20 Irresistible Beef Brisket Recipes (2024)

FAQs

How many people does 20 pounds of brisket feed? ›

WHAT ARE THE SERVING SIZES FOR BEEF BRISKET? A whole brisket weighs about 12-15 pounds, and it should feed 10 to 20 people, depending on how much it weighs. If you plan on one pound of raw brisket per person, you can expect to get 12 to 15 servings out of it.

It's a tough cut of meat, which is why the best way to cook brisket is a low-and-slow method: Long, slow cooking makes it tender.

Braising and smoking are the most common. They're both effective ways to add great flavor to the meat as well as make it mouthwateringly tender. You can also steam beef brisket. Begin by searing it in a large pan or browning it in the oven.

Brisket per person

VooDoo BBQ & Grill advises that 9 pounds of a meat like brisket will feed around 20 people, and 12 pounds will feed 30 to 35.

If you have too many other items on the menu and are planning to serve a quarter of a pound to each guest, you should start with half a pound per person. With a brisket weighing 12 pounds, you can feed up to 24 guests this way.

The temperature of the meat begins to rise again -- which you want because brisket gets more tender the longer you cook it.

Once seared, place brisket in foil pan, fat side up, and smoke, uncovered for 2 hours. Flip brisket and smoke for 1 hour. At this point, the juices inside are under a fair amount of pressure. It is important not to pierce the meat from this point until it is done.

Mind you, it is a little faster. The meat still needs a couple of hours in a higher temperature range to fully render fat and dissolve collagen. Brisket can be done in a range of 200-210°F (93-99°C), but as a general rule, it's safe to bet on 203°F (95°C). Brisket should be tender but not so tender it's falling apart.

Ask almost any contestant on the competition barbecue circuit, including Traeger's own Chad Ward, whether to cook a brisket fat side up or fat side down, and you will likely get the same unanimous answer: fat side down.

Should brisket be smoked fat side up or down? ›

Brisket is meat from any animal's chest and contains a substantial amount of fat. The side facing out towards the skin is usually covered with a layer of fat called the fat cap, which in this case should face down when smoking your meat. This helps your brisket taste and look better by giving it a crispy back.

Dissolve the salt and sugar in the boiling water. Add the ice, then let cool to room temperature. Place the brisket in the brine and cover. Transfer to the refrigerator to brine overnight.

The brisket is at its most tender when it reaches an internal temperature of around 195 to 205°F (90 to 96°C). However, the exact temperature for peak tenderness can vary based on factors like the cooking method, the grade of the meat, and personal preference.

Add small pieces throughout the smoking process as wood burns away. Slow-smoke at a temperature of 250˚F, allowing about one hour of cooking time per pound of meat. So, if you have a 10-pound brisket, expect to smoke it for about 10 hours. Keep the fat side up so the juices can drip through the meat.

It's actually possible to perfectly cook a brisket double wrapped in aluminum foil with some veggies and sauce over night in an oven set to 225 degrees F. Sear the brisket first. Sear the brisket all over to caramelize the meat and develop flavor before slow cooking it. Submerge the brisket in liquid and add aromatics.

I like 6oz finished meat per person total + sides for an abundant meal with leftovers. You have to subtract loss during cooking which is about 50% for pulled pork and 35-40% for brisket. So it ends up looking like this for 40 people: 40 people*6oz per person = 240 oz or 15 lbs finished meat.

That means, if you need to feed 20 people, get 12 pounds of brisket. Need to feed 50? Cook 30-33 pounds of brisket.

If you are doing 2 meats and sides you can figure about 1/4lb per serving on both the meats. So for 100 people. You will need 25lbs of cooked pork butts and 25lbs of cooked brisket. Both have about 50% yield, so 50lbs of raw pork butts and 50lbs of raw brisket is what you would start with.

A 15-pound brisket will feed over 20 people (23-27 depending on how much your guests eat). That may even be enough for them to come back for more — because they'll want to.