How to Smoke a Brisket on a Gas Grill (The "Two-Zone" Method)

Brisket is considered the "King of BBQ" for a reason. It’s a tough cut that requires patience to turn tender. Because of that reputation, a lot of home cooks are intimidated by it—especially if they don’t own a fancy dedicated smoker.

But you don’t need a $1,000 offset smoker to make great barbecue. You just need to understand fire management.

If you have a standard gas grill and a few pounds of our grass-fed beef, you can absolutely produce a brisket that rivals the pros. We’re going to focus on a smaller cut (3-5 lbs), which is much more manageable for a beginner than a massive 15lb packer brisket.

Here is how to set up your grill for success.

The "Before You Start" Checklist

Don't get caught halfway through the cook without the essentials. Here is exactly what you need:

The Meat:

• Grass-Fed Brisket: Aim for a 3–5 lb roast.

The Ingredients:

• Yellow Mustard: Nothing fancy. This is just the "binder."

• Coarse Kosher Salt: Do not use table salt!

• Coarse Black Pepper: Look for "16-mesh" or coarse ground.

• Wood Chips: Hickory or Oak work best with beef. (Avoid Mesquite for this long of a cook).

The Tools:

• Digital Instant-Read Thermometer: Mandatory. You cannot cook brisket by "feel." You need to know the exact numbers.

• Pink Butcher Paper (Peach Paper): The secret to a great crust. Unlike foil, it lets the meat breathe while it rests so the bark doesn't get soggy.

• Heavy Duty Aluminum Foil: You will need this for your smoke pouches.

• Disposable Aluminum Foil Pans: Get the deep ones for the water pan.

• Wire Cooling Rack: To bridge over the foil pan so the meat doesn't sit in the water.

• Heavy Duty Tongs: You need something sturdy to grab hot smoke pouches.

The "Don't Forget" Item:

• Check Your Propane Tank: There is no greater disaster than running out of gas at Hour 2. If the tank feels light, go swap it now. The brisket can't wait while you run to the hardware store.

Step 1: The Prep (The "Mustard Binder")

You might have seen pitmasters slathering meat in yellow mustard and wondered why.

Here is the secret: It doesn’t taste like mustard when it’s done. The vinegar cooks off, and the flavor disappears. The mustard acts as a "binder"—a sticky glue that holds your seasoning to the meat so you build a beautiful, dark crust (called "bark").

1. Pat the meat dry with paper towels.

2. Apply a thin layer of cheap yellow mustard all over the brisket.

3. Apply the Rub: For high-quality grass-fed beef, keep it simple. Mix 50% Coarse Kosher Salt and 50% Coarse Black Pepper. Coat the meat liberally. The mustard will hold it in place.

Step 2: The Setup (The "Two-Zone" Method)

This is the most critical step. A gas grill is designed to cook hot and fast. Brisket needs low and slow (225°F - 250°F). To fix this, we create two zones.

• The Hot Zone: Turn one burner on the far side of your grill to Medium-Low. This is your heat source.

• The Cool Zone: Leave the other burners completely OFF. This is where the meat will live. It will cook via indirect heat, just like an oven, rather than burning over an open flame.

The Water Pan: This is the trick to keeping the grill temperature stable and the meat moist.

1. Take a disposable aluminum foil pan and fill it halfway with hot water.

2. Place the pan on the grates on the Cool Zone (the side with burners off).

3. Place a wire cooling rack (like you use for cookies) directly on top of the foil pan. The brisket will sit on this rack, hovering over the water.

Step 3: The Smoke Strategy (The "Open Engine" Setup)

Since gas grills don't use wood for fuel, you have to add the smoke manually using wood chips. These burn up quickly, so you will need to swap them out a few times.

The Pro Move: Before you even turn the grill on, remove the metal grate entirely from the "Hot Zone" side and set it aside. You won't be cooking on that side, so you don't need it. This gives you direct, instant access to the burner and flavorizer bars so you can swap smoke packets in seconds without fumbling with a hot grate.

Prepare Your "Smoke Bombs":

1. Don't soak the chips. Wet wood creates steam, not smoke. Use dry Hickory or Oak.

2. The Packets: Tear off three sheets of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Place two generous cups of wood chips in the center of each. Fold them into flat pouches and poke 4-5 holes in the top with a fork.

