Cooking juicy, tender brisket in the oven is a hassle-free alternative to using a smoker or grill. While convenient, oven-baked brisket is still a labor of love, so set aside plenty of time to prepare it.
Key Ingredients
- Beef Brisket: A 10-12 pound brisket is the perfect size to feed my whole family with plenty of leftovers. Look for a cut of brisket with plenty of marbling; there should be fat strands running through the cut.
- Brisket Rub: Season the brisket with your favorite BBQ rub. My go-to mix combines coarse black pepper, kosher salt, ancho chili powder, mustard powder, onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, and brown sugar.
- Beef Broth: Place 3 cups of beef broth under the brisket, adding more as the liquid evaporates. You can also use chicken broth, beer, or plain ole water.
- Liquid Smoke: To give the beef brisket a subtle smoky flavor, add a few drops of liquid smoke to the broth in the pan beneath the brisket.
Additions and Substitutions
- Spice things up. While many BBQ pros insist that kosher salt, coarse ground black pepper, and maybe a dash of garlic powder are all you need to season a brisket, it’s also fun to experiment with flavors. If you’re ready to mix it up, here are some of the best dry rubs for brisket:
Equipment
Use a large roasting pan or rimmed baking sheet lined with a wire rack to cook the brisket in the oven. The idea is to elevate the brisket while providing a space underneath to hold the beef broth, allowing the hot air to circulate for even cooking.
I highly recommend using a wireless meat thermometer to monitor the temperature of the brisket as it cooks. If you don’t have one, periodically checking with an instant-read thermometer works.
And let’s talk knives—a chef’s best friend or worst enemy. Trust me, I’ve got the scars to prove how important it is to use the right knife. You will need a boning or chef’s knife to trim the fat from the brisket before it cooks and use a slicing knife to cut the brisket.
How to Cook Brisket in the Oven
The full recipe with measurements is in the recipe card below.
Step 1: Trim the fat cap on the brisket using a sharp boning knife or chef’s knife, leaving ¼-inch of fat for extra flavor.
Step 2: Combine the dry rub spices in a small bowl and use them to coat both sides of the brisket. Wrap the brisket in plastic wrap and let it rest at room temperature for one hour or overnight in the fridge.
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). Baking brisket at low heat tenderizes the meat by allowing the connective tissues to break down gradually, resulting in juicy, fork-tender beef brisket.
Step 3: Bring the brisket to room temperature for 1 hour before cooking. Preheat the oven to 275°F (135°C) and set a wire rack over a rimmed baking sheet. Pour 1½ cups beef broth and 2–3 dashes of liquid smoke into the pan, then place the brisket fat-side down on the rack.
Step 4: Bake uncovered for 2 to 3 hours, checking occasionally to add more beef broth as needed.
Step 5: If you’re not using a wireless meat thermometer, check the brisket’s temperature at the 4-hour mark by inserting a food thermometer into the thickest part of the meat. At 165°F (74°C), remove the brisket and wrap it tightly in heavy-duty foil or butcher paper.
Step 6: Return the wrapped brisket to the wire rack to cook for 1-2 hours, or until the internal temperature reaches 195℉ (90℃)-200℉ (93℃).
Tip
A wireless meat thermometer comes in handy at this point. You can insert it before cooking to monitor the brisket’s temperature throughout the bake without opening the oven and losing precious heat.
Step 7: Transfer the brisket to a cutting board. Tent it with aluminum foil and let it rest for one hour.
Step 8: Use a knife to cut the flat-cut part of the brisket against the grain into ¼-inch slices. The point-cut brisket will have an opposing grain. Slice it against the grain for fatter, juicier slices, or chop it up.
How to Slice Beef Brisket
Start with this video from Mad Scientist BBQ demonstrating how to slice a brisket, but here are some basic instructions on how it is done.
1. Find the grain of the brisket, a term used to describe how the muscle strands run through the meat. When cutting a whole brisket, note that the grain runs differently between the flat and point cuts.
2. Once you determine the direction of the grain, slice the flat-cut part of the brisket against the grain into ¼-inch slices.
3. The grain of the point-cut part of the brisket will run in the other direction. You can decide whether to slice the point cut, shred it, or chop it into small pieces.
