Small Brisket time question


 
T

Troy Gamm

TVWBB Fan
Hey guys,

I am getting ready to smoke my first brisket and it is a small one (~2lb flat). Will the cooking time be significantly less? I am just trying to figure out what time to start it to have it for dinner the next day. It is probably ~2 1/4" thick, just a small cut.

Thanks
 
That’s not a lot of mass, I would think it will go relatively quickly but, those may be construed as “famous last words”!
At ~2 lb. I’d be surprised if it took more that three or four hours tops.
I’m sure someone more experienced in this will ring in so, you have all the information I can share.
Good luck.
 
For what it's worth here's the result of 3 cooks. 5.5 lbs. at 225 - 8 hrs. 2 lbs at 250 - 3.5 hrs. 3.8 lbs at 240 - 7.5 hrs. My 2 pounder is right in there on Timothy's estimate BUT it still depends on time, cooker temp, and that individual piece of meat.

We often talk about time for a cook and don't mention cooker temp. and I don't believe you can talk about time without both numbers.

Off my soapbox. Good luck and have fun. :wsm:
 
Thanks Lew, I’ve never done anything but packers so, my opinion is limited.
Correction, my opinion is without bounds but, knowledge is something else entirely!
Hope it turned out well.
 
Cook time for partial brisket flats at X chamber temp are based on thickness, not on weight. It's quite possible that a 2lb flat that is 2 inches thick will take just as long to cook as a 6lb flat that is also 2 inches thick.
 
I agree with Dave. Size and shape matter. Troy, were you planning to run it at 250-275F in the cooker? I think it really ought to be done before the 4 hour mark. But some briskets are stubborn and can take much longer. I think it depends on the amount of collagen in the meat and sometimes I think, purely out of superstition, that an unhappy cow cooks badly. I sometimes blame a bad tasting brisket on a poor quality of life.

If it is just a flat, my inclination is to run it at a lower temperature as such a small brisket tends to dry out so maybe keeping it low will help. However, there are just as many cooks who will tell you to run it hot so I really don't know. Just spray after the crust is set. Good luck!
 
Thanks guys! I will be cooking it up this weekend. I was planning on cooking it at around 225º and see what happens. I appreciate the advice. I will post back here with the results.
 
Fwiw, the moisture in a brisket comes from the breakdown of the connective tissue and rendering the collagen. Presuming you have good heat deflection, cooking at a higher temp won't hurt anything and will help get through the stall quicker. That said, there's nothing wro g with running at 225ish, just be prepared for it to take some time.

Good luck, and holler if you need anything
 
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