I just purchased a cs smoker and am attempting my first brisket today.Unfortunately, I purchased my brisket before reading brisket 101 - it is trimmed and only 3.3lbs. How can I keep it from drying out? Will setting the heat a little lower than 225 help? How about covering it with bacon or lard? (Lard sounds gross to me, but I don't want my brisket to have a bacon taste) Any reponses would be appreciated.

Sounds like you have a flat?

I didn't know they made those in Texas.

Here is a thread from a few days ago that might help.

Brisket woes?

hey, cesully. 3.3 lbs. don't do it, dude!!



You are in TX, man!! The little trimmed one will not work out. just won't. go to the store and either get a big untrimmed cryo flat, at least 5-6 lbs, or a whole packer brisket. that way, you'll have a good experience (and meal) first time out.

...........or you can put the tiny brisket on one shelf and a big Boston butt on the shelf above it. The fat butt dripping bastes your skinny brisket. (Sounds vulgar? Ain't my fault).

But, be careful. That's two kinds of meat; a form of DNA recombination going on in there among the smoke and vapor. Open the CS door and out hops a jackalope...

cesully,
I have had my smokette almsost a month now, If you cook a brisket flat it's just gonna be somewhat dry. I have a 13 pounder in seasoning right now, that will cook saturday night. I had to show my wife the difference a few years ago on how to buy a brisket, and not buy the super lean no fat attached flat. You might try to cook to about 170 degrees, it will be moist and most likely a little tough though or you can go on to the more done setting and then use a beef broth baste or a real wet cue sauce.