Brisket Questions

[old golfer guy]

Going to smoke brisket for about 30 people this Sat. Mostly older folks--60 to 80 years old. I am planning on 1/3 to 1/2 lb./ person.

I was planning on smoking the whole thing but as I get more  into this it seems you guys and gals like to separate the two pieces to make burnt ends. I thought the whole brisket was cooked then you could take off the point and make burnt ends or you could slice and serve it. We went to Nashville this spring, had brisket twice and both times they asked-- lean or fatty? I assumed the whole thing was cooked and then sliced??

Cooking time? About an hour per lb. is what I figures on my old Kamado, but If I do 2 briskets ,one on top of the other  do I need to add time?

Dale

 

[troutman]

If you have a whole packer then just trim it and cook the whole thing.  The point end is the big tall end with the over riding muscle on top, while the flat runs underneath and is thinner.  Point and flat run perpendicular to one another so carve them against the grain in each case.  If you do separate, separate at the end of the flat at the start of the point.  Either way, cooking time is cooking time and brisket will take whatever it takes.  Yes the hour per pound rule roughly applies but its about temperature, you want to have a good thermometer and cook it until it gets an internal temp of about 200-203 degrees.  After that it needs to rest wrapped in a cooler for a couple more hours, so figure on at least a 12 hour cook time.