REAL DEAL brisket on the Searwood XL!

[akhugelier1]

Ok, so this is one cook I’ve been dying to try ever since getting the Searwood XL about a month ago. I’ve always stuck to my stick burner, though have tried a few on the Smokey Mountain and my kamado…none could touch my offset. So full disclosure, I went into this with low expectations, but hopes that I could produce a passable brisket without staying up all night. Spoiler alert, the Searwood XL completely changed my mind on pellets for legit BBQ!

Here’s the deets:
I bought a 15lb. Angus brisket and prepped it the same way I would on my offset. Trim well, season with salt, Lawry’s seasoned salt, garlic powder, and black pepper. I let it sit in the fridge for roughly 10 hours, no marinades, binders, or injections. To make it as close to my offset method as possible (and to remove as many variables as possible), I chose to add a small water pan to the Searwood before the cook. I used Lumberjack pellets with a 50/50 mix of Cherry and Competition Blend. I normally use cherry and a bit of post oak and/or pecan, so this felt like a good mix. Put the brisket on the top rack too. I chose to smoke on the Smoke Boost setting for an hour, then moved to 220 for the remainder of the cook until wrap time. I cooked until it stalled heavily around 11 hours in at 175 degrees, then wrapped in butcher’s paper and then again in foil. I normally add tallow when I wrap, but I ran out and had to settle for a few pats of butter. I pulled at about 15 hours total cook time at 201 when the probe went in with no resistance, then put on the cutting board covered with a towel to rest for an hour.

The good:
As you can see from the pics, this thing was super juicy, tender, and it had a GREAT smoke profile with a thick smoke ring (doesn’t seem to allow me to add a short video). It completely surprised me with how good it tasted. I will absolutely be doing brisket again on the Searwood, and it may be my go-to for a single brisket type of thing.

What I’d change:
I had no idea this would be a 15 hour cook, as my offset would’ve finished that brisket in 10 hours at that temperature (and I have no idea why, so maybe some thoughts on the time difference despite the same cooking temp?). That said, I would’ve started earlier at around 8 or 9 pm so I could do my normal 4 hour rest instead of 1 hour rest on the counter…but there’s always a next time. Outside of that, I really can’t complain here. An absolutely awesome brisket, better than most BBQ joints I’ve been to here in MI. Don’t let your pellet grill fool you, that Searwood puts out legit BBQ flavor with none of the hassle of a standard stick burner!

 

[Bruno]

Awesome! I’ve done some nice briskets on my SmokeFire, yours looks so good I want to do another.

 

[Bulkman]

Ok, so this is one cook I’ve been dying to try ever since getting the Searwood XL about a month ago. I’ve always stuck to my stick burner, though have tried a few on the Smokey Mountain and my kamado…none could touch my offset. So full disclosure, I went into this with low expectations, but hopes that I could produce a passable brisket without staying up all night. Spoiler alert, the Searwood XL completely changed my mind on pellets for legit BBQ!

Here’s the deets:
I bought a 15lb. Angus brisket and prepped it the same way I would on my offset. Trim well, season with salt, Lawry’s seasoned salt, garlic powder, and black pepper. I let it sit in the fridge for roughly 10 hours, no marinades, binders, or injections. To make it as close to my offset method as possible (and to remove as many variables as possible), I chose to add a small water pan to the Searwood before the cook. I used Lumberjack pellets with a 50/50 mix of Cherry and Competition Blend. I normally use cherry and a bit of post oak and/or pecan, so this felt like a good mix. Put the brisket on the top rack too. I chose to smoke on the Smoke Boost setting for an hour, then moved to 220 for the remainder of the cook until wrap time. I cooked until it stalled heavily around 11 hours in at 175 degrees, then wrapped in butcher’s paper and then again in foil. I normally add tallow when I wrap, but I ran out and had to settle for a few pats of butter. I pulled at about 15 hours total cook time at 201 when the probe went in with no resistance, then put on the cutting board covered with a towel to rest for an hour.

The good:
As you can see from the pics, this thing was super juicy, tender, and it had a GREAT smoke profile with a thick smoke ring (doesn’t seem to allow me to add a short video). It completely surprised me with how good it tasted. I will absolutely be doing brisket again on the Searwood, and it may be my go-to for a single brisket type of thing.

