Brisket for 60 question.

[BBQ Realtor]

I need to do beef brisket for 60 people at a wedding rehearsal dinner. Brisket will be the only meat so I am planning 1lb (pre-cooked weight) per person.
The plan is to have two 22.5 Webber Smoky MT Smokers.
My question is about brisket size. Would you get 4 15lb briskets or 8 7-8lb briskets?
I think either will fit on the smokers.

Any advice? Also, does the 1lb per person sound correct?

Thanks in advance for any advice.

Respectfully,
BBQ Realtor

[HeSmellsLikeSmoke]

Sounds like a bit too much meat to me but better too much, although not every one will want 1/2 of meat. I would cook the smaller briskets if the are full packers. That will produce more bark and flavor and spread out the risk of the occasional difficult to cook brisket being such a big factor.

[daninnewjersey]

Originally Posted by HeSmellsLikeSmoke

Sounds like a bit too much meat

No such thing.....

[landarc]

60 people, assume 2 pounds loss per packer, cook packers, and assume 35% loss of weight through cook. I would want 1/2 pound of meat per person if there is just one meat, let's assume it is delicious meat, so 1/2 pound.

30 pounds finish product is what you want.

14 pound packer is what I would shoot for, 12 pounds after trim. Assume 7 pounds finished product, you want 30. 4 packers at 14 pounds leaves you a tad shy of 1/2 pound per person. So, I would go for 4 packers, raw, untrimmed weight of 14 to 15 pounds. Get them as even in size and flat thickness as possible. Choice grade if possible.

I would not mess with the smaller briskets, the 14 to 16 pound brisket has a thicker flat and larger point, offers the most even cooking and cooks more evenly.

[HeSmellsLikeSmoke]

I like Landarc's logic and would take his advice over mine.

[landarc]

Book a party for 40, they want tri-tip, and you have to use the client's gassers as they will not allow any other cookers to be used. And you find they are old small Webers, now you are having fun.