This Is How Much Brisket To Make Per Person

The best rule of thumb is to factor about 1/2 lb. raw brisket per person, which will yield a rough average of about 1/4 lb. of cooked brisket per person.

If brisket is the star of the show and few side dishes accompany it, you might consider bumping that to 3/4 lb. uncooked brisket per person, but it's more likely that your brisket will be accompanied by side dishes—after all, brisket is often a main fixture of a larger, multi-dish affair whether it's a Passover meal or a barbecue potluck.

No matter which way you plan on slicing or chopping it, sticking with about 1/2 lb. raw uncooked brisket is a solid bet for any occasion.

How To Determine How Much Brisket Per Person

Whole brisket comes from the chest or pectoral muscles of the cow, which means it has firm, tough tissues. This requires a low, slow cook to become tender that also shrinks the meat considerably more than other primal cuts: about 30 percent or even up to 50%, depending on the fattiness of your selected cut and exactly how it's cooked.

We recommend accounting for 50% shrinkage, whether you're cooking the whole brisket or its parts (see below for more info on that). This accounts for a healthy serving of melt-in-your-mouth brisket for each of your guests, no matter how hungry they are!

What Are The Types of Brisket

The two main types of brisket cuts are "flat cut" and "point cut." You can purchase a whole brisket which contains both, but there are some important considerations if you do so. Here's what you should know:

• Flat cut: This is the larger and leaner cut of the two options, which makes it easier to cut and slice when cooked. With less fat marbling, this cut is less likely to peskily fall apart when you're trying your best to carve elegant slices at the table. Look for "flat" on the packaging. (See: Sweet-And-Sour Braised Brisket)
• Point cut: This cut, typically slightly smaller, comes from under the flat cut. It contains more marbling of fat within its connective tissue and tends to be a bit fattier in general. This makes the point cut more popular for barbecue applications where the meat is chopped. Look for "point" on the packaging. (See: BBQ Brisket)
• Whole: Sometimes the brisket comes "whole," containing both point and flat. If your brisket is upwards of 10 lb., you probably have a whole brisket made up of both flat and point cuts. (See: Smoked Beef Brisket)

Any of these cuts of brisket are generally interchangeable in recipes as long as the weight in pounds is about the same. Most of our recipes call for briskets ranging from 4 to 7 pounds, so we'd recommend looking for these smaller individual cuts, when possible.

What Size Brisket To Buy

Most whole brisket cuts (including both the flat and the point cut) fall between 10 and 15 pounds. The flat cut is typically the larger portion (between 6 and 8 pounds) and the point cut the smaller of the two (about 4 to 5 pounds on average).

Before selecting your cut of brisket, consider the amount of people you are feeding and the capacity of your cooking vessel or smoker. Most conventional roasting pans can't accommodate much more than 10-12 lb. briskets, and most of our recipes call for briskets in the 4 to 8 lb. range.

How Long To Cook Brisket Per Pound

You may have heard the phrase "low and slow" and it's true that low and slow is the name of the game when it comes to brisket. Cooking at a low temperature draws out the process of breaking down the tougher connective tissues in the meat, making it fall-apart tender.

While it ultimately depends on method of cooking as directed in the recipe, it generally takes about 1 hour per pound of uncooked brisket if smoking at a very low temperature like 250°F, or otherwise until the brisket reaches at least 165°F and up to about 190°F or 200°F for a particularly tender brisket. (The brisket will continue to cook when you remove it from the oven or smoker.)

This means 1 10-lb. brisket could take up to 10 hours. If cooking at a higher temperature, it may not take quite as much time. Note, however, that the lower and slower the roast, the more tender the brisket.

The Best Temperature To Cook Brisket

Brisket is best cooked low and slow, and smoking naturally lends itself to this method. Recipes for smoking brisket rarely supersede about 250°F. Recipes for roasting or braising in the oven rarely go above 325°F, which is a bit more efficient and convenient for hosting a brisket meal at home. If using a slow cooker, it's best to cook on low.

Brisket Recipes To Try

Slow-Cooker Brisket

Brisket With Carrots and Horseradish-Parsley Gremolata

Smoked Beef Brisket

BBQ Brisket

Sweet-And-Sour Braised Brisket