One more brisket question

[dannyboy]

Costco has flats and whole briskets. Which one is easier to cook or turns out the best?

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[LuvMyQ]

I am guessing by your question, that you have not done any or many briskets yet.  And I think you will get multiple opinions on here.  It depends on a few things. 

1.  Prime always turns out better on brisket.  Or at least it is easier to turn out great.  I know their full packers are prime.  I don't know if their flats are prime or choice. That being said, I just turned out an awesome flat from Kroger that was choice using Greg's advice here.  And until i read that post, I considered flats harder to keep moist.
https://www.smokinitforums.com/index.php?topic=5870.0
2.  Packers are bigger.  So how much meat do you want?
3.  A full packer gives you that area of muscle in the point that has a lot of marbling in it.  But it is the most awesome part of a brisket to many folks. And it is the part that people use to make burnt ends.
4.  In a slight contradiction to my first point, the point end of the packer is much thicker and takes longer to reach temp than the flat.  And that can leave the flat a little dry sometimes.

I never had a successful brisket in my Weber charcoal smoker.  But in the SI, I have had great success with every brisket I have smoked.  And I have always used the Costco Prime full briskets until the aforementioned Kroger brisket above.  A couple of key things to remember are:

1.  Time.  Plan at least 1.5 hours per pound at 225.  If you go the 250 or 275 route, it is closer to an hours.  But the briskets can vary.   And plan w hours of resting after you pull it out of the smoker before serving.  (Put it in a cooler wrapped double layer of foil then in towels - often referred to as a faux cambo.)  I am beginning to think this rest is the most important part as it allows the moisture to do its thing.  And it is the part that many skip because they did not plan enough time  ,"its serving time and the guests are waiting."
2.  Butter and jiggle - If a probe doesn't go into it like butter, it isn't done.  Likewise, if you pick it up, and it isn't all jiggly, it is in't done.
3.  For your first brisket, go prime if at all possible.

Hope this helps.  And let us know how it goes.

Edit:  And now  I see your first post on a brisket.  So I may have duplicated some thing you have already read.

[Pork Belly]

If it were me, I would buy the whole Packer cut. I would lay it on the counter and slice through it about mid point where the flat starts to go under the point.

I would take the section of flat and brine it for corned beef. I would season and smoke the point section. To me that it my preference for both those cut of meat.

[barelfly]

get the whole brisket, aka packer.