On a pellet smoker I set it for 200 degrees. No water pan or smoke tube is needed. It’s a low enough temp that it won’t dry it out. I barely even spritz them anymore. Put it on at 8pm. It’s ready to wrap at 6 or 7am. Finished by 10am. Then I rest it until dinner time. No bitter smoke, nice smoke ring, great sweet smoky flavor. Full nights sleep is the bonus.

I just cooked a brisket on the top rack like you did, and put a big pan on the bottom rack to deflect some of the radiant heat. But I recommend not putting any water in it but rather I used a small water pan off to the side for indirect humidity vs steaming the brisket from below. The bottom pan I used just as a deflector of the heat. Worked great, tasted great, and had a smoke ring.

I feel like it’s a little unfair to compare the two using the same temperature and cook time. From what I’ve seen, pellet smokers excel at very low and slow cooking (it’s what they’re made for after all), the temperatures you were cooking at will always be better suited for a traditional offset. I’ve seen 16-20 hour brisket cooks at 200-225 degrees that result in amazing smoke rings and give offset briskets a run for their money in terms of flavor and juiciness. I don’t fault you for doing this test and definitely think people can learn a lot from this video. It’s also worth noting that I love offset smokers and still think that they produce the best bbq. However, I feel like the pellet smoker never really had a chance to do what it does best. Offset smokers and pellet smokers are different for a reason and shouldn’t be treated as the same type of cooker. They each require a different type of treatment.

Few things that can help you with the pellet smoker: - Pellets made from 100% wood (no fillers or oils). - Never go above 250F. It doesn't matter if you out a water pan on top, the convection in these grills will heat your brisket and burn it. - Try putting the water pan bellow the grates, right on top of the deflector shield. - Start at "super smoke" option then go up to 225, then 250F.

You didn't get the smoke ring because you cooked it right over the water pan, that much moisture is the reason the chemical reaction didn't happen, your smoke wasn't rolling over the brisket with a big water pan under it, the bitterness is from the extra smoking pellets you put in cook chamber, those are notorious for making a bitter smoke flavor

I did this about 4 years ago with the family as the judge. Hands down The Longhorn was Victorious. They all preferred the taste of the Stick burner vs the Pellet smoker..Hard work always pays off.....

I use a Traeger timberline 850 and the middle rack is perfect for your setup. You definitely went hotter than I would for a brisket. I find a lot of success going at 195 overnight for a 16 hour cook. Great dark bark and prominent smoke ring. I use a small water pan and spritz with a apple cider/beer mix. I also like to wrap in foil in an aluminum pan. Really helps with rendering the fat and keeping it moist. Plus you get some great au jus.

I just did my first brisket in my Traeger 3400 and I did fat side up over night. The bottom was slightly over done and the fat cap wasn’t completely cooked from my lack of trimming thin enough. I had beef tallow smoking with it the entire time. Taste wise it was awesome! I’m going to watch some more trimming videos and get a better knife for the next one. I’m also going to start it fat side down and flip it too.

Great video. IMO, there’s no need for the water pan in the Traeger. I cook on a Rectec and just cook it fat side down. I don’t bother spraying. I just cook it on the extreme smoke setting (low) overnight and then bump up the temp in the morning to start rendering fat. When I need to wrap, I add tallow, and it comes out great.

The way you say Traeger.. Really annoys me lol.. cmon am I the only one?

I have got a Traeger grill as well, been smoking briskets since about 2015. I have often had the same acrid taste from the smoke. I built a reverse flow wood fired grill and the brisket that come off it are way better tasting.

There’s no substitute for a stick burner. All the trouble of finding ways to come out with a brisket that is “similar” by not having to monitor it and it’s still not the same isn’t really worth it. Get a better smoker with thicker steel and the wood splits won’t burn as quick and the heat will last longer as well. Time is precious but sometimes the harder way is the best way.

I sold my offset for $50 after I bought my Traeger. Quality of life my friend... quality of life.

Key to dark bark on a pellet grill…at least in my experience. Cooking overnight, shooting for a 14 hour cook. I could not believe how black it came out after being wrapped in butcher paper and smoked beef tallow. Best brisket I have made in there. No smoke maze/tube. Just 190 about 9 hours then stepped it up a little at a time.

