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Originally Posted by bbqjoe
Now that's news to me. Explain please.
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Let me take a shot at this.
We refer to poundage.
I think the determining factor is really cross section distance. Call it diameter or what ever.
Heat has to travel a given distance to the center of the meat to get it done.
So, if I take a 8# butt and cut it in half, I have reduced the distance to the center of the meat. But, it still takes a certain amount of time to cook. So, if the original butt took 1 hr per pound, it was an 8 hour cook. The smaller butt(s) will probably still take 5 to 6 hours at the same cook temp. 1.25 to 1.5 hours per pound. Lower overall time, but more per pound.
In the case of a Brisket (flat for discussion), if you lay it out and cut it vertically in half, you still have areas that are similar in thickness to the original and will take longer (per pound) than the full brisket to cook. Less overall time (probably), but longer time per pound.
If you were to slice it horizontally, the thickness (distance) would be dramatically reduced as would the overall cook time. Never tried that, but I bet the time per # would still be more than a full flat, but not by much.
In reverse, you can take two 1# steaks. One is 2" thick and about 6-7" in diameter. The other is 1/2" thick and about 12" around. Same weight, but drastically different cooking times.
That is why a whole hog does not take forever to cook. The distance the heat has to travel at the thickest part is not too much more than a full (large) shoulder with similar cook times.
So, we talk weight and nothing wrong with that. But, IMHO, cross section distance is the real key, all other things being equal.
Make sense??????
Back into my cave now.
TIM
