Picked up a 13lb packer brisket today. Debating if I should cook whole or separate the flat out

windnsea26

Hi
You guys helped me a few months ago cook my first brisket flat but today I picked up a packer size brisket.
Should I cook this one as a whole or trim it down?  I don't have a preference since i don't know much.  Also, if I cook it at 225-250 what kind of time would i expect to smoke it?

Thanks!

Biggreenpharmacist

Trim the hard fat off and then cook it whole. 

windnsea26

Got it.  I was reading a lot about making "burnt ends" with the point.  Gonna sleep on this one and I'll be firing up the grill about 5:30am before I start 'work'.  haha.

Biggreenpharmacist

If you want to make burnt ends you separate the point and flat after cooking it whole. Then cube the point and throw it back on. 

Focker

The flat finishes before the point.  That's why you get a flat that looks similar to this, overcooked by the time the point is ready.

There is a river of hard fat separating the two parts.  

They overlap like laying your flat hands together, tapered ends meeting.

Similar to white and dark meat chicken, you could separate before the cook which is much easier, lay together with a slight bald spot where the two meet that nobody will notice when serving,  and finish each individually, pulling the flat first.

Or cook until the flat is done, then separate flat from point, rub the bald spot on the point, and finish it.

My last brisket, I separated first, ground the flat for hamburgers, and smoked the point on its own.

nolaegghead

Focker said:

The flat finishes before the point.  That's why you get a flat that looks similar to this, overcooked by the time the point is ready.

There is a river of hard fat separating the two parts.  

They overlap like laying your flat hands together, tapered ends meeting.

Similar to white and dark meat chicken, you could separate before the cook which is much easier, lay together with a slight bald spot where the two meet that nobody will notice when serving,  and finish each individually, pulling the flat first.

Or cook until the flat is done, then separate flat from point, rub the bald spot on the point, and finish it.

My last brisket, I separated first, ground the flat for hamburgers, and smoked the point on its own.

It's been my experience that the point finishes before the flat, however, the point is marbled with fat where it can handle the extra cooking for the flat to catch up.

Cook the whole packer.

johnnyp

+1 with nola

Cook the whole packer, then remove the point and cube after the flat is done if burnt ends are important to you.

YukonRon

Pack, trim the fat, low and slow, smoke of choice.

windnsea26

Good morning.  I'm about ready to fire her up.  Ill add my progress throughout the day.
Thanks everyone.

GATraveller

Cook it whole.  

SmokeyPitt

On the subject of burnt ends- if you plan to have leftovers then I would just wait and cook burnt ends with leftover point.