It took some time and money cooking on a pellet grill for me to get a exceptable brisket. First i threw away the wrapping technique. Then i reintroduced myself to making my sop mop and started mopping again. Then i went old school and started flipping and rotating the brisket to get a even cook. Water pan off to the side. All pellet grills are a little different. But a lot of them compliment a brisket if you use the smoke option for at least the first two hrs of the cook. Then finish it out on 225 or 250 depending on the grill. After all these things I finally have a pellet brisket i can be proud of. Almost forgot the most important thing. Pellets! The brand and wood used makes a huge difference. Try using mesquite, hickory, and pecan. One or all is your choice. Stay away from the fruit woods for smoking a brisket. If you can find B&B pellets buy them.

I use lumberjack oak pellets, highest smoke setting, and do it hot and fast, around 275-300, straight on the grate, fat side down. I always get a thick smoke ring. My bark isn’t what you would want, but the meat itself is always flavorful, juicy and tender. I would say go with a high quality, no filler pellet, and set the smoke setting as high as possible. That should get you the smoke ring you want without the bitter smoke flavor.

The Treager one mightve been over done because you finished it in the oven at 300 degrees. Maybe woulda been better to finish at 250? And that grill gun is frickin sweet! If I had that thing I'd never use my chimney starter again lol Team offset smoker here. I get the convenience of pellet smokers but I'm old school and every single piece of smoked meat I've ever had on a pellet smoker just never had the real smoke flavor of a real smoker

Imo temp was too high. I smoke briskets on a traeger at 190 - 205 (depending on my time) all the way until wrap and I get a perfect clear smoke ring everytime.

You really need to try a gravity smoker with a fan it. The Masterbuilts and Chargrillers are awesome. They have the convenience of pelletgrills and produce results that an offset would give you. I stick wood splits in the hopper and line them with charcoal. Real woodsmoke and no hassle.

That's the challenge with a brisket, so much time involved! Good video. Since time is your challenge, let me share an easier way to cook a brisket on a pellet grill: Put the brisket on the top like you did so it can get the most amount of smoke, get rid of the pellet maze (personally that's ok for a short time, but it's dirty smoke and over a long cook it will have a negative effect). Set pellet grill to 190 and let cook overnight 12-14 hours Wrap it Set Pellet grill to 250 and cook until done (3-4 hours) Rest Brisket as you normally would. Great brisket that you didn't have to babysit 😁 Less work and I bet you it turns out better.

By adding the pellet box you introduced bad smoke. Ive done it myself. That has happed every time I have used a tube or box burning pellets. Its just a bad smoke taste.

If you’re having to feed wood often and fluctuating temperatures, you need to step up your smoker. Thicker Pitt and fire box will solve that problem.

Two observations, from my own experience with pellet smokers and BBQ. 1) pellet grills are not pellet smokers, and won’t do the job nearly as well as a proper vertical pellet smokers. 2) Pellet trays/tubes create “dirty” smoke, and impart harsh smoke flavor. Try it again without that tray….you don’t need it. If you want a great pellet brisket, you need to use a vertical smoker….the pellet grills don’t have the volume of an offset, and won’t work the same way.

That flow of air from the off set really makes an amazing unique flavor, even though the convection from the pellet smoker fan is there, it isn’t the same as the draft from an offset. Pellets have come a long ways, and I’ve found that companies such as lumberjack, that make pellets out of lumber that includes the bark and knots ext. give a more true wood fire flavor. I believe the pellet smoker cooked over because the consistency in temps that you get over that in a stick burner. The trade off for the difference in flavor, is a faster cook time. Good comparison video man. Lots of good info.

The reason you have to be there 24/7 on putting wood checking for fluctuations is because you have an Oklahoma Joe which is not big. Nothing wrong with that offset, but it's just too small my man. Having a bigger offset with a bigger firebox helps a lot I tell you making things easier. Owning a workhorse 1975 offset was a life changer for me and easy to use with the beauty of actual wood flavor and bark that Traeger cannot give in my opinion. Of course it's not cheap, but it's actually not that bad of a prize for all around 3/8" steel. Traegers are actually expensive too. Nice video though man!👍

The acrid taste is likely given by the pellets undergoing primary combustion in the smoking accessory, you'd have better luck starting the brisket at 165f with SuperSmoke, then bump to 225 or 250 after 3 hours. Still, there's no challenge to the offset smoker flavor, cheers!

