whiskey barrel)
To sum it up, this is ideal for people who want to change things a bit and try something new. The whiskey flavor is strong and gives your meat a smoky finish. Who knows, this might become your unique favorite flavor. Honestly, if you get 40lb of high-quality pellets for this low price, why not give it a shot!
Buying Guide
As we discussed earlier, the flavor of the meat you are going to cook will depend heavily on the smoke from the pellets. Newer grill users might not know this and keep using the same type of pellet that came with the grill. Moreover, it limits them to only one flavor.
It is why it is essential to know which type of pellet gives the best flavor to your brisket. Below is a guide for all you need to keep in mind when buying pellets for brisket.
Flavors:
Let’s start with the essential part about pellets, their flavor. There aren’t any restrictions to which flavor you can buy or which is better, but you should be aware of all the flavors that different pellets offer. It will help you determine which flavor you prefer for yourself.
The wooden pellets are available in many different flavors, including Hickory, maple, apple, cherry, mesquite, etc. For a strong flavor, you can go for Hickory or mesquite, but if you want your brisket to taste a bit more delicate and sweeter, you should go for the fruit-based pellets.
Let’s discuss each pellet in a bit more detail:
Hickory:
This pellet is helpful if you want to give a solid flavor to your meat. It is pretty similar to mesquite pellets for brisket but a bit lighter. Ideally, this is for people who want a strong flavor but not too strong that it diminishes the meat’s original taste.
Hickory pellets produce smoke, giving your meat just the right amount of solid flavor. Nowadays, you can adjust grills to make smoke as you like. So, you can also increase or decrease the smoke with the temperature.
Mesquite:
This is for people who want strong flavor in their meat. The intense flavor leaves a chance to overwhelm the original taste of the meat. However, as said earlier, most grills can adjust the amount of smoke, so you don’t have to worry about over-the-top flavor.
Apple and cherry:
Enough with the robust flavor talk! The fruit named pellets is for anyone who likes to add a bit of sweet flavor to their meat. The taste isn’t vital and does not overcome the original flavor of the meat. Instead, it overlaps and adds with the original flavor to make a new, much sweeter flavor.
Mix blend:
If you are unsure which flavor you prefer, you can go for the mixed blend. In simple words, it is a mix of all the flavors and provides the flavor of all the wood pellets combined. Furthermore, it is great to have since it works with almost any meat.
I would also suggest you have at least three different flavors at your disposal, so if you are cooking any kind of meat, you are already prepared in advance.
What is the best way to cook a brisket?
After getting the pellets, you need to get a good brisket. Unwrap the brisket and place it on a cutting table. Now cut the fat portion of the brisket from the front side. Make sure the edges are also cut evenly. After removing fat from the front, flip the brisket over and remove some fat from the bottom.
Make sure to leave around 1 inch of fat on the bottom. After removing all the fat, now it’s time for seasoning. You can just apply the Pepper and spices directly above the brisket. After seasoning, put the brisket on the grill and adjust the temperature to 160 degrees. Leave the brisket for about 8 hours.
After 8 hours, take it out and check to see if it’s cooked properly. Once satisfied, you can cover the brisket with a butcher sheet and put it in the grill again for 8 hours. This time the temperature should be 250 degrees. After 8 hours, you will have the tastiest brisket you have ever had.
FAQs
1-How long do wooden pellets last?
Well, the average lifespan is around four years. This lifespan depends on several factors, like subjecting the pellets to environmental hazards and keeping them in a moist area. Since wooden pellets can last too long, I suggest buying various flavors and storing them in a dry place.
So, the next time you are in the mood to cook some meat, you will already have the best pellets for smoking brisket.
2-How long does it take to cook a brisket?
It depends on what you want your end product to be. If you want a much softer and delicate feeling brisket, you should probably cook it for over 16 hours on the grill. It is done in 2 parts, each having 8 hours. For your convenience, you can do the first part overnight. So, it would be ready till evening.
Final Verdict:
To sum it up, pellets are just as crucial in cooking meat as your grill. You cannot get a good enough smoke without having the best pellets for smoking brisket. You should also be familiar with the different wooden pellets used in smoking grills. Each type has its flavor, so you have to pick it carefully. I tried including every taste of pellets to diversify the list. My favorite ones on the list were:
- Camp chef Competition Blend pellets
- Kona Griller Smoker tube pellets variety pack
- Traeger Grill’s signature blend of hardwood pellets
Most people don’t think much of pellets when cooking meat on their grill. They just use whatever pellets are available. In other cases, people don’t know which ones to buy. For that reason, I also included a buying guide section in this article. I hope you learn something new!
