small brisket cook time question.

[kawboy]

I know know brisket has been discussed a million times here, but I just picked up a small brisket. It is a little over three pounds. Can I cook it like you guys say for bigger ones? How long, ballpark, should it take? I chickened out buying a big one, I figured I would start small and work my way to big ones. I'm figuring salt and pepper and oak smoke. Any advice is greatly appreciated.

 

[noboundaries]

At that weight chances are it is a portion of the leaner flat.  If it is a small point it will have lots of marbling.  You can smoke cook them the same way if you are just looking to slice. 

Yes, you can smoke it like the bigger ones.  At 225F figure 2 hrs per pound to 200F IT, give or take.  You can cut that time in half roughly by doing it at 275F to the same IT.  Since it is your first brisket, wrap it with a little beef broth (1/2 to 1 cup) when it stalls.  Don't be surprised if it reaches that stall temp (150F-165F) in two hours or less.  Its a physics thing.  The last 40-50F IT can take hours.       

 

[kawboy]

Thanks for the response. It's been in for two hours now. I haven't put the probe in it yet. I don't have any broth, what else would work?

 

[sfprankster]

Beer is my choice of lube. 

 

Beer also works for the brisket. 

 

 

[kawboy]

Beer, I got! What temp should I wrap at? I'm two and a half hours in at 160ish IT.

 

[meatpacker]

Always make a habit of keping bullion cubes in your pantry that way you will always have broth

 

[noboundaries]

 
Always make a habit of keping bullion cubes in your pantry that way you will always have broth

As a side note, if you haven't tried "Better Than Bouillon" Beef Base for making broth, give it a try.  It's a bit pricey unless you get it at a grocery discounter but SOOOOO much better than the cubed or powdered stuff. 

It comes in chicken and vegetable base too.   

 

[chewmeister]

 
As a side note, if you haven't tried "Better Than Bouillon" Beef Base for making broth, give it a try.  It's a bit pricey unless you get it at a grocery discounter but SOOOOO much better than the cubed or powdered stuff. 

It comes in chicken and vegetable base too.   

Agreed. Another place where you can buy concentrated sauces and demi-glace is More Than Gourmet. They also sell duck fat.