Well what I’ve been hearing from the guys I respect is you’re better off on the raised rack for smoke absorption so not bad going fat side up and top shelf

I believe I’ve heard someone mention you don’t much of a smoke ring on fat up briskets on a pellet. I smoke my briskets fat down at 200 overnight and then up to 225 and 250 as others have stated. Doesn’t burn anything but renders the fat really well. Haven’t had one turn out well fat side up. Get just never renders well for me.

I always tell people…as cool as the pellet cookers are…they’ll never be as good as an offset smoker.

Kind of looks like a really good Sunday to me

My offset made a better smoke ring and bark than the pellet I have now. I stay with the pellet solely because of convenience because I don't have the time to babysit a smoker anymore. The taste between the two is minimal that I don't even worry about it.

I have been using Meater+ probes for a couple of years and have found that the ambient temperature reported is far below actual ambient. I have complained to Meater about this with no result. I have found that as the temp of the meat rises the ambient temp reported rises closer to actual ambient temp. It is almost like the cold meat fresh out of the fridge affects ambient part of the probe. Next time put another probe near the Meater that you can have an independent ambient measurement. When I first began using the Meater by itself I overcooked everything.

I found using my pit boss that if i start out at 200F until i wrap with paper and throw back in at 225 till complete. Wont be as good as an offset but some of my friends cant tell which is which when i give em some.

Have you thought about using wood chips instead of pellets in the smoke tube? or connecting an external cold smoker to the grill. Love your videos keep it up

Check out the Masterbuilt Gravity series. Its a nice middle ground of stick burner and pellet smokers. It still uses charcoal and wood but electronically controls the temperature. Makes smoking super easy and still gets the smoke flavor.

Hard work makes everything better including brisket. These comparison videos are cool but the bottoming is if you want it to taste best offset if taste isn't as important as your time go pellet. I prefer good or the best to be shoveled in my mouth.

The find with the pellet smokers you got a really just keep it super low. I'm still learning mine. Old wood smokers are like hand cranking your car back in the day in the winter time it's a lot of work 😂

Cool vid always.....off set are fun to operate ...old school at times is the real deal.

I cut the fat pocket out that’s up by the point it’s a huge chunk of hard fat and the lean that’s on the bottom can sometimes get a little tough with over cooking we always go fat side up so as the fat renders it runs back through the meat but commercial smokers vs at home is always different lol my work smokers are set and forget digitally temp controlled. At home I’m just constantly baby sitting but I don’t mind it lol I grew up with homemade plywood indirect heat smokers

not sure what happened. I get a really nice smoke ring on my Traeger. Though I don't wrap it and keep it at 225 through the whole cook.

I have never seen a brisket cooked in a smoker fail to have a smoke ring. I'm used to seeing the fat side not have a smoke ring... That smoke ring on your off-set brisket is insane though. It's beautiful.

My Pit Boss has this same issue. Thanks for tackling the problem!

One thing I have done when I didn’t want to babysit my offset was cook on the offset for 3 or more hours the finish on the Traeger. It’s kind of best of both worlds

In my personal experience, most people can tell you what bad BBQ is, but can't tell you what good BBQ is. My brisket is probably average compared to the pros, but when I have normies taste test it, they're blown away. And I use a dirty Pit Boss. My opinion is that if it's better than anything else they've had or can get, it's good enough. That said, always remain on the lookout to improve on things.

