Packer Brisket on 18.5 WSM

[Tommy B]

New WSM owner here, can you fit a whole packer brisket in the 18.5'' cooker? I can picture my wife's face if I pulled out a tape measure at the grocery store! Thoughts? Cut it in two? Pick shortest one?

 

[Len Dennis]

12-14 lb is about the biggest. Bigger, it can be bent up between the handles to form a 'roof'. After a few hours smoking, it will start shrinking and you can adjust it to be flatter.

 

[ChuckO]

Somebody here had one too big to fit and he put something under it making a rise in the center, thus shorting up the brisket so it would fit

 

[V_Rocco]

I fit A 12 to 13 pounder on my 18.5 with no issue.

 

[Michael Werner]

Planning to lay my first one over my rib rack.

 

[Dwain Pannell]

I saw someone cover a brick with foil and lay it over that to shorten it up.

 

[Dave R]

I just cooked a brisket on my 18.5". It was a little long so I used the handles on the top rack as 'book ends' to hold the brisket. During the cook, it did shrink some and easily fit on the grate.

Dave

 

[Tommy B]

thanks for the suggestions. Moral of the story you can make it fit!

 

[Tony R]

thanks for the suggestions. Moral of the story you can make it fit!

You can do this.

Take plenty of pics and state with group.

 

[Dave Russell]

I think the best idea I've seen yet is to lay it on top of a cheese grater with the ends wedged inside the grate handles. You can use some fat trimmings there to help protect the end of the flat.

 

[Paul Pearson]

I have cooked two 12lb briskets in my 18.5 (separate occasions) on the top rack and used the grate handles to shoehorn it in. I wouldn't go much larger than that unless you don't mind putting something under the center like others have mentioned.

 

[Mike Drewery]

I do packers at 16 pounds untrimmed routinely, I just roll the end of the flat under some until it shrinks up

Here was a 17

 

[Tommy B]

Well I have not cooked a brisket yet but cooked a 5 lb slab of pork ribs over the weekend. I assumed ribs wouldn't fit either. I was wrong! They barely fit and cooked nicely! I am excited to get a brisket on!

If you wanna see more pictures of the final product I posted in another thread you can go to by clicking HERE.

 

[Paulie O]

Nice job! Thanks for sharing

 

[CorySwartz]

Hey Mike,
How much was that 17lber? I might have to go check out that place if the prices are good.

 

[S.Six]

This sucker here was just over 17# on my 18"wsm.

 

[Gary S]

I used a stainless steal drinking mug under one for the first two hours. After that I was able to remove it as the meat had shrunk enough it was no longer necessary. It does not hurt to place a little foil under the ends where the brisket is shoehorned into the grate handles.

 

[Teddy J.]

It does not hurt to place a little foil under the ends where the brisket is shoehorned into the grate handles.

Yes, make sure to do this.