Brisket size

[craig1]

I would like to try  smoking brisket.. Smallest I can find is 8 pounds.  Could I cut it in half and freeze the other half?

 

[rabbithutch]

It that brisket has to be trimmed of fat, by the time you cook half of it you won't have much more meat than a couple of hamburgers. Cooking removes the fluids to a large degree. The meat is has a high percentage of fluids (fat, water . . . ).

If'n it was me, I'd do the whole thing.

 

[smokerjim]

rabbithutch is right,if your feeding a couple of people i would just go ahead and cook the whole thing,but if you only want to do 1/2 i personally have no problem freezing meat to cook at a later time.

 

[gpb11]

I'd also do the whole thing.  Freeze the leftovers for quick dinners or lunches.  

 

[sawinredneck]

I agree, an 8lbr is about perfect for starting with. That's about what my first one was, I learned the stall, how to control my temps and if I screwed it up I wasn't out much! But if you do it right, a family of three, there will be no leftovers!!

 

[gpb11]

if I screwed it up I wasn't out much!

If it wasn't good, repurpose the results.  

It'd take some real serious determination to screw up a brisket so bad you couldn't use the result in chili!

 

[sawinredneck]

Trust me, the second one I did was inedible in any form! It was charcoal! I'd wrapped it in foil the grilled it around 450 for five hours! Don't do that!

 

[gpb11]

Yeah, okay, 450 for five hours might put it beyond redemption...  Ouch.

 

[craig1]

Thanks guys. I have done the beer brined chicken twice and ribs once. Was really pleased with the results.  Even did the cheesy has browns on the top rack for 2 hours with great results