Learning how to cook juicy, tender brisket in the oven is an easy, hassle-free way to serve BBQ beef brisket when you don’t have a smoker or grill. However, oven-baked brisket is still a labor of love so set aside plenty of time to prepare it.
What You Need to Make this Recipe
- Beef Brisket: A 10-12 pound (lb) brisket is perfect for feeding my family with plenty of mouthwatering leftovers.
- Brisket Rub: Use your favorite BBQ rub to season the brisket. However, I enjoy the combination of coarsely ground black pepper, kosher salt, ancho chili powder, mustard powder, brown sugar, onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and cayenne pepper.
- Beef Broth: I use about 3 cups of beef broth, checking the rimmed baking sheet to replace the liquid once it evaporates. You can also use chicken broth, beer, or water.
- Liquid Smoke: Add 1-2 taps of liquid smoke to the beef broth in the bottom of the rimmed baking sheet to infuse the brisket with a smoky flavor as the liquid evaporates.
Tools Used to Make this Recipe
- Use a large roasting pan or wire rack set into a rimmed baking sheet to bake the brisket in the oven. The idea is to elevate the beef while providing a space underneath to contain the beef broth or water.
- Food Thermometer
How to Cook a Brisket in the Oven
Full recipe with measurements is found in the recipe card below
Step 1: Trim the fat cap on the whole brisket using a sharp knife, leaving ½-inch of fat or a partial fat cap to render as it cooks.
Step 2: Combine the dry ingredients for the spice rub in a bowl and coat the brisket on either side. Wrap the brisket with plastic and let it sit for 1 hour at room temperature.
Step 3: Preheat the oven to 275℉ (135℃). Then, line a rimmed baking sheet with a wire rack. Pour 1½ cups of beef broth and 2-3 taps of liquid smoke into the baking sheet and set the brisket onto the wire rack fat side down.
Step 4: Slow cook for 2-3 hours, then check the liquid at the bottom of the baking sheet. Replace the liquid if necessary and continue cooking.
Step 5: At the 4-hour mark, begin checking the brisket by inserting a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the brisket.
Step 6: Once the temperature reaches 165℉ (73℃), carefully remove the brisket from the oven and wrap it in heavy-duty aluminum foil.
Step 7: Set the brisket onto the wire rack and return it to the oven to cook for 1-2 hours or until the brisket reaches an internal temperature of 195℉ (90℃)-200℉ (93℃).
Step 8: Remove the brisket from the oven and set it on a cutting board. Tent with foil and let it rest for one hour.
Expert Tips
- Apply a flavorful dry rub on the brisket, wrap it in plastic, and let it sit at room temperature to enhance the flavor of the meat.
- Transfer the seasoned brisket to a wire rack in a rimmed baking sheet or roasting pan. The wire rack elevates the beef, allowing hot air to circulate evenly for even cooking.
- Prevent a brisket from drying out by adding beef broth and liquid smoke to the rimmed baking sheet or the bottom of a roasting pan. The liquid creates steam, keeping the beef moist as it cooks. Be sure to replace the water in the bottom of the baking sheet throughout the cooking process since it will evaporate.
- Brisket is a tough cut of meat that requires slow cooking at a low temperature to break down the collagen and become tender. Set your oven to 275°F (135°C) and allow sufficient cooking time. You may be tempted to cook at a higher temperature for faster cooking time, but don’t. Baking the brisket low and slow allows the fat to break down over time and tenderizes the rest of the beef.
- Avoid the stall by implementing the Texas crutch, which involves wrapping the brisket in heavy-duty foil to trap the heat. Then, continue cooking the meat until it reaches an ideal temperature.
- Try not to wrap the brisket until it reaches 165℉ (73℃). Doing so allows the meat to be in the stall long enough to create a nice bark on the outside of the meat. Since you’re cooking in the oven, it won’t be the same as using a smoker (I wish), but it is delicious.
What’s the Stall?
Trap the heat and wrap your meat. But seriously, have you ever heard of the dreaded stall? “The stall” refers to a phenomenon that happens when you bake, smoke, or barbecue a brisket. During the cooking process, the brisket’s internal temperature can plateau or even decrease for some time, typically after it reaches 165℉ (73℃).
