First Brisket, HELP!

[dale holsti]

It has been years since I made a brisket, partially because I had a disaster the last time!  I tried to smoke a brisket on a Weber Kettle, and again, disaster.  I am smoking a 4.3 lb Flat cut brisket for a birthday party tomorrow and am freaked out. How long, what temp, I read 225 at 1.5 hours per pound. Is that right? I am using an electric smoker. I don't want to have another block of leather?  Any help is appreciated.  Thanks!

 

[superdave]

Monitor internal temp and you will be fine.  I've always wrapped with my briskets in the final stage until my 202 internal temp.  Once you have reached that point, let rest in an ice chest with towels and it will stay hot for a couple hours. 

 

[demosthenes9]

 
It has been years since I made a brisket, partially because I had a disaster the last time!  I tried to smoke a brisket on a Weber Kettle, and again, disaster.  I am smoking a 4.3 lb Flat cut brisket for a birthday party tomorrow and am freaked out. How long, what temp, I read 225 at 1.5 hours per pound. Is that right? I am using an electric smoker. I don't want to have another block of leather?  Any help is appreciated.  Thanks!

X mins per pound only really applies to whole packers, and even then it's just an estimate.  The cook time on your brisket flat will depend on how thick it is. @ 225, it wouldn't surprise me if your brisket took 8 - 10 hours or more.

Hopefully you have an accurate temp probe that you can monitor the brisket's internal temperature with.   I start checking my briskets via the "poke/probe test" when they hit about 190ish.   This is where you stick a probe, skewer, toothpick etc into the thickest part of the brisket.  When it goes in and out with almost no resistance, like a knife through warm butter, your brisket is ready.    The Temp reading on your thermometer might be 195, or 200, or 202, or 205, or perhaps even 210.   Brisket isn't ready when it hits a certain internal temp, no, brisket is ready when it is DONE.

Also, some people will foil their briskets once they achieve a nice color, somewhere around 160 degrees or so.  Even when foiling, everything stated above still applies. 

 

[dale holsti]

At the most, it is two inches thick. At 4.3 lbs would you still suggest 8 hours?