What I’d change:
I had no idea this would be a 15 hour cook, as my offset would’ve finished that brisket in 10 hours at that temperature (and I have no idea why, so maybe some thoughts on the time difference despite the same cooking temp?). That said, I would’ve started earlier at around 8 or 9 pm so I could do my normal 4 hour rest instead of 1 hour rest on the counter…but there’s always a next time. Outside of that, I really can’t complain here. An absolutely awesome brisket, better than most BBQ joints I’ve been to here in MI. Don’t let your pellet grill fool you, that Searwood puts out legit BBQ flavor with none of the hassle of a standard stick burner!

Looks great! I'll be doing one for the 4th, so this is encouraging!

 

[primeone]

Great write up and the photos look great! I never thought of wrapping it in foil after the butcher paper. Might have to give that a shot next time.

 

[Slapshot]

Ok, so this is one cook I’ve been dying to try ever since getting the Searwood XL about a month ago. I’ve always stuck to my stick burner, though have tried a few on the Smokey Mountain and my kamado…none could touch my offset. So full disclosure, I went into this with low expectations, but hopes that I could produce a passable brisket without staying up all night. Spoiler alert, the Searwood XL completely changed my mind on pellets for legit BBQ!

Here’s the deets:
I bought a 15lb. Angus brisket and prepped it the same way I would on my offset. Trim well, season with salt, Lawry’s seasoned salt, garlic powder, and black pepper. I let it sit in the fridge for roughly 10 hours, no marinades, binders, or injections. To make it as close to my offset method as possible (and to remove as many variables as possible), I chose to add a small water pan to the Searwood before the cook. I used Lumberjack pellets with a 50/50 mix of Cherry and Competition Blend. I normally use cherry and a bit of post oak and/or pecan, so this felt like a good mix. Put the brisket on the top rack too. I chose to smoke on the Smoke Boost setting for an hour, then moved to 220 for the remainder of the cook until wrap time. I cooked until it stalled heavily around 11 hours in at 175 degrees, then wrapped in butcher’s paper and then again in foil. I normally add tallow when I wrap, but I ran out and had to settle for a few pats of butter. I pulled at about 15 hours total cook time at 201 when the probe went in with no resistance, then put on the cutting board covered with a towel to rest for an hour.

The good:
As you can see from the pics, this thing was super juicy, tender, and it had a GREAT smoke profile with a thick smoke ring (doesn’t seem to allow me to add a short video). It completely surprised me with how good it tasted. I will absolutely be doing brisket again on the Searwood, and it may be my go-to for a single brisket type of thing.

What I’d change:
I had no idea this would be a 15 hour cook, as my offset would’ve finished that brisket in 10 hours at that temperature (and I have no idea why, so maybe some thoughts on the time difference despite the same cooking temp?). That said, I would’ve started earlier at around 8 or 9 pm so I could do my normal 4 hour rest instead of 1 hour rest on the counter…but there’s always a next time. Outside of that, I really can’t complain here. An absolutely awesome brisket, better than most BBQ joints I’ve been to here in MI. Don’t let your pellet grill fool you, that Searwood puts out legit BBQ flavor with none of the hassle of a standard stick burner!

Thanks for providing this update. I've been waiting for someone to comment on how the Searwood can handle brisket. Sounds like the Searwood did a great job for you. I'm about to be buying one, and am also in Michigan, so I would really like to enjoy better brisket than the BBQ restaurants here put out. I've spent considerable time in Texas and know what world class brisket is, and there isn't anything even remotely close offered for sale here! Based on your pictures, it looks top notch.

Just to clarify. You mention that you wrapped it in butcher paper and and then again in foil. Am I correct in understanding that you placed it back in the grill, warpped, for another few hours until it reached 201 degrees?

 

[akhugelier1]

Yes, I wrapped in butcher paper then foil and put it back on. It was taking longer than I wanted so I knew foil had to be used, and I’ve done that method before always with great results.

 

[Slapshot]

Yes, I wrapped in butcher paper then foil and put it back on. It was taking longer than I wanted so I knew foil had to be used, and I’ve done that method before always with great results.

Thanks for clarifying, and, again, for you report on how smoking the brisket went. You very positively answered my last remaining question/doubt about the SearWood before I purchase one. The ultimate test of pellet grills is their ability to do brisket well. Good news all around.

One last question, if you would. Did you have to restock pellets during the 15 hour cook?

