Brisket question

Brobear

I will be doing my second brisket this weekend. My first brisket was 5-6 lbs and worked out well. I need more quanity this time. I know you allow around 2 hours per lb at 225. If I do a 10 lb brisket, it would take around 20 hours. If I have the brisket cut in half and do 2 5lbers, would it only take 10 hours? Thoughts and suggestions appreciated.

Unknown

Brobear, That is correct!
The time is based on the penetration of heat into the center. So providing you have enough heat, cutting your brisket in half will, in fact, cut your time down. Not nessecarrily in half, but it will be less because there will be less mass and more surface area. So you could actually do as many at the same time as you'd like, but try to keep them about the same size (mass to surface area dictates time)- just make sure they don't touch, the heat needs to get all the way around.

Nature Boy

Brobear,
I would not cut the thing in half, and even if you did it prolly wouldn't make much difference in the times. If you cook at 220-225 (cooking level).... in the 250 dome range, you can cook that brisket in 15 or 16 hours. [p]Have fun!
Chris

tn slagamater

Brobear,I have noticed quite a bit of variation in cooking time for the same size briskets (cooked at the same temperature). Keep an eye on the meat internal temperature, it may be ready early...

sprinter

Brobear,[p]If by cutting it in half you mean the flat from the point you may be able to save a bit of time, but just cutting it in half either lengthwise or otherwise is not going to save you much time, and will diminish the quality of the finished product IMHO. I dont have the website but there is one real great place that explains the "inner workings" of the brisket and gives a great pictoral explanation on how to remove the flat from the cap and point.[p]Basically, the flat is the large flat thinner piece of a whole brisket. The cap and point are different muscles (well the cap is mainly fat) that run at a diagonal on TOP of the back portion of the flat. There is a pretty thick seam of fat that actually separates the two muscles. The trick is to cut along this seam of fat and separate the two muscles. Once done the flat can be trimmed to about a quarter inch of fat remaining and cooked by itself, as well as the point.[p]I'll see if I can find that website or maybe someone can give some pictures of it. Its not difficult to do and may save you some cooking time by cooking just the flat portion of the brisket or by cooking the flat and point separately.[p]Troy

sprinter

sprinter,[p]Ah, found it. Sorry if this is information you already know. Just trying to help.[p]Troy
[ul][li]Brisket 101[/ul]

Brobear

Thanks for the replies. Can you believe the local butcher is out of brisket? The local chain only has the pre-seasoned brisket, so I guess I will wait till next week. I will be doing a butt instead.