12lb brisket cut or not?

[88nitro305]

so I have a 12lb whole brisket that I’m gonna smoke tomorrow. Should I leave it whole or cut in half to save time and allow me to not get up at like 1am?

 

[radio]

I prefer leaving them whole, but you can always separate the point and make burnt ends or freeze it for later use

 

[gmc2003]

I think most folks like to do them whole when possible.

Chris

 

[SmokinAl]

I agree with the above.
They are much more forgiving when they are whole.
It's much harder to smoke a flat & get it to turn out right.
Al

 

[88nitro305]

Ok whole it is! Thanks guys

 

[88nitro305]

Getting ready to put the beast on, I’m thinking 12lb starting at 3am should give it plenty of time to do its thing and be ready around 6pm.. I’m going to shoot between 225 and 250... starting around 225 so I can go back to bed.

 

[KrisUpInSmoke]

Good luck!

 

[88nitro305]

Update woke up to my probe grate temp at 277... went outside the dome read 225... so I closed down the vents to less then the width of a pencil... hopefully it hasn’t started the brisket too quickly.. I don’t have a meat probe in it yet because I know it needs to go..

 

[88nitro305]

Another update, the flat is at 170 already at around 250 at the grate hopefully this is the start to a long stall cuz it’s gonna be forever until we eat

 

[KrisUpInSmoke]

Did you wrap it? Keeping it unwrapped would make it take longer to cook.

 

[88nitro305]

Did you wrap it? Keeping it unwrapped would make it take longer to cook.

Yea I’m keeping it unwrapped... it’s at 181 and I’ve choked down 2 vents and the temp on the grate is reading 264 which I don’t think is correct the dome was reading like 210

 

[KrisUpInSmoke]

Can you eat it for lunch...lol... or are you making for dinner or guests? If it's done too early, it would probably be warm or still hot if you keep it in a cooler after even 5 hours, give or take, if you had to. Fill a cooler with hot water, let it sit with lid closed for 20 min or more, dump it. (Hot water helps, but can be skipped.) Double wrap the meat with foil. Then, wrap with towels and fill extra cooler space with towels.

 

[88nitro305]

Can you eat it for lunch...lol... or are you making for dinner or guests? If it's done too early, it would probably be warm or still hot if you keep it in a cooler after even 5 hours, give or take, if you had to. Fill a cooler with hot water, let it sit with lid closed for 20 min or more, dump it. (Hot water helps, but can be skipped.) Double wrap the meat with foil. Then, wrap with towels and fill extra cooler space with towels.

Yea I was gonna try resting until 6 but I think a 4pm eating time will be fine with everyone. 185 after 7.5hrs

 

[88nitro305]

The flat is at 198 little tough still, should I wrap it and let it rest for a few hours? Should I pull the point off and leave it on the smoker? Seems pretty fatty still

 

[KrisUpInSmoke]

I've seen people say to disregard the temp on brisket and look for the probe to go in like you're putting it in butter, no resistance, before you pull it off. I'd be concerned about it being dry, because you didn't wrap during smoke and you're resting/holding it for 3 hours after you pull it off.

You can take the point off and make burnt ends, and then let them rest for a while.

Hopefully, someone with more experience will chime in.

 

[KrisUpInSmoke]

What did you end up doing?

 

[88nitro305]

I pulled it off, ripped of a piece and it was super tender but it was the point, I wrapped in foil and it’s in a cooler where it’s been since like 12

 

[88nitro305]

Came out perfectly! Everyone loved it! Super juicy and tender! Sorry for the weird pics my buddy took them.. not bad for my 1st whole brisket! Thanks you all for the help and advice!

 

[KrisUpInSmoke]

That's great news! It looks wonderful!