 

[akhugelier1]

I did put pellets in, but at like 13-14 hours in. I think I could’ve gotten away without adding any, but I didn’t want to take a chance. I couldn’t see the auger and still looked like it had a couple pounds left at 13+ hours, but I chose to put a bit more in anyway. Good luck with the new grill, you’ll love it!

 

[MJ_SFEX6GEN2]

Great post! I have been using my SmokeFire EX6 Gen2 for about three years now. Done about 30+ briskets, trying different techniques, watching countless hours on YouTube. Here are some of the things I have learned:

1. Brisket on top rack, fat side up
2. Always use a water pan underneath
3. Smokin Pecan Shell Pellets for slow cooks
4. Foil Boat after it pushes through stall
5. Put in warmer/cooler to rest for about 4 hours+

I like that you seasoned and let it sit overnight in the fridge. No matter what you cook on this adds a layer of flavor and keeps the brisket at an internal temperature of the fridge right before you put it on. Since pellet grills do not add as much smoke flavor like a stick burner, extending the window for the brisket to absorb smoke flavor is important on a pellet grill. Meat will stop absorbing smoke once it reaches internal temperature of around 140 degrees. By putting the brisket on right out of the fridge adds more time for smoke to penetrate (44 to 140 degrees vs 65 to 144 degrees).

The top rack on my SmokeFire is slightly cooler than the bottom rack, so I put the smoker to 200 degrees until the brisket reaches internal of 140 (about six hours). The water pan underneath has three benefits: easy clean up, adds cook chamber moisture, and acts as a heat sync stabilizing the cook chamber temperature (especially if you open the lid to spritz).

Now once the brisket reaches 140 internal degrees, now it’s about rendering fat and building bark. So go a head and raise the grill’s temperature by 25 degrees every hour and until you are at 275 degrees for the grill. Reason for incremental increases is to avoid having the flat bunch up and cause it to lose moisture too quickly.

Once it’s pushes through the stall (around 175), foil boat it until probe tender (around 200 - 210). The foil boat helps pellet grills to further render the fat while continuing to build bark, all while cooking the meat side in its own fat.

Once probe tender place it on the counter in the foil boat to stop the continued cooking (about 20 minutes) re-wrap it in beef tallow, place in warmer/cooler to gently bring down the internal temperature to around 140 degrees. This helps to redistribute the juices and continue to break down the collagen for further tenderness.

Last thing is my go to pellets for slow/long cooks is Smokin Pecan Shell Pellets. By far the best producing smoke, burn efficiently, and you could mix in your favorite cherry wood pellets as well.

 

[abmet]

Great post! I have been using my SmokeFire EX6 Gen2 for about three years now. Done about 30+ briskets, trying different techniques, watching countless hours on YouTube. Here are some of the things I have learned:

1. Brisket on top rack, fat side up
2. Always use a water pan underneath
3. Smokin Pecan Shell Pellets for slow cooks
4. Foil Boat after it pushes through stall
5. Put in warmer/cooler to rest for about 4 hours+

I like that you seasoned and let it sit overnight in the fridge. No matter what you cook on this adds a layer of flavor and keeps the brisket at an internal temperature of the fridge right before you put it on. Since pellet grills do not add as much smoke flavor like a stick burner, extending the window for the brisket to absorb smoke flavor is important on a pellet grill. Meat will stop absorbing smoke once it reaches internal temperature of around 140 degrees. By putting the brisket on right out of the fridge adds more time for smoke to penetrate (44 to 140 degrees vs 65 to 144 degrees).

The top rack on my SmokeFire is slightly cooler than the bottom rack, so I put the smoker to 200 degrees until the brisket reaches internal of 140 (about six hours). The water pan underneath has three benefits: easy clean up, adds cook chamber moisture, and acts as a heat sync stabilizing the cook chamber temperature (especially if you open the lid to spritz).

Now once the brisket reaches 140 internal degrees, now it’s about rendering fat and building bark. So go a head and raise the grill’s temperature by 25 degrees every hour and until you are at 275 degrees for the grill. Reason for incremental increases is to avoid having the flat bunch up and cause it to lose moisture too quickly.

Once it’s pushes through the stall (around 175), foil boat it until probe tender (around 200 - 210). The foil boat helps pellet grills to further render the fat while continuing to build bark, all while cooking the meat side in its own fat.

