Why should I NOT cut my 15+lb brisket to fit?


 
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Susan Z

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I searched out large briskets in these forums and have seen everyone recommending that you squeeze yer large brisket onto the top grate (sometimes gently protecting the ends with foil so they don't get too hot from touching the cover).

Just wondering what the wisdom is in cooking the monster in one piece rather than chopping it in two, especially since about halfway through it starts tapering off.

Would there really be no benefit in putting the thinner half on the lower grate, larger guy on the upper?

Color me curious yellow.

Follow-up question---with a 15.5 lb brisket, am I looking at a 22-30 hr cook?

If I cut it in half, would it cook quite a bit quicker?
 
Susan - you'll get a better finished product by cooking it whole. Larger pieces of meat tend to come out more moist than smaller cuts. It may take a little longer to cook, but some things come at a price. You just can't rush good 'Q!!!
 
Thanks, Russ, I just read your exact same post re: a pork butt.

But great googa mooga, how long is this cook gonna take?
 
Seems to me if you cut it you simply increase the surface area. Thus you'll have more outside area and more bark but after you get 1/2" inside it's all cooked the same anyway.

Kind of like cooking racks of ribs - if you cut the rack into 2 half racks you get twice as many dry end pieces but all the middle pieces cook the same.

A brisket is fairly long and flat, rather like a rack of ribs. If a brisket shouldn't be cut then it logically follows only perfectly uniform briskets can't be cooked, and we know that's not true.

There is no logical reason to not cut a brisket I can think of.
 
Susan...

Nowadays I separate the brisket point from the flat and cook them separately.....most times freezing the point to cook at some later time. You can certainly do what you propose...cook one below and one above.
 
Hi Susan,

I put a 16 lb'er on the top grate. Tight fit, real tight. But it "cooks to fit".

I guess I live in a time warp. At 230?, my briskets cook in 1 - 1 1/4 hr per lb. Works on my WSM or my little offset. I take 'em to 200?.

I would not cut it.
 
Hmmm....

Decisions, decisions.

Mine definitely fits on the top grate. Didn't think it would, it's such a whopper!

This will be one heckuva brisket. Hope it turns out cuz there's gonna be alot of leftovers...!
 
I've done 15 pounders on the WSM, and they really take no more time than 12-14 pounders. I just shove 'em under the lid. They shrink about 25% anyways, so they end up fitting.
 
I was under the impression that you need the fat from the point to keep the flat moist.

'course, if you separate the point from the flat, you'd get more bark and burnt ends mmmmmm :p
 
I thought that the whole shebang has a big 'ol fat cap on it, and that in the "how to prepare and cook a brisket" section on here they recommend cutting a bunch of fat out from that crevice that separates the flat and deckle (er, point).

You can definitely cook just a flat (if you buy just a flat).

I'm torn. Of course, it would be easier to cook it in one piece. Keep it on the top grate and no disassembly needed to baste, flip, etc.
 
Susan...

OK, here is the definitive answer.....smoke whole!

There, now you can get on with it! LOL

Just trying to help!

Good luck!
 
I cooked a 17 1/2 lbs brisket about a month ago and it took about 20 hours at 225. I had to push the meat together to get it into the WSM but it was the best brisket I have made to date. I would definitly put some foil on any of the pieces that hang over into the hot air coming up the sides of the smoker. I would leave it whole until the flat is done and then separate them and throw the point back on for a little longer. Good luck and have fun.
 
Thanks, all! Especially Stogie, who made the decision for me. LOL

Thank goodness. All this to-ing and fro-ing was exhausting.
 
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