Traditional wood smoker always produces a better bark in my experience but the convenience of the electric pellet smokers is hard to eat especially because you can still get a fantastic brisket out of it

Haven't watched the full video yet, but as an owner of an offset and a Traeger, the solution is simple. An offset beats up a Traeger for flavor. It isn't about the smoke and flavor amount, but the type of flavor. Run the brisket in the offset and wrap at 160 and then put it in the Traeger and go to bed. As far as heating the offset in the winter, wood is hotter. If you take your sticks and cut them down into kindling it will light faster and run hotter than charcoal. My 1/4 in steel offset will be at 500 in the cooking chamber and untouchable in 30 minutes. If you want to add a smoking device to the Traeger, because it produces extra heat, it throws off the temp probe of the unit itself and makes it difficult for it to gauge the amount of pellets to add. I've had better results in a pellet grill buy putting a hot briquette or two on a small real piece of wood that slowly smolders and then bursts into a small flame. Burning extra pellets just gives more of the same flavor you already had. Always run the Traeger on smoke first as low as 145. Bump it up to 180 for a bit and then cook at 225. Time depends on what meat and how big. Gets a smoke ring and good balance every time,

I absolutely love smoking on the Oklahoma Joes, I find it so satisfying and relaxing. Being a new father and a young small business owner it’s hard to get that spare time, I will probably invest in a pellet smoker for those days with no time on my hands but most definitely will never fully switch away from the offset

Great video. I had been wondering whether A-Maze-In smoker maze would make a big diffrence in a pellet smoker. Thanks for the demonstration. Most top Texas BBQ joints cook in offset stick burners. That ought to give us all the hint. There are cabinet type commercial smokers that use logs with the help of either gas or electricity, but still yet offset stick burners rule at the top joints.

With my GMG I'll just put my brisket in at 66C for 3-5 hours. The smoke can penetrate waaaay better with cooler meat before the meat fibres tighten as it heats up (and then relax later once collagen gets hot enough to gelatinize). It produces a frarking massive spoke ring, and after 3-5 hours the meat only rises from 4C (fridge) to about 35-40C (from memory - depending on brisket size.. and midway between point and flat).

I find that in my offset it has the best smoke ring and flavor. I do not have a pellet grill, but do have an aKorn. On the aKorn when I cook at 225 I get the pot roast taste and no smoke ring. If I cook hot and fast maybe 300-350, I get a better smoke flavor and a smoke ring. I believe that complete combustion is key. Complete combustion is easily achieved in an offset, where my aKorn does not have complete combustion at 225. Harry Soo has some great videos on these theories.

Use a extra 1/4 inch cut out piece steel in the bottom it works great

I have made one brisket on my traeger pro 22 and the smoke ring was insane

You got a bitter smoke flavor from the traeger because that smoke tray doesn't burn clean smoke. The water pan directly under the brisket a long with your cook temps pretty much guaranteed you wouldn't get a smoke ring. At the end of the day you can't really cook a brisket on a traeger exactly like you would with an offset. You have to cook lower to infuse more smoke 180-200 IMO. This avoids over cooking the bottom, guarantees clean smoke penetration, and once you wrap it you can bump the temps up to finish it.

Try it while using a thermal blanket for the traiger.

You need a big pit! I have the same request. I can cook up to 10 on my 250gal. I just line them all up for one weekend. And for the burning goes on your treager….. smoke them until wrapping in the offset then wrap them in paper and add a foil boat. Finish them in the treager. Saves you time and sleep!

Pellets mean a lot - certain pellets are garbage and the binders give 'off' flavors. There is a channel out there where they did a test and found the best manufactures of pellets out there.

Living in the Midwest US I can tell you I rely on the Traeger more in the winter but it just doesn’t cook the same. For your comment about not having a smoke ring it may have something to do with a different composition in the elements of pellets vs actual wood. Just my guess.

For as much babysitting (get it? 😃) you did with the Treager you might as well use a Weber Smokey Mountain. Actually, I think a WSM requires even less work than a pellet 'smoker.' Side note: Jealous Devil charcoal will almost always produce a better flavor in the end, in my opinion. Question: Why finish in the oven at 300⁰? Maybe a 250⁰ oven would produce better results? Regarding temps: I've recorded a consistent temp discrepancy with the Meater' ambient temp, across charcoal smokers, electric, offset, and pellet. My conclusion is that the probe's ambient sensor is affected by the meat itself, and the evaporation along the surface of the brisket -- to the point that there will almost always be a 35⁰-45⁰ temp swing from your on-board gauges, regardless of location. My guess is that the probe is too close to the meat when inserted properly. Good vid, as always 👌

