Point cut is the fattier cut.

All brisket shrinks a lot when you cook it no matter what. This is one reason brisket is relatively cheaper per pound except at major Jewish holidays and St. Patricks.

You need to figure about 3//4 per pound raw weight person, depending on how many side dishes you are going to have and how much your diners are "meat eaters." For six people, I would get at least a four to six pounder flat cut and maybe a bit bigger because I love left over brisket for sandwiches. A bigger brisket also seems to shrink a little less.

I prefer whatever the flat cut is called. But there is still significant shrinkage. I usually cook mine on the stove top... once in the pot and covered with water, no babying needed, just let it simmer away. I usually add addition picking spices, a few bay leaves and generous amount of garlic.

I like cabbage cut in "bite-sized" chunks, not strips... though makes no difference to flavor. Like whole LITTLE potatoes or quartered bigger ones.

When meat is getting fork tender, I pull it out. That's when I put the potatoes and cabbage into the simmering liquid. I like it sliced SUPER thin with a blob of nice spicy, brown mustard on side of plate for dipping.

I've always been taught to leave the meat in the cooking liquid to cool (after slicing off what you need for the meal) to minimise shrinkage in the leftovers.

I also like the flat cut, rather than the point cut, it's easier to slice nicely and seems maybe a tiny bit less fatty.

Corned beef does shrink, no matter what. I always buy far bigger cuts than I think I'll need because I like corned beef hash even better than I like the original corned beef dinner.

Annie

Brisket is sold either whole or cut. The two cuts are point and flat. Point is the upper part and contains a fatty middle layer in addition to the fat cap. The flat is the lower part and is leaner, having just the main fat cap.

I've never made corned beef myself and I haven't eaten it in many year. I prefer the flat cut when braising as I don't like fat. I'll trim off the fat cap and then use my favorite recipe for a braise. When we smoke brisket, we smoke the entire brisket untrimmed, since you need that extra fat in the smoking process to keep the meat tender.

Overall, brisket will shrink during cooking because of the amount of fat contained within the meat. The low/slow approach will render most of that fat out, leaving you with a considerably smaller piece of meat than what you started with.

In my house, a flat cut (4 -6 pounds) will feed 4 people when braised.