1st brisket this Friday

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nonthink

Guest
I’m doing my 1st brisket this Friday. My wife is worried her grandmother who’s 94 might not like it from the smoker. This point I’m not going to argue with her. She asked me if I would cut it in half and do one half in the smoker and the other in the oven. This too I have no problem with. My question is this. Will my cooking time be cut in half? For example; if the flat is 10# and say it would take 1 hr. 15 min. per #. That would be 12.5 hrs. So in theory it should take 6.25 hrs. Is this correct? If cut in half.

The times and weight I purposed are hypothetical, if anyone wants to correct them feel free.

I know not to watch the clock. I’m just using this as a guide line to know as to when I should start the burn. I’ll probable start earlier and hope it finishes sometime before 6ish and just cooler it.

All input it welcome.
 
Cooking time will be reduced but not necesarily by 1/2. The meat still needs time to get tender. It takes a certain amount of time for connective tissues to break down to allow this. That's the whole thing behind low and slow, not just the finish temp. If this weren't the case you could just grill it and it would come out tender.
 
I agree with Kirk. I've found that smaller cuts take longer per pound for some reason, so the time won't be half, ut it will be less.
 
Throw out the clock when doing a brisket. The key to them is the temps. Each one has a mind of there own.

And when you say cut it in half, what do you mean? Seperate the point from the flat? They will have different cooking times anyway. Are you coking a whole packer or what?

My suggestion: Get 2 flats and smoke one and bake the other.
 
Simple solution. Separate the point from the flat. Boil the flat for grandma, smoke the point for yourself.

It's still going to take about the same time to smoke, maybe a little less but not by much.
 
1. Cook the brisket as usual in your smoker.
2. Trim off the smoke ring before serving it to your grandmother.
3. Don't tell her how you cooked it and she wont be able to tell.
.
Or, just cook the whole thing in the oven (major sacrifice on your part I know), but your wife will appreciate the sacrifice.
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Or, you could cook 2...one in the oven and one on the pit. You eat the one off the smoker and offer a taste to granny and let her choose.
.
Just my .02
 
bbqjoe said:
Simple solution. Separate the point from the flat. Boil the flat for grandma, smoke the point for yourself.

It's still going to take about the same time to smoke, maybe a little less but not by much.
Click to expand...


If you are planning on smoking the point alone, with its fat structure, you should think of it more like a butt than a brisket. I' guessing you want to cook it into the 190*s and you can chop or cube it, but I wouldn't plan on slicing it. I say guessing, because after I seperate the point from the flat, I throw the point back on the smoker, and the take it off two to four hours later, without checking anything in regards to temp, texture or time.

From your post, it sounds like you were planning on doing a flat. If that's the case I would'nt cut in half, but as mentioned by Bigdog, get two smaller ones.
 
bbqjoe said:
Simple solution. Separate the point from the flat. Boil the flat for grandma, smoke the point for yourself.
Click to expand...

That's actually a really good idea. When you boil the flat, find some corned beef seasoning and throw it in.
 
I was planning on just doing a flat. All i really need to know is a good time to start it so we can eat at around 6:00
 
nonthink said:
I was planning on just doing a flat. All i really need to know is a good time to start it so we can eat at around 6:00
Click to expand...

As BigDog said, it's tough to go by the clock. It's really about the internal temp, getting it to that point when the collagen starts to break down and turn a really tough, nasty brisket into something granny will love (boiling and oven be damned!).

If you need a rough ballpark, say 1.5 hours per pound trimmed brisket at a constant temp of 225-250 degrees. Just remember -- each pit produces different results, each brisket produces different results, each day and weather condition produces different results. My advice? Allow more time than you think and wrap and cooler the brisket when it hits 190 or so until you're ready to eat. It can sit for quite some time like that, getting better with every extra minute. Better then a bunch of hungry people standing over you asking when it's gonna be done!:razz:
 
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nonthink said:
I was planning on just doing a flat. All i really need to know is a good time to start it so we can eat at around 6:00
Click to expand...

I'd allow at least ten hours at 225 - 250 degrees. Done early is better than done late. :-D Wrap in HD foil with a little juice of your choice just when it breaks the plateau. If it's not cooking quick enough, you can bump the heat up to around 300, or put it in the oven to finish.
 
How much can a 94 year old woman eat? Trim off a bit of the flat, season, wrap in foil and throw it in the smoker. The foil will keep it from absorbing smoke and you dont have to worry about 2 cooking areas.
 
And what will be classic is when she prefers your smoked brisket and wonders why you try to serve her the oven baked stuff!
 
jgh1204 said:
And what will be classic is when she prefers your smoked brisket and wonders why you try to serve her the oven baked stuff!
Click to expand...

that would be a great laugh, can't wait to hear how it turns out!

Don't forget to take pics...
 
This thread keeps bringing Uncle Farker to mind...
 

It’s 5:30 pm on 9/21 and I just finished injecting and rubbing my brisket.
It’s going in the smoker at 6:00 am on Friday. This is my 1st one so wish me luck.

I finally did the fire brick mod. I was able to stuff 10 foil covered FB in my Silver Smoker. I told the guy I wanted 11. they were $0.90 each. When I got home I ended up w/ 12. One must have been pregnant and gave birth in the back of my truck.

I’m gonna do my best to document this event.

Wish me luck

 
so i started 6:45 am fri. and i'm smokin' been up since 5:00. poor me, poor me, pour me another cup o' coffee
 
nonthink said:
so i started 6:45 am fri. and i'm smokin' been up since 5:00. poor me, poor me, pour me another cup o' coffee
Click to expand...
with an extra caffeine boost...lol!! Smoke on!
 
It's a shame your wife won't let her 94 year old grandmother live! She's 94 and never had a good brisket!
 
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