Small Brisket Help

[dblcrona]

I am doing a small (5 lb. ) brisket this weekend that a friend gave me. Never having done one this small I don’t know how long it will take. If anyone has an estimate based on past experience with a small brisket that would be really helpful. I’m having company for dinner and don’t want it to be done way early. Thanks a lot.

 

[JPSBBQ]

It’s a dance between internal temp and ambient cook temp. I would definitely wrap it in foil at the 160-165 mark to avoid drying out the small brisket. I assume it’s just a flat so it will be quite lean. If you can get a commercial injection like Butchers bbq or Kosmos Q it will help as they contain phosphates that retain moisture. It’s like magic. Cook to @ 205 or until tender. Start checking @200 IT. I would cook at @ 250 on an upper rack away from the heat source. Fat side down of course. It should be done in 5-6 hours as long as you wrap it. cheers!

 

[Slimpicker]

I am doing a small (5 lb. ) brisket this weekend that a friend gave me. Never having done one this small I don’t know how long it will take. If anyone has an estimate based on past experience with a small brisket that would be really helpful. I’m having company for dinner and don’t want it to be done way early. Thanks a lot.

So I've got the exact same thing, gonna take it to the hunting camp for an evening meal.
But NO WAY I'm cooking at 250, sorry, I want brisket not beef roast.
A 5lb flat at 210-215°, 2 hour drive to the camp, so 4pm hit the road, do I start in the early am??? My 3.5lb briskets took about 7 hours... I'd say 6am and in cooler once done.

 

[JPSBBQ]

So I've got the exact same thing, gonna take it to the hunting camp for an evening meal.
But NO WAY I'm cooking at 250, sorry, I want brisket not beef roast.
A 5lb flat at 210-215°, 2 hour drive to the camp, so 4pm hit the road, do I start in the early am??? My 3.5lb briskets took about 7 hours... I'd say 6am and in cooler once done.

You act as if 250 isn’t low and slow. These aren’t stick burners that need to be regulated down to ridiculously low temps. Comp cooks routinely cook at 275-325. With world class results. Whilst I do not recommend that (300) for a small cut that I don’t know the grade of, 250 is fine. If you want it to take longer with no discernible difference in quality, cook it at a lower temp. A brisket is a beef roast. I’m always suspicious of folks that are adamant that there is only one way to do things. You can adjust your cook temps fairly widely with no discernible difference in results based upon your preferred timing constraints. I will say, Always Always plan to be done a couple hours early. The rest is alway a good thing.

Pick a path and enjoy the journey. Do some research and decide what best suits your particular constraints. Enjoy above all!

 

[Slimpicker]

Pick a path and enjoy the journey.

I did, 210-215 till paper wrap... That's my journey.

 

[JPSBBQ]

I did, 210-215 till paper wrap... That's my journey.

Enjoy your brisket roast.

 

[traeger860]

I did a smaller one a few weeks ago. It was a 6-7 pounder. I started it at 1130pm at 180 and then wrapped/bumped it to 225 around 7am. It was done (203F) at around 4pm and it rested for a few hours before I sliced it.