Size of meat vs Cooking time

[sigma man]

Does it make any, or much, differences in cook time if you smoke an eight pound piece of meat verses cutting the meat into two four pound pieces of meat and putting on different racks in the smoker?

 

[teacup13]

from my experience yes it makes a difference...

i just smoked a corned beef brisket that was small... and it considerably less time to get up to peak temperature compared to some others here that smoked a brisket that was double in size to mine

 

[smoked]

teacup, keep in mind that corned beef is a cured meat and cured meats cook FASTER then non-cured......

as to cooking faster if the meat is cut in half.....maybe, depends on how thick the meat is, if you cut the thickness then definitly it will cook faster, if not then the only thing I see is making it fit the smoker....

 

[monty]

Hiya, Sigma Man!

Each item in your smoker has its own character and personality. That is why it is best to have a thermometer in each piece of meat. A large piece of meat will certainly take much longer than a smaller one. Cut that peice of meat into what appears to be two exactly equal pieces, and, even if they weigh out exactly the same, they will come to proper temp at different times.

Hope this helps!

Cheers!

 

[hillbillysmoker]

I agree with Monty. My experience is that cutting meat into smaller sections increases the surface area allowing it to heat and cook quicker.

 

[deejaydebi]

You might even find a bigger piece comes up to temperature quicker depned on the type of meat, how much fat, bones ... etc.