You should always begin cooking brisket in the open to get a nice bark and smoke ring (if using a smoker. When cooking brisket, pit master Chef Phil recommends wrapping the meat in paper or foil partway through cooking to prevent the meat from losing too much moisture during the stall phase of cooking. Wrapping the meat creates a mini oven around the brisket, trapping in steam and speeding up the cooking process.
How to Slice and Serve Beef Brisket
Step 1: Find the grain of the brisket (how the muscle strands run through the meat). When cutting a whole brisket, the grain will run in different directions between the flat and point cut.
Step 2: Once you’ve determined the direction of the grain, slice the flat-cut part of the brisket against the grain into ¼ – inch slices for tender, fall-apart sliced meat.
Step 3: The point-cut brisket will have an opposing grain, and you can either slice the brisket against the grain for fatter, juicier slices or chop it up for other recipes.
Check out this video from Mad Scientist BBQ demonstrating how to slice a brisket.
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Serving Suggestions
- Garnish: Barbecue Sauce, Sumac Onions, Pickles
- Salad: Healthy Potato Salad, Southern Potato Salad, Gluten Free Pasta Salad
- Potatoes: Roasted Potatoes, Air Fryer Hasselback Potatoes, Air Fryer Frozen Sweet Potato Fries
- Coleslaw: Vinegar Coleslaw, Homemade Coleslaw with Cilantro and Mint
- Sides: Southern Mac and Cheese, Baked Beans with Hamburger, Green Beans
What to Do With the Leftovers
- Refrigerate – Store the leftovers in an airtight container for 3-5 days.
- Freeze – Let the brisket cool and wrap it in plastic. Then, transfer the beef to a freezer-safe container or bag. Brisket freezes for 2-3 months.
- Thaw – Defrost the frozen brisket in the refrigerator overnight.
- Reheat – Warm the leftovers in the microwave or oven until warm.
- Repurpose – The best way to use leftover brisket is to make delicious brisket sliders. Shred or dice the brisket for tacos or quesadillas, adding toppings like shredded cheese, chunky salsa, and guacamole. Chop the beef into small pieces and sauté it with potatoes, onions, and peppers to make brisket hash. Or you can incorporate the brisket into a chili with tomatoes, beans, and spices.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long can you leave raw brisket in the fridge?
Store the fresh brisket in the coldest part of the refrigerator for up to five days before cooking and preparing the brisket in the oven.
What temperature should I cook my brisket in the oven?
When baking a brisket in the oven, I recommend cooking it at 275°F (135°C). Cooking at a low heat tenderizes the meat by allowing the connective tissues to break down gradually, resulting in tender, fork tender beef brisket for you to enjoy.
Cooking times vary depending on the size and thickness of the meat, so use a meat thermometer to determine the internal temperature for doneness. For the best results, cook the brisket to 195℉ (90℃)-200℉ (93℃).
Can you overcook brisket in the oven?
Brisket requires careful cooking to become tender and juicy. This cut of beef contains lots of connective tissue that needs time to break down. Baking it slowly at a low temperature allows the tissues to break apart and become tender.
However, you should follow my beef brisket recipe to the letter because if it cooks too long or at too high a temperature, you risk the beef becoming dry and overcooked; that’s why checking the internal temperature is so important.
If you let the brisket rest for an hour, won’t it be cold?
Leave the cooked brisket to rest somewhere warm, or tent the beef in foil; it will stay hot until you’re ready to slice it. However, if you’re concerned or need to keep the brisket warm for longer, consider wrapping it in butcher paper to retain the heat.
How many people does one brisket feed?
The amount of people a brisket can feed varies based on a few things: the size of the brisket, how hungry everyone is, and how large the portions are.
As a rough estimate, a whole brisket (including the point and flat) will feed about 8 to 10 people.
Is brisket dry rub the same as brisket dry brine?
Dry rubbing a brisket involves applying a spice mixture directly onto the surface of the beef and immediately placing it in the oven to create a flavorful crust as it cooks. A dry rub will flavor the outside of the meat, and the spices will somewhat penetrate the beef.