3. Placement: Place the first pouch directly on the metal flavorizer bar (the tent over the burner) or right on the ceramic briquettes.

4. Ignition: Turn the burner to High to get the wood smoldering. As soon as you see wisps of smoke, turn the burner down to Medium/Low to maintain your 225°F temp.

Step 4: The Cook & The "Smoke Phase"

Place your seasoned brisket on the wire rack over the water pan in the Cool Zone. Close the lid.

The Golden Rule: "If you’re lookin’, you ain’t cookin’." Every time you open the lid, you lose heat and humidity.

The Only Exception: You only open the lid to swap the smoke bombs.

1. Watch the Vents: After about 45–60 minutes, the smoke will thin out.

2. The Swap: Open the lid, use tongs to grab the old (burnt out) pouch, toss the new one right onto the burner bar, and close the lid immediately.

3. The Cutoff: Repeat this for a total of 3 packets (about 3 hours of smoke). After the third packet burns out, stop adding wood. The meat has absorbed all the smoke flavor it needs.

Step 5: The "Stall" & The Wrap (Hour 3-4)

This is the first time you should touch your thermometer.

Around the 3-hour mark (after your last smoke packet is done), check the internal temperature in the thickest part of the meat.

• If it reads 160°F - 165°F: It is time to wrap.

• If it is lower (e.g., 150°F): Close the lid and check again in 30 minutes.

At 165°F, you will hit "the stall." To push through this, wrap the brisket tightly in pink butcher paper (or heavy-duty foil).

Place the wrapped brisket back on the cool side of the grill. Important: Even though you are done smoking, keep the heat on! You need to maintain that 225°F - 250°F temp to finish tenderizing the meat.

Step 6: The Finish and Rest

Pull the brisket when it reaches an internal temperature of 203°F. It should feel incredibly soft when you probe it, like sliding a knife into a stick of room-temperature butter.

Do not slice it yet. Let the wrapped brisket rest in a small cooler (without ice) for at least 1 hour. This allows the juices to thicken and redistribute. If you cut it now, the juice runs out and the meat goes dry. If you wait, it stays juicy.

Slice against the grain, serve, and enjoy the credit.

Ready to try your hand at the craft? We have the perfect 3-5lb roasts to get you started, delivering right to your door in Central Indiana.

Shop Grass-Fed Beef Here

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you really smoke a brisket on a gas grill? Yes. You do not need a dedicated offset smoker to get great results. By using the "Two-Zone" method (heat on one side, meat on the other) and adding wood chips for smoke, a standard propane grill works effectively as an oven and smoker combined. The key is temperature management, not the fuel source.

How long does it take to smoke a 3-5 lb brisket? A general rule is about 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes per pound at 225°F. For a 4lb brisket, expect a total cook time of 4 to 5 hours.

• Hours 1-3 (The Smoke Phase): You will actively add wood chips.

• Hours 4-5 (The Finish): You will stop adding wood, wrap the meat, and let the heat finish the job until it is tender. Always cook to temperature (203°F), not just to time.

Does grass-fed brisket cook differently than corn-fed brisket? Yes. Grass-fed beef is naturally leaner because the animals are active and grazing on pasture. Because it has less intramuscular fat to insulate it, grass-fed brisket can cook about 30% faster than industrial grain-fed beef. It is vital to cook to temperature and wrap it at 165°F to retain moisture

Should I cook brisket fat side up or fat side down? On a gas grill using the water pan method, we recommend cooking fat side up. The water pan below the meat acts as a shield to protect the bottom from drying out. Placing the fat side up allows the fat cap to render and baste the meat as it cooks, and it helps form a better "bark" (crust) on the presentation side.

Why is my brisket dry or tough? If a brisket is tough, it usually wasn't cooked long enough to break down the connective tissue (it needs to hit roughly 203°F). If it is dry/crumbly, it may have been overcooked or, more likely, it wasn't rested long enough. Slicing a brisket immediately after taking it off the grill allows all the moisture to steam out. You must let it rest for at least an hour.

Where can I buy grass-fed brisket in Central Indiana? Tyner Pond Farm delivers 100% grass-fed beef, including brisket, directly to doorsteps across Central Indiana (Zionsville, Fishers, Carmel, Westfield, and Indianapolis). We focus on regenerative farming that supports soil health and local food systems.