Smoking a 2.5 lb brisket for the first time.

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scsmoker843

Newbie
Original poster
Dec 27, 2023
29
14
Just curious how long approximately will a 2.5 lb brisket take to smoke. Any tips I'm grateful.

Thanks
 
That’s a small brisket. I have seen full packers weight 4 pounds before and didn’t think it could get much smaller lol
 
Brisket is always smoked until probe tender, not by time - think butter. For planning purposes you could guess an hour per pound but each piece is unique.
If that piece of meat really is a 2.5lb brisket you may be better off braising it because it will get to temp way before it has had time to break down and become tender - will likely dry out real bad.

If it's just a really small brisket flat you could smoke it to about an IT of 165 and then foil it with a little beer to finish it off near 200f (probe tender).

Good luck!
 
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I watched one video where a guy smoked on a electric smoker 2.5 lb one for 7 hrs
 
Brisket is always smoked until probe tender, not by time - think butter. For planning purposes you could guess an hour per pound but each piece is unique.
If that piece of meat really is a 2.5lb brisket you may be better off braising it because it will get to temp way before it has had time to break down and become tender - will likely dry out real bad.

If it's just a really small brisket flat you could smoke it to about an IT of 165 and then foil it with a little beer to finish it off near 200f (probe tender).

Good luck!
Yes sir it didn't turn out good. It was a little tough it had a little bite to it not pull apart with hand type. Maybe it was to small but watched a YouTube video of a guy smoking one turned out tender. It's my first just wanted to try one so I got one 2.28 lbs about 20$ to try. I seasoned it up with mustard then rub and let it sit in fridge a day. Took it out about hour before I smoked it. I smoked it on about 235-240 until it got 180. Wrapped in butcher paper then back in until it reached 195 then pulled it and placed in cooler for 3 hrs. I noticed it was not probe tender when I pulled it off but it had been on about 5.5 to 6 hrs and was at 195. So where did I go wrong to not be probe tender at all???? Thanks I would love to hear everyone's input. Until I try again thanks guys.
 
I’ve not smoked a brisket that small, but your prep work and cook profile looks spot-on. As noted, 195 is usually low for a brisket to be probe tender, so it might have needed more time, counterintuitive as that seems. Unless, due to its small size, it hit peak tenderness earlier, before you started probing, and by the time it hit 195 it was already overdone. Not sure how likely that scenario might be

But seriously, you did everything right except for pulling when it was probe tender
 
I’ve not smoked a brisket that small, but your prep work and cook profile looks spot-on. As noted, 195 is usually low for a brisket to be probe tender, so it might have needed more time, counterintuitive as that seems. Unless, due to its small size, it hit peak tenderness earlier, before you started probing, and by the time it hit 195 it was already overdone. Not sure how likely that scenario might be

But seriously, you did everything right except for pulling when it was probe tender
Yea I didn't feel good when I went to take my temp probe out that monitors the temp through out the cook because it was hard to pull out. When wrapped it was tough to push in I was discouraged then. It was a first for brisket all my boston butts come out super tender and shred nice. I wanted to try this before spending 50$ on a big flat or so from Costco. I got this small at local food lion. It's good far as bark and taste though
 
Bottom line with a small flat like that is you can follow all the "rules" and still end up with a dry piece of meat. As was suggested earlier in the thread you are best to smoke to around 165 and braise the rest of the way in a pan with some liquid. SmokinAl SmokinAl has a thread on doing flats.
 
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Ok so the temp i used i should only use for a 10-14lb brisket. 3-4 lb use 165 temp to smoke. I guess i need to try a bigger brisket and see how it turns out
 
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Ok so the temp i used i should only use for a 10-14lb brisket. 3-4 lb use 165 temp to smoke. I guess i need to try a bigger brisket and see how it turns out
Brisket is probably the most challenging pieces of meat to smoke. Get a few butts under your wings first. Get a packer from the cooler that is "wiggly" and not stiff to start. Try your first one at a cook temp lower than you have heard, maybe 205 smoker temp. Any concerns at all, just wrap in foil with some beer at ~165ish and ride it out. It's a huge chunk of meat so go heavy on salt and spices. Consider removing the point from the flat since they cook at different times.
 
Get a packer from the cooler ???
I already done four butts before they came out great. I have butcher paper is that ok and not foil?? Then 165 with beer and ride it out. Then go from 205 to like 165 temp after wrapped?
 
Get a packer from the cooler ???
I already done four butts before they came out great. I have butcher paper is that ok and not foil?? Then 165 with beer and ride it out. Then go from 205 to like 165 temp after wrapped?
What pound brisket should I try next time?
 
What pound brisket should I try next time?
Get a packer from the cooler ???
I already done four butts before they came out great. I have butcher paper is that ok and not foil?? Then 165 with beer and ride it out. Then go from 205 to like 165 temp after wrapped?
Sorry, I'll clarify.

Purchase a whole packer brisket from the cooler at the store. Don't get one that is stiff because it will have huge bands of fat in it. Run your smoker closer to 205f instead of the typical 225f until you hit the internal temperature of 165f. At this point wrap it in foil or butcher paper with a cup of beer and push the smoker temperature up to 250f. Start probing for tenderness at an internal temperature of 195f, it should be done before you reach 210f.

For good measure you can inject 15oz of beef broth in to the brisket in as many as 15 locations. A good size in my opinion would be 12-14 pounds. You'll probably trim 3 pounds of fat off of it.

Good luck!
 
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