Beef takes smoke better than anything else on the grate, and it punishes guessing more than anything else too. Each of these lists the pull temperature before the story.
Start here: New to smoking beef? Do a chuck roast before a brisket. It teaches the stall, the wrap and the probe-tender feel in about seven hours instead of twelve, on a cut that costs a fraction as much.
Set the grill to 250°F with oak and hickory pellets, wrap the brisket in butcher paper around 165°F, and pull it at about 203°F when the probe slides in easily. A 13 lb packer needs about 10 hours on the grill plus 1 to 2 hours of rest.
Smoke the chuck roast at 250°F on hickory for about 3 hours until the bark sets near 165°F, then cover it in a foil pan with broth and cook to 205°F, about 3 hours more. Rest 30 minutes and shred.
Smoke the meatloaf on a wire rack at 250°F with hickory and apple pellets, glaze it at 140°F and again at 150°F, and pull at 160°F in the center. A 2.5 lb loaf takes about 2 hours 45 minutes.
Smoke the roast at 225°F on oak and cherry pellets until the center reads 120 to 125°F, about 4 hours for a 7 lb 3 bone roast. Rest it while the grill heats to 450°F, sear 8 to 12 minutes, and rest 20 minutes for 130 to 135°F medium rare.
Smoke half pound patties at 225°F on hickory for 30 to 35 minutes until they read about 115°F, then sear at 450°F for 2 to 3 minutes a side to 160°F. Total time is under an hour.
| Recipe | Grill temp | Pull at | Total time | Pellets |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pellet grill brisket | 250°F | 203°F (probe tender) | 12 hours | Oak and hickory, half and half |
| Smoked chuck roast | 250°F | 205°F (probe tender, for shredding) | 6 hours 45 minutes | Hickory |
| Smoked meatloaf | 250°F | 160°F | 3 hours 20 minutes | Hickory and apple, half and half |
| Smoked prime rib | 225°F, then 450°F to sear | 125°F before the sear (130 to 135°F medium rare after the rest) | 5 hours 30 minutes | Oak and cherry, half and half |
| Burgers on a pellet grill | 225°F to smoke, then 450°F to sear | 160°F | 1 hour | Hickory |
Times assume a grill holding temperature on a mild day. Cold or wind adds 30 to 60 minutes; the thermometer, not the clock, decides.
Get a start time and pull temperature for your exact cut and grill setting.