Expert Tips
- Steam is your friend. Keep the brisket moist by adding beef broth and liquid smoke to the bottom of the roasting pan or baking sheet. The steam prevents the beef from drying out, so replenish the liquid as it evaporates.
- Low temperature is best. Brisket is a tough cut that requires slow cooking at a low temperature to break down the fat and collagen and become tender. Set your oven to 275°F (135°C) and give it plenty of time to cook. While it’s tempting to speed things up by cranking up the heat, it won’t help.
- Avoid the stall. Skip the stall by implementing the Texas crutch. Wrap the brisket tightly in heavy-duty foil or butcher paper to trap heat and moisture, then continue cooking until the brisket reaches the ideal temperature.
- Wait to wrap the beef. Let the brisket reach 165℉ (74℃) before wrapping it, keeping the meat uncovered long enough to develop some caramelization from the seasoning.
- Use a thermometer. Cooking times vary depending on the size and thickness of the brisket, so use a meat thermometer to determine the internal temperature for doneness. For the best results, cook the brisket to 195℉ (90℃)-200℉ (93℃).
- Rest the beef. The final trick to ending up with moist beef brisket is setting aside the time to let the brisket rest after it cooks. Tent it with aluminum foil and leave it to rest for one hour, giving the juices time to redistribute and flavor the meat.
What’s the Stall?
You may have heard of a BBQ term called “the stall.” It refers to a stage during the cooking process when the internal temperature of the brisket plateaus or even dips around 165°F (74°C).
Start by cooking the brisket uncovered to develop a nice bark and smoke ring (if using a smoker). Pitmaster Aaron Franklin recommends wrapping the brisket partway through cooking using butcher paper (which traps less steam) or foil to help it push through the stall and retain moisture. Wrapping creates a mini oven effect, trapping steam and speeding up the process.
While you can trap the heat and wrap your meat, not all pit masters take this approach because can soften the hard-earned bark.
If you enjoy cooking brisket in the oven, try more dinner recipes!
Serving Suggestions
Pair beef brisket with pickled red onions, dill pickles, and your favorite BBQ sauce like Carolina gold BBQ sauce, BBQ aioli, raspberry chipotle BBQ sauce, or Cheerwine BBQ sauce.
When it comes to sides, here are a few of my top picks:
- Potato Salad with Yogurt
- Southern Potato Salad
- Vinegar Coleslaw
- Roasted Potatoes
- French Fries
- Au Gratin Potatoes
- Dutch Oven Mac and Cheese
- Baked Beans with Hamburger.
What To Do With Leftovers
- Refrigerate: Store leftover brisket in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
- Freeze: Let the brisket cool completely, then wrap it in plastic before transferring it to a freezer-safe container or bag. It keeps in the freezer for 2-3 months.
- Thaw: Defrost brisket in the refrigerator overnight for the best results.
- Repurpose: Turn leftovers into brisket sliders with creamy Alabama white sauce. Shred or dice the brisket for tacos or quesadillas—load them up with shredded cheese, chunky salsa, and guacamole without tomato. Chop the brisket into small pieces and cook it with potatoes, onions, and bell peppers for a quick brisket hash.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long can you leave raw brisket in the fridge?
Store uncooked brisket in the refrigerator for 3-5 days before cooking and preparing the brisket in the oven.
Can you overcook brisket in the oven?
Brisket is all about patience. It is a tough cut with connective tissue that needs plenty of time to break down, transforming it into tender, juicy perfection. Slow-cooking at a low temperature is the secret to achieving melt-in-your-mouth texture.
Brisket can be unforgiving. Cook it too long or crank the heat up, and you risk dry, overcooked beef. That’s why it’s key to follow the recipe closely and keep an eye on the internal temperature.
If you let the brisket rest for an hour, won’t it be cold?
Let the cooked brisket rest in a warm spot or loosely tent it with foil to keep it hot until you’re ready to slice. For longer holding times, consider wrapping it in butcher paper to lock in the heat.
How many people does one brisket feed?
The number of people a brisket can feed depends on the brisket size, portion sizes, and individual appetites. A whole brisket (including the point and flat) serves about 8 to 10 people.
Is brisket dry rub the same as brisket dry brine?
Dry rubbing brisket means applying a spice blend directly to the surface of the beef right before cooking. As it bakes, the rub forms a flavorful crust on the outside, with the spices slightly penetrating the meat.
