Question:Brisket

[Shelly Morton]

Brisket

I am making a brisket today for the first time. The recipe calls for cooking a 4-6 pound brisket for 5 hours at 300 degrees. My brisket is only 2.5 pounds. Do I cook it at the same temperature and time or would I could it for half the time since it is a small brisket. I know briskets are supposed to cook low and slow but wasn't sure if size made a difference. Thanks for your help.

[DrGaellon]

Brisket is a relatively flat cut - even if it's heavier, it's just bigger in area. To some extent, the heat is going to penetrate the flat sides at roughly the same rate regardless of the overall area of the cut. I might figure on needing 15-20% less time (i.e. 4 hours instead of 5), but half the time will definitely not be enough.