On the other hand, dry brining involves coating the brisket with salt and other seasonings, allowing it to sit on the surface for an extended period, typically overnight. The salt penetrates the meat, enhancing moisture retention and seasoning the meat from the inside out.
What’s the difference between flat-cut and point-cut brisket?
Brisket comes in two main cuts – flat and point cut. The flat cut is a long, rectangular slab of meat with uniform thickness. It has a fat layer on one side that helps keep it moist during cooking. Because it’s lean and firm compared to the point cut, flat-cut brisket slices neatly – perfect for tender slices of brisket.
On the other hand, point-cut brisket has an irregular triangular shape with one thicker end. It contains fat marbled throughout, making it more tender and flavorful. The point cut falls apart and is ideal for pulling, shredding, or chopping. Can you say brisket sandwich?
I use a whole brisket from Costco to make my oven-roasted, juicy beef brisket, but I have had good results with both the flat and point-cut. Most grocery stores will carry flat briskets.
More Beef Recipes:
Brisket in the Oven
- Small Bowl
- 10-12 pound beef brisket, trimmed
- 3 tablespoons black pepper, coarse ground
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons ancho chili powder
- 2 tablespoons mustard powder
- 2 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 3 cups beef broth, divided
- 2-4 taps liquid smoke
- Trim the fat cap on the whole brisket using a sharp knife, leaving ½-inch of fat or a partial fat cap to render as it cooks.
- Combine the dry ingredients for the spice rub in a bowl and coat the brisket on either side. Wrap the brisket with plastic and let it sit for 1 hour at room temperature.
- Preheat the oven to 275℉ (135℃). Then, line a rimmed baking sheet with a wire rack. Pour 1½ cups of beef broth and 2-3 taps of liquid smoke into the baking sheet and set the brisket onto the wire rack fat side down.
- Slow cook for 2-3 hours, then check the liquid at the bottom of the baking sheet. Replace the liquid if necessary and continue cooking.
- At the 4-hour mark, begin checking the brisket by inserting a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the brisket. Once the temperature reaches 165℉ (73℃), carefully remove the brisket from the oven and wrap it in heavy-duty aluminum foil. Set the brisket onto the wire rack and return it to the oven to cook for 1-2 hours or until the brisket reaches an internal temperature of 195℉ (90℃)-200℉ (93℃).
- Remove the brisket from the oven and set it on a cutting board. Tent with foil and let it rest for one hour.
- Slice the flat-cut part of the brisket against the grain into ¼ – inch slices. The point-cut brisket will have an opposing grain, and you can either slice the brisket against the grain for fatter, juicier slices or chop it up for other recipes.
- Apply a flavorful dry rub on the brisket, wrap it in plastic, and let it sit at room temperature to enhance the flavor of the meat.
- Transfer the seasoned brisket to a wire rack in a rimmed baking sheet or roasting pan. The wire rack elevates the beef, allowing hot air to circulate evenly for even cooking.
- Prevent a brisket from drying out by adding beef broth and liquid smoke to the rimmed baking sheet or the bottom of a roasting pan. The liquid creates steam, keeping the beef moist as it cooks. Be sure to replace the water in the bottom of the baking sheet throughout the cooking process since it will evaporate.
- Brisket is a tough cut of meat that requires slow cooking at a low temperature to break down the collagen and become tender. Set your oven to 275°F (135°C) and allow sufficient cooking time. You may be tempted to increase the temperature for faster cooking time, but don’t. Baking the brisket low and slow allows the fat to break down over time and tenderizes the rest of the beef.
- Trap the heat and wrap your meat. But seriously, have you ever heard of the dreaded stall? “The stall” refers to a phenomenon that happens when you bake, smoke, or barbecue a brisket. During the cooking process, the brisket’s internal temperature can plateau or even decrease for some time, typically after it reaches 165℉ (73℃). Avoid this by implementing the Texas crutch, which involves wrapping the brisket in heavy-duty foil to trap the heat. Then, continue cooking the meat until it reaches an ideal temperature.
- Try not to wrap the brisket until it reaches 165℉ (73℃). Doing so allows the meat to be in the stall long enough to create a nice bark on the outside of the meat. Since you’re cooking in the oven, it won’t be the same as using a smoker (I wish), but it is delicious.
- The nutritional information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for professional advice.