Just picked this up from Restaurant Depot. Choice grade full packer brisket for $3.59/lb. If you buy 40 lbs or more it drops to $3.29/lb. You need a business license to register for free membership. Not bad given the deals.
I plan on smoking it around 250 to an IT of 170. Then it'll go into an aluminum pan with some sauce made of apple juice, brown sugar, worshteshire, and some BBQ sauce. It'll be loosly covered after that and stay until IT gets to 195-200. That's when it'll come out to rest for 30-60 minutes before I remove the point. I really want to try my hand at burnt ends so the I want to re-rub the point where it was cut and put it back onto the smoker for another 4-5 hours, per what I've read here:
http://www.virtualweberbullet.com/burntends.html
My in-laws are in town and were raised on brisket flats cooked in the oven in a covered cassarole dish. It's fall apart tender but not my favorite way to eat brisket. I'm aiming for sliceable but nearly pullable tender and very moist; hence the finish in the foil/pan.
If any of you brisket vets wants to offer any suggestions please let me know. This is only my second brisket. I'll check back as soon as I can. My wife wants this ready for an early dinner or late lunch tomorrow. Given the weight of the meat I already realize that isn't likely to happen so I was kicking around the idea of higher cook temps maybe up to 275.