I did a 9.75 pound whole brisket yesterday, and, while not the best I’ve done, it was OK. I didn’t have time for an extended cook, so I decided to forego cooking it whole, and separated the flat from the point and divided the flat approximately in half so I could remove the thinner half if it got done sooner.
The result was an 8 hour cook to reach 185* in the larger flat piece, with temps hanging rock-solid (not exaggerating– I barely nudged the vents twice in 8 hours) at 240*. I left the point on for another 90 minutes– until the coals were on their last legs.
The flat, sliced after resting, was very tender, but not as juicy or flavorful as my last brisket flat. I blame this on a couple of things: One, I was a bit lax on basting, even though I did turn at the half-times (at the 4, 6, and 7 hour marks). Two, it was an $.88/lb. select brisket. I think I can remediate this one with some careful re-heating procedures, though. (Update: a reheat of the sliced brisket in a warm oven in a shallow foil-covered dish with one cup of vegetable broth pre-heated in the microwave, for about 10 minutes did the trick.)
The point I shredded immediately upon removal, gave it a light sprinkle of rub, and mixed well. A taste test proved I’m gonna have some fabulous sandwiches this week.