I do brisket with my Traeger often. Here's what to do: nught before (about 10 pm) throw the brisket on at 180. Smoke all night, don't touch it. Wake up 8 to 9 hours later, wrap and adjust heat to 225. Smoke additional 6-8 hours. This method competes with the best stick burners. Traeger: always an A- even with an idiot running it. Stick burn: F to A+ depending on whos doing the smoking. Id take the ease of my Traeger any day. Use Texas beef mix pellets if you can find. If not, mix oak, pecan, and mesquite pellets to make the mix yourself. Oh, and I've ALWAYS had a serious smoke ring. But not always a dark dark bark.

I've been using my pellet or awhile now and I think your temp is way too high for pellet. I usually go lowest setting for 2 hours. it's actually marked smoke on my dial. After 2 hours I bump up the temp a little to about 215 -225. I put a water pan directly on my deflector, under the main grill. My biggest problem with the pellet grill is getting a decent bark. I also stopped using traeger pellets. They use hardwood oil infused pellets. I switched to pellets made by CookinPellets.

I wonder if you were to use the pellet smoker, but use wood chunks in the smoker box instead of pellets? Might give it more of the offset flavor... Kinda like the camp chef woodwind pro, which is really tough to get in Canada btw

The bitterness was from the pellet tray you added, can't really fault the Traeger for that. Take the temp back down to 200-225 and no smoke tray, no water pan for the first 2-3 hours.

I been cooking on a pellet grill for 2 years have yet to match the flavor of an offset. I no longer own an offset. Only a Trager and Weber. Trager for briskets , butts and quarter to whole chicken. Weber for steak , bergers , and wings. Offset is plain too much work and time. Maybe some day a pellet grill can match an offset.

You're onto something dude! potential business venture. Would you be willing to do a video on smoking a brisket inside of a vertical smoker and try to get the same bark/flavor as an offset?

I would ditch both and go with the Weber smoky mountain. I’ve been using mine for 3 years now without fail. I actually get to sleep when I use it. The Oklahoma Joe shouldn’t need that much attention and the traegar wasn’t set and forget it. You had to modify and still didn’t get the results you wanted. Btw I’ve been smoking meats for about 20 years and used to use an offset smoker before the Weber. Just a suggestion. Good luck and happy smoking

No smoke Tubes. Better Pellets - watch Mad Scientist BBQ on KZfaq. I like a lower cooking temp for the first few hours to build up more smoke flavor. The most expensive option = get a bigger and better Pellet grill. Yoder, RecTeq , or even a large Green Mountain Grill will give you better results. Also, I don't think the water pan directly under the brisket is helping, too much steam.

By using the trager with all the additional accessories, means, that you realy dont use trager , it should be put the meat and forget, i prefer offset or bullet more work but taste good

The trick with pellets - start super low. I do 150-200 the day before, leave it and watch it until next day. It renders fine when it gets to that 205 spot. I do 150-200 until it's up to around 160-180 and wrap it - then I hit it at 225 until it hits 205. The bitterness is that extra smoke tube you tossed in there, all that smoke gets it dirty and bitter. I've done it several times and it's always bitter. Granted, my method is a long cook - 15+ hours or more for a 11-15 lb.

You don't get a better bark with pellet tubes. Smoke it at lower temps for a longer outside of time. I do mine on low overnight (180 degrees) after the overnight smoke (I do fat cap up), I wrap it. The bark is just as good as my offset. And I don't get that dirty smoke flavor that you get with pellet tubes.

I would also check to see if the prob was accurate

Your bad smoke on the Traeger is due to your smoke pan. They give a different smoke flavor, that most do omit like. Just use the pellet smoker as intended. Also, why do you cook it in an oven, keep it in the smoker.

I get great smoke rings on the Traeger

So what was the hardest? Fiddling around with the easy bake oven ( pellet grill ) trying to maintain the COS ( cheap offset smoker ) or editing that video?

Nice to see the side by side comparison of the smokers. I've got a couple of vertical feed Stumps Smokers but I'm intrigued about getting a stick burner. It's really nice to set and forget as I too have little kids and it's challenging enough now to baby a brisket cook. What's your favorite thing to cook besides brisket?