Once probe tender place it on the counter in the foil boat to stop the continued cooking (about 20 minutes) re-wrap it in beef tallow, place in warmer/cooler to gently bring down the internal temperature to around 140 degrees. This helps to redistribute the juices and continue to break down the collagen for further tenderness.

Last thing is my go to pellets for slow/long cooks is Smokin Pecan Shell Pellets. By far the best producing smoke, burn efficiently, and you could mix in your favorite cherry wood pellets as well.

Great write up, thanks. Never heard of Smokin Pecan pellets, now I need to check them out.

 

[GlennD]

Ok, so this is one cook I’ve been dying to try ever since getting the Searwood XL about a month ago. I’ve always stuck to my stick burner, though have tried a few on the Smokey Mountain and my kamado…none could touch my offset. So full disclosure, I went into this with low expectations, but hopes that I could produce a passable brisket without staying up all night. Spoiler alert, the Searwood XL completely changed my mind on pellets for legit BBQ!

Here’s the deets:
I bought a 15lb. Angus brisket and prepped it the same way I would on my offset. Trim well, season with salt, Lawry’s seasoned salt, garlic powder, and black pepper. I let it sit in the fridge for roughly 10 hours, no marinades, binders, or injections. To make it as close to my offset method as possible (and to remove as many variables as possible), I chose to add a small water pan to the Searwood before the cook. I used Lumberjack pellets with a 50/50 mix of Cherry and Competition Blend. I normally use cherry and a bit of post oak and/or pecan, so this felt like a good mix. Put the brisket on the top rack too. I chose to smoke on the Smoke Boost setting for an hour, then moved to 220 for the remainder of the cook until wrap time. I cooked until it stalled heavily around 11 hours in at 175 degrees, then wrapped in butcher’s paper and then again in foil. I normally add tallow when I wrap, but I ran out and had to settle for a few pats of butter. I pulled at about 15 hours total cook time at 201 when the probe went in with no resistance, then put on the cutting board covered with a towel to rest for an hour.

The good:
As you can see from the pics, this thing was super juicy, tender, and it had a GREAT smoke profile with a thick smoke ring (doesn’t seem to allow me to add a short video). It completely surprised me with how good it tasted. I will absolutely be doing brisket again on the Searwood, and it may be my go-to for a single brisket type of thing.

What I’d change:
I had no idea this would be a 15 hour cook, as my offset would’ve finished that brisket in 10 hours at that temperature (and I have no idea why, so maybe some thoughts on the time difference despite the same cooking temp?). That said, I would’ve started earlier at around 8 or 9 pm so I could do my normal 4 hour rest instead of 1 hour rest on the counter…but there’s always a next time. Outside of that, I really can’t complain here. An absolutely awesome brisket, better than most BBQ joints I’ve been to here in MI. Don’t let your pellet grill fool you, that Searwood puts out legit BBQ flavor with none of the hassle of a standard stick burner!

Great review as I just joined the forum. Bought my SearWood 600 in December 24'. I had issues with over-prolonged cooks and decided to check my temp accuracy with a ThermPro grill monitor after checking it for accuracy (spot on for boiling water). Placed the ThermPro just below the SearWood thermocouple not touching any metal. I found mostly smoking to roasting 225-350 temps to be low by 12-22% and that will extend a cook quite a bit or... dry out if really WAY too low. My son bought one same time and his seems to be pretty accurate. That said, You may need to check temps at 225 or 250 and even higher after it stablilzes in 15-20 minutes to see if your grill is on target +- 5% or so. On a recent cook the 180 smoke boost had dropped to 157 degrees after 50 minutes of smoking. I had to bump the grill to 275 (Weber setting) to get it to hold 240-250 (ThermPro) over 2 hours. This is apparently not typical......Weber has been great helping me with this...

BTW hate to admit it but Weber Pellets seem to be better quality (even over the leader in the industry) as I used both and that can be an issue with upper limits at 500 and 600! Given most pellet smokers barely reach 450 they likely dont concern themselves with that. Certainly discount pellets are not a great idea if you want high temps as I expect they vary a lot.

 

[primeone]

BTW hate to admit it but Weber Pellets seem to be better quality (even over the leader in the industry) as I used both and that can be an issue with upper limits at 500 and 600! Given most pellet smokers barely reach 450 they likely dont concern themselves with that. Certainly discount pellets are not a great idea if you want high temps as I expect they vary a lot.

That's good to know about Weber Pellets. Have you tried the Bear Mountain Pellets?