# splitting a brisket in half before smoking



## keny

Will anything bad happen if I split a 9 lbs brisket into two halves before I smoke it in order to get it done quicker? What kind of effect could this have on the meat? I have done this with pork butt roasts that my wife had the groc. store split into 4 to 5 lbs chunks, and my pork always turned out very good this way.


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## cajunsmoker

Well KenY,

what parts are you splitting up?  Are you laying it out flat and cutting it in half, or are you cutting the point off the flat?


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## keny

This is my first brisket, so I'm not sure but I think this is just a "flat" that I got at my local Dillon's groc. store. I was just thinking of splitting it in half before smoking it so maybe it would get done sooner, and so it will fit in my upright Coleman propane smoker. The grills are approx. 14-16 inches...


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## willkat98

NNoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

Brisket should be ccoked whole, whether flat or packer cut


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## trout

Bill This is where you and I might have a problem.  I have done it both ways (cook brisket that is.)  Even though I think that a whole packer give the best results, you can seprate it into it's parts and cook it.  But if you already have a point or flat DO NOT cut it down any more.  It will dry out too much.


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## willkat98

Trout, your last sentence is what I meant.

Ken, as Trout recommends, "But if you already have a point or flat DO NOT cut it down any more. It will dry out too much"

That is what I was talking about, not about seperating points from flats (I only get flats)


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## bob-bqn

Forgive my lack of mouse-drawing skills.  

If a brisket is too big (long) for the food grate I will trim it to fit. But I don't cut completely through the meat. Let me explain and refer to the "3-year old's" drawing provided below. 

With the brisket fat-side-up, make a cut about 3/4's the way through the thin "flat" end, leaving the end attached to the main part of the brisket. Turn the brisket over, meat-side-up, and fold the flap of meat over on top (meat-to-meat). 








This will make the thin end of the flat thicker and help keep it from over cooking while fitting in smaller rigs.

I've never tried to get a brisket to "cook faster" because low-n-slow is the way to break down the tough meat fibers and make it tender.


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## willkat98

Bob

I just went to your site to check out your beef and fowl pic's.

Damn I'm hungry now


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## bob-bqn

Sorry Bill, I seem to have that affect on folks.  
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





 That & gas! :lol:


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## trout

Bob,

I'll try your cut method I have lot's of room but others don't.  I need to try it before I can endorse it.  But it does look like a good way of doing a briskit.  That is, if you don't want burnt ends.  I love my burnt end.


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## keny

Thanks for all the great info., I really appreciate all of your time! The only reason I wanted my cooking time to be quicker is cuz I'll be a little short on time...and I thought I might have a problem with the size of my grills.  Thanks again!! You guys rule!!


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## icemn62

If it is just a fit problem, try folding it.  The meat will shrink as it cooks.  Or try draping over a coffee can or something.


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## Dutch

Bob-Nice mouse drawing. And it does look like a brisket flat.
And Ken-what these guys said "Don't split your flat you'll end up with two peices of meat that will look like a pair of burnt ends."


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## crockadale

KenY,

Itâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s funny this thread came up this weekend, because itâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s just what I didâ€¦not on purpose.

I was smoking ribs on the ECB and my next X called from the grocery store and wanted to know if I would smoke a brisketâ€¦this was about 9:00AM. I explained to her that it would have to wait until the ribs came off and look forward to being up half the night.
When she got home she made up some kind of rub and put the brisket in the fridge.
The ribs came off about 1:00PM and I went to the fridge to get the brisket. Believe it or not some idiot in Publix had cut a brisket in half, luckily I got the big end. I almost told her to take the thing back and get he money back. Well anyway I gave in and cooked it.

I donâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]t know what she used for a rub but I suspect it was the store bought steak rub I had...maybe doctored up a bit. I sprayed it every hour with apple juice and foiled it when it reached 170 degs. Continued cooking to 190, pulled and wrapped in a blanket for an hour to rest.

The meat was not as tender as the brisket I had done several weeks ago but was real tasty.
Several of my friend thought it was excellent. 

I guess you can say, â€œ you just never knowâ€.


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## dave11

Next-X, huh.....LOL  :) Do you mind if I use that one?.... :lol: This is my third!!!


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## crockadale

Help your self. This is definatly my last.


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## tbs63

Bob-BQN - your suggestion looks brilliant!

I will try it this weekend and hopefully get back to post the results.  I have been stressing about this all day since I bought my packers cut brisket.

Thanks buddy.

Tom


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## big city bbq

well i have plit a 15lbs one smoked the flat and made pastrami with rest ,what i have seen in responses are burnt ends dry etc ,well imo that  in football is called time management? i could be wrong never had a issue hope all goes well 4 you.


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## wbf610

Necro thread.  I hope he's not still smoking his flat!!!!   lol.


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## clayton1130

Reading this thread from a few years ago and running into a similar situation with a small food tray in my vertical smoker. Given your direction, tomorrow before the sun rises  I will take the 14lb brisket and turn it fat side up, cut it in the middle about 3/4 way through then turn over and fold the main over top of the thicker point portion creating a tall stack of brisket.  Cooking it at 200deg low and slow for 6 hours, wrap, etc. and put it back in until temp is reached (approx 14hrs total).  Is this all accurate?


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