Tragger

Both I start on reverse smoker for a few hours. Transfer to pellet grill same temp the rest of the way. Just being lazy but hey I can run to the gym lol

A brisket and a wife have a lot in common. They both need a lot of attention. They both respond better when you take it slow. They both need their rest. They both want a big ring. However, if you're gonna put one of them in a Treager, it better be the wife! - The Mad Swine Backyard Barbeque

I think the steam and humidity in the cook chamber blocked the smoke ring. Smoked brisket? it was steamed

You got to get a Recteq pellet smoker

Zero competition. There's no smoke with a pellet grill. I've got a Camp Chef and they are outdoor ovens and are basically worthless other than doing meatloaf or reverse searing a steak.

You should try a Smokin Bro’s premier grill 👍

I have traeger there the best my opinion nothing compares

I start mine on the offset and after 6 hours or so i move it to the traeger to finish save time and wood

Next time put some real wood chunks on the deflector plate. You'll get more natural smoke flavor from that as it smoulders.

Where do you buy your brisket meat? Those cuts looked amazing compared to anything I find locally or order online.

Sorry but I from Texas and there's just no shortcut to perfect BBQ in my opinion. If you want to be a pitmaster you have to put in the time and the work . Take pride in the craft of taking a raw cut of meat and turning it into a masterpiece that everyone wants. I never finish in the oven because that's not what dad and grandpa did. You can't throw meat in the oven and smother it in sauce and call it BBQ. It's disrespectful to all those who roll the traditional way. Technology has come a long way and I applaud that. In my opinion you can't beat the taste of hard work and skill on open fire or offset with electricity or propane. That's like comparing a guy that plays NBA video game and having that same guy play MJ one on one 😆🤣😭

I forget who makes it, but there is a Pellet grill out there that has a heavy smoke setting. Also, someone needs to make a pellet grill that cooks like an offset. I feel like it could be done, but it would probably be a $2,000 grill. Idk though.

Trayger.

275 is too hot for a Traeger. I cook at 215 on mine. Someone else says 195 below. Either way, 275 is way too hot.

Smoke rings are just visual anyway. They do absolutely nothing to change the flavor.

Trager smokiness is bitter? if that's the case, didn't need the extra pellet tray in the smoker?

Do you think adding a heat deflector on the traegor water pan would reduce chance of burning? Tin foil over the water with holes venting to the side.

Thanks for video! I was surprised that you didn't have a smoke ring with the Traeger. I have a Traeger Timberline and a custom made 60 gallon offset and have done similar tests comparing brisket on the offset vs the Traeger. I find the offset has better smoke flavor but the Traeger makes a crazy smoke ring even without super smoke mode or any other type of pellet tube assist like you had used. I see your point but I like cooking brisket at those hotter temps 250-275. Either way, strange? Could perhaps be how/when/what type of rub was applied & the temp of the brisket when you put in one, etc. Doesn't colder meat equal better smoke ring? Think I've heard that somewhere. And for whatever is worth, I also tried using a larger pan under my brisket with my Traeger and the grill kept going into error mode. Too much humidity??? Either way, keep the videos coming!

You have a Shiner Bock sign.I subscribed.

Honestly i think putting pellet smoker brisket in the oven is a no no. plus im not the biggest fan of Traeger i personally like camp chef i get crazy smoke rings and never dry or hard brisket. Also could be ur pellets dont no what brand u use. I use either pit boss or bear mountain pellets. I think next time you should try putting on the main rack put ur temp to like 230 fat side up spray the brisket at like 160 and on till wrapping time every 30 min and u should get great smoke flavor not overcooked and tasty brisket

Ever think about upgrading to a better smoker?

Why not use wood chip smoker tray for more smoke ?

Thx again,very entertaining. Do you think the bad smoke taste could come from using too many pellets ? The smoker plus refilling the tray 3 times seems like a lot. Once again the baby adding wood...😂

Honest, any offset smoker is going to be better due to the effort into making the food. Lazy people like me use the pellet grill and make shit with really not much effort that tastes good.

Love the Canadian pronunciation of TRAYGER...LOL Great videos dude. Maybe try play sand?????