Dry brining involves seasoning the brisket with salt and other spices and letting it rest, usually overnight (but at least one hour). During this time, the salt works its magic, drawing moisture to the surface of the meat and pulling it back in, seasoning the beef from the inside out to help it stay juicy.
What’s the difference between flat-cut and point-cut brisket?
Brisket comes in two main cuts: flat and point. The flat cut is a rectangular stab of meat with even thickness. It’s leaner and firmer than the point cut, making it perfect for slicing into uniform pieces.
The point cut, on the other hand, has a triangular, irregular shape with fat marbled throughout. Thanks to the extra fat, the meat is pull-apart tender—ideal for shredding or chopping. Hello, brisket sandwiches!
Should I cook the brisket fat cap up or down?
This debate gets heated, but after plenty of testing and research, I say cook the brisket fat cap down in most situations, especially when the heat source comes from below. This way, the fat acts as a shield, protecting the meat from direct heat and helping preserve any bark that forms as the brisket bakes.
You can cook the fat cap up if your heat comes from above, like in some pellet grills or certain smokers, but it’s not necessary.
More Beef Recipes:
Brisket in the Oven
- Small Bowl
- 10-12 pound beef brisket, trimmed
- 3 tablespoons coarse black pepper
- 3 tablespoons kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons ancho chili powder
- 2 tablespoons mustard powder
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 tablespoon brown sugar
- 3-4 cups beef broth
- 2-4 taps liquid smoke
- Trim the fat cap on the brisket using a sharp boning knife or chef’s knife, leaving ¼-inch of fat for extra flavor.
- Combine the dry rub spices in a small bowl and use them to coat both sides of the brisket. Wrap the brisket in plastic wrap and let it rest at room temperature for one hour or overnight in the fridge.
- Bring the brisket to room temperature for 1 hour before cooking. Preheat the oven to 275°F (135°C) and set a wire rack over a rimmed baking sheet. Pour 1½ cups beef broth and 2–3 dashes of liquid smoke into the pan, then place the brisket fat-side down on the rack.
- Bake uncovered for 2 to 3 hours, checking occasionally to add more beef broth as needed.
- If you’re not using a wireless meat thermometer, check the brisket’s temperature at the 4-hour mark by inserting a food thermometer into the thickest part of the meat. At 165°F (74°C), remove the brisket and wrap it tightly in heavy-duty foil or butcher paper.
- Return the wrapped brisket to the wire rack to cook for 1-2 hours or until the internal temperature reaches 195℉ (90℃)-200℉ (93℃).Tip: A wireless meat thermometer comes in handy at this point. You can insert it before cooking to monitor the brisket’s temperature throughout the bake without opening the oven and losing precious heat.
- Remove the brisket from the oven and transfer it to a cutting board. Tent the beef with foil and let it rest for one hour.
- Use a knife to cut the flat-cut part of the brisket against the grain into ¼-inch slices. The point-cut brisket will have an opposing grain. Slice it against the grain for fatter, juicier slices, or chop it up.
- Steam is your friend. Keep the brisket moist by adding beef broth and liquid smoke to the bottom of the roasting pan or baking sheet. The steam prevents the beef from drying out, so replenish the liquid as it evaporates.
- Low temperature is best. Brisket is a tough cut that requires slow cooking at a low temperature to break down the fat and collagen and become tender. Set your oven to 275°F (135°C) and give it plenty of time to cook. While it’s tempting to speed things up by cranking up the heat, it won’t help.
- Avoid the stall. Skip the stall by implementing the Texas crutch. Wrap the brisket tightly in heavy-duty foil or butcher paper to trap heat and moisture, then continue cooking until the brisket reaches the ideal temperature.
- Wait to wrap the beef. Let the brisket reach 165℉ (74℃) before wrapping it, keeping the meat uncovered long enough to develop some caramelization from the seasoning.
- Use a thermometer. Cooking times vary depending on the size and thickness of the brisket, so use a meat thermometer to determine the internal temperature for doneness. For the best results, cook the brisket to 195℉ (90℃)-200℉ (93℃).
- Rest the beef. The final trick to ending up with moist beef brisket is setting aside the time to let the brisket rest after it cooks. Tent it with aluminum foil and leave it to rest for one hour, giving the juices time to redistribute and flavor the meat.