Risky smoke... two tiny, 2lb briskets

[msb]

My wife came home with a couple of tiny, 2lb briskets from the supermarket the other day to smoke on Memorial Day. They both look like flats with the fat trimmed way the hell off of them. I think they were being marketed for pot roast (the first clue was that they had a big sticker on the front of the package that said "Pot Roast").

Since Memorial Day isn't a day to make pot roast, I am going to try to smoke them both. Wish me luck, since this is the smallest brisket I've every tried... and most of the comments I've read hear about people trying them goes along the lines of "you'd be better off grinding them up for hamburger".

My plan is to start with pretty low heat ~200 and then wrap them earlier than normal, like maybe 140.

Does that sound like a decent plan?

(My other thought was to stack them on top of each other and tie off with some twine... does anybody think that would help keep them from drying out?)

 

[forktender]

You for sure can go low and slow with them the first couple of hours to get smoke and color onto them but after a few hours I'd wrap in paper or foil then crank the smoker up to 275-285 to finish them off sooner.
I smoke all of my briskets at 275+ all the way up to 295* and they turn out great and take almost half the time.

 

[msb]

You for sure can go low and slow with them the first couple of hours to get smoke and color onto them but after a few hours I'd wrap in paper or foil then crank the smoker up to 275-285 to finish them off sooner.
I smoke all of my briskets at 275+ all the way up to 295* and they turn out great and take almost half the time.

Thanks for the tip!

With such small pieces of meat, I didn't really know how early to start today. We're having my mom over for dinner at 4pm and the last time I did a brisket with guests, we didn't eat until 9pm! Needless to say, the wife was none too happy. So, I put them on around 8:30... figuring it shouldn't take more than 8-9 hours total for teeny meanies... and if they are done early, no harm in sitting in a cooler for a few hours. But I'll definitely take your advice on getting them done sooner.

I'll post some updates throughout the day (including a pic of me sleeping on the couch if we don't eat by 6pm!) Lol

 

[msb]

Aren't these just darling?

 

[thirdeye]

That sounds good, the smaller the flat.... the earlier the wrap. And @forktender is correct about ramping up the temp when wrapped. Be careful not to use too salty of a wrapping liquid.

 

[msb]

That sounds good, the smaller the flat.... the earlier the wrap. And @forktender is correct about ramping up the temp when wrapped. Be careful not to use too salty of a wrapping liquid.

Was going to use apple cider vinegar... thoughts?

 

[msb]

Briskets reached 145 and 150 degrees at about 10:45 (~2 1/4 hours on smoke). There was very little bark to speak of, but I guess I'd rather have tender meat and no bark, than great bark surrounding beef jerky.

I wrapped them both in foil and set temp to 275.

 

[msb]

1:00 and both briskets have reached 205. Checked for tenderness and probe slides smoothly in and out. Placed both in cooler for resting...