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Whole brisket cook time questions


 
Chris in Louisiana

Chris in Louisiana

TVWBB All-Star
My first brisket cook was an 8 lb flat. It took about 12 hours of low and slow to get to 195, and it was great.

Now I have a 15.75 lb whole brisket to cook for Christmas.

Question 1: How much longer should I expect it to take (WSM temps being about the same) to cook the whole brisket, considering it weighs almost twice as much?

Question 2: Is it a sin to cut a brisket in half? It would make more bark, would fit on the WSM easier, and might speed up the cook time. Any downsides?

Thanks for any advice.
 
Chris, Great post. I would also like to hear what the experts have to say. I am new also. I would have to cut mine also to fit my WSM 18. I'll keep tuned in to hear the responses. Welcome aboard.
 
See here

For more, do a search for "cutting brisket in half"

The consensus is don't cut it. Wedge it in between the handles as best as you can. It will shrink down. You can bow it in the middle to make it fit. The brisket doesn't know. It's just in there to cook. Cook the flat until it is tender then return the point to the smoker or pack up and store the point to be cooked further for later use in other dishes. I don't do packers, but I understand that burnt ends, which so many like, are obtained from the point by continuing to cook for a few hours after the flat is separated. You could search for "burnt ends". It'll be about 1 1/4 hours per pound cooked in the 250* range as an estimate, but that's not a firm rule.
 
I have cooked 15-16 lb'ers before and just wdged them bewteen the handles.

I use a heat shield (foil) to protect the exposed ends.

I wouldn't cut it in half though.
 
I also would advise against cutting the brisket. Just sqeeze that puppy in there and let it cook. Soon enough it will shrink and you'll be able to move and flip it.

I would guess about 14 hours or so at 250.
 
Hey Craig,I just found out what happens when you try to wedge a frozen brisket in that is too large for the WSM.
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Bad news is I had to hack off part of the point with an electric knife That I continually had to dip the blade into hot water. Good news is I have a little more area for rub. I guess next time I need to defrost or do a better job of measuring the meat BEFORE I cook. As I always say, you learn something from every cook
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Well, I trimmed and rubbed that big boy tonight.

Christmas late lunch is the plan.

Plan to put in on about 7 or 8 pm Christmas Eve, low and slow. Hope it is done mid morning or so Christmas.

If it's close when I get up Christmas morning, I will juice and foil. Depending on temp, will return to WSM or oven.

Wish me luck.
 
I've done dozens and dozens of whole packer briskets and completely agree with Craig about leaving it whole and covering the exposed ends. Just fit it in.

The largest I've smoked was a 17.5 lb'r, around 15.5 after trimming. I usually smoke mine between 240 and 260 lid temp, and I average 1 hour per pound consistently. If I had a 15 lb'r, I'd allow for 15 hours of smoke time, with 4 hours of rest time at my temps. this would allow for a slightly longer cook time if needed. I'll be smoking one myself for new years eve.
 
I wedged her in there on Eve about 7 pm. It was a tight fit with some lid contact, but it worked.

It was very windy and cold, so I fashioned a wind screen of junk that looked like a hobo camp.

Temp, with minion method, got about right and stayed good until I crashed after midnight, despite wind. Bottom vents at about 25%.

On my last overnight, my temp went up overnight even though level when I went to bed. This time, it went really lower. It was under 200 at 8 a.m. Meat only about 150. Wind. The meat had an odd look. My wife asked if it was frozen. LOL! It did look like it. Weird.

I fired up another can of Kingsford and added it. Up to 240.

At 10, I foiled it with apple juice and put in oven. Started at 325 and soon reduced to 250. Meat was 159 in thick areas. By 11:30, meat was 195 in the thick. Stuck in ice chest.

Ate about 1:30, and it was very good. Moist and tender. Decent bark even with the foil.

Next time, I'll go back to a large flat. Takes less time, makes all the meat we could ever eat, and I like the flat meat better than the point.

Thanks for the tips.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">It was very windy and cold, so I fashioned a wind screen of junk that looked like a hobo camp.
</div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Oh man! I would have loved to see a pic of that! LOL!
 
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