If you ever wanted to make amazing beef brisket in your oven I'm here to take you through it step by step. I've also included recipes for my favorite brisket rub and BBQ sauce.
- Flavorful - One advantage of oven baked brisket is it cooks in an aluminum pouch which seals in moisture and catches all the brisket juices. These juices are saved and used in our BBQ sauce making the brisket extra moist, tender and delicious.
- Low & Slow - The key to great brisket is cooking it low and slow. Time is the most important ingredient.
- Easy - It may seem intimidating but once you plan for time it's really only 15 minutes of prep. You'll have brisket that looks and tastes amazing.
Beef Brisket in Oven
Ingredients
Brisket
- 1 brisket (3-5 lb fat-trimmed to about ¼ thick)
- Salt to taste
- pepper to taste
Brisket Rub
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar (packed)
- 2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon mustard powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper or to taste (optional)
Barbecue Sauce
- 2 tablespoon butter (or rendered brisket fat)
- 1 cup onion (about ½ of a large onion) finely chopped
- 2-3 garlic cloves minced
- ⅓ cup dark brown sugar packed
- ½ cup ketchup
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
- 1 tablespoon chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (minced) optional
- ½ cup apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup bourbon
- reserved brisket juices skimmed of fat
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 275°F/135°C and place an oven rack in the middle of your oven.
- Season the brisket with salt and black pepper.
- Prepare the brisket rub: in a small bowl, mix all of the spice rub ingredients together until they’re well combined.
- Gently rub the spice mix all over the brisket, making sure to get the spices into all of the nooks and crannies.
- Make a double-layered aluminum foil pouch for the brisket: place two layers of foil down on the counter, place the brisket (with the fat side up) on the foil, and pull the edges of the foil up around the brisket to wrap it. The pouch needs to be sealed well so that it will keep in all of the moisture. Let the brisket sit (refrigerated) in the spice rub for 3 to 24 hours, or cook immediately. (see note below)
- Place the foil pouch on a baking sheet or baking dish and cook for 3 to 5 hours, depending on the size of your brisket. (see note below)
- Turn off the oven and allow the brisket to rest until it’s cool enough to handle without oven mitts.
- Pour the accumulated juices from the brisket into a large measuring cup or a bowl. Skim the fat from the juices, reserving the juices and saving 2 tablespoons of the fat for the sauce. Keep the brisket wrapped in foil and return it to the warm oven while you make the barbecue sauce.
- Heat a medium-sized saucepot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until it’s softened, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until it’s fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the brown sugar, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, chipotle pepper, apple cider vinegar, and bourbon, and stir to combine. Bring it to a simmer and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until all of the ingredients are dissolved. Add the reserved brisket juices and simmer until it has reduced to your desired consistency, about 15 minutes. (If desired, blend the finished sauce to make it more smooth.)
- Remove the brisket from the oven and open the foil pouch. Turn the oven to broil. Brush the brisket with a good layer of sauce and broil, uncovered, until the top is lightly browned and the fat starts to crisp. Allow the brisket to cool slightly before slicing. Slice the brisket against the grain into ¼-inch slices, and serve with extra barbecue sauce.
Notes
- If you have time, it is best to let the rubbed and foil-wrapped brisket sit in the fridge for at least 3 hours, or up to 24 hours. Generally speaking, the longer the brisket has to absorb the flavors of the rub, the better the flavor will be. But if you don’t have time, it’s fine to cook the brisket immediately after applying the rub.
- Brisket cooking times will vary depending on the size. A good rule of thumb is about 1 hour per pound of meat. It's done when it reaches an internal temperature of 165F on your meat thermometer.
Nutrition
Calories: 470kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 48g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 148mg | Sodium: 372mg | Potassium: 896mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 445IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 40mg | Iron: 5mg
Recipe Video
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is brisket? Brisket is a particular cut of beef, one of the nine primal beef cuts. Yes, there is pork brisket but 99 times out of 100 when someone is talking brisket they mean beef brisket. It's in the front of the cow, a part that contains the pectoral muscles that hold up to 60% of the cow's weight. Which means it's a tougher cut with lots of connective tissues. And because it's tougher it can be one of the more affordable cuts of beef. But if you're patient, and cook it low and slow, you're going to get a taste of heaven. It's one of the four main barbecue meats, and it's my favorite.
- How much brisket do I need per person? A rule of thumb is to provide a half pound of cooked brisket per person. That's typically how it's sold at the BBQ joints. Because of the long cooking process, the fat and connective tissues dissolve, moisture evaporates, and the weight shrinks. Some briskets also require trimming of fat. So a good rule of thumb is to plan for a pound of raw or pre-cooked brisket per person.
- What sides are popular with brisket? If you go to the popular Texas roadhouse style BBQs joints common sides you'll find on the menu include: coleslaw, beans, potato salads, collard greens, corn, and cornbread.
- Can I freeze brisket? Yes. It's better to freeze larger pieces of meat than smaller slices as the larger pieces retain moisture better. I wrap it in plastic wrap before putting inside a freezer ziplock bag. Be careful to squeeze out all the air before sealing - air is the enemy. Brisket in the freezer can stay good for 4-12 months.
- How to store beef brisket in fridge? I wrap it in plastic wrap and put it in a ziplock back, careful to squeeze out the air. In the fridge it will last 4-5 days
- How do I reheat brisket? The best way to reheat brisket is the same way it was prepared - low and slow. Preheat your oven to 275. It's done when the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees on your meat thermometer. It should be baked in a two-sheet aluminum pouch similar to how it was made. Timing will depend on whether your brisket is in chunks or slices.
- How are leftovers? Amazing! I love making beef brisket sandwiches the next day. I chop up the slices and mix with BBQ sauce.
- Did you know? Corned beef and pastrami are made from beef brisket.
To all the ranchers, cattlemen, meatpackers, truckers, and butchers who bring wonderful beef to our tables - Thank You!
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