This oven baked beef brisket recipe is so easy and simply the best! Made with a simple dry rub, this no-fuss oven-roasted brisket recipe requires no oversight on the cook’s part and comes out tender and full of flavor every time.
Do you have a favorite cooked brisket recipe? This one is at the top of our family’s list for special occasions. Not only does this recipe result in the best flavor and tender slices of beef, but it also requires no fuss during the cooking process. This means the home chef can spend time with the guests, not in the kitchen.
Where is Beef Brisket From?
Brisket is one of the primal cuts of beef, and it’s from the breast section of the cow, between the steer’s shoulder and forelegs. When a cow stands or lies down, much of their body weight is on this area. Since this muscle is used often, it’s stronger and has lots of muscle fibers, collagen and connective tissue. This muscle gets a workout every day, and is a tougher cut of meat.
Brisket is made of two different muscles, which are separated by a thick layer of fat cap. The two cuts of brisket are the flat cut (a.k.a. first cut, the leaner end) and the point cut (a.k.a. second cut, the fat end).
A whole beef brisket can weigh anywhere from about 5 to 20 pounds. Usually, a grocery store will sell brisket as either the flat or point, not a whole brisket. If you want a whole beef brisket, you’ll need to go to a local butcher or a local farmer.
When cooking a whole brisket, remember that the flat and point cook differently — this is why cooking brisket can be so tricky! The flat is slightly leaner than the point and is easier to overcook. The point is very well-marbled and needs a longer cook time.
How Do you Make Brisket More Tender?
The secret to achieving a tender brisket is letting it cook on a lower temperature over a longer period of time. The phrase “low and slow” is what’s often used for brisket. By doing this, the connective tissues dissolve and the beef becomes fork tender. You can cook it slowly in a variety of ways — oven, slow cooker and even the grill.
If you want to cook it in a slow cooker, we recommend this barbecue beef brisket slow cooker recipe with homemade BBQ sauce.
Tips for Cooking the Perfect Brisket
- One of the many reasons we like this recipe is because the brisket rub uses basic pantry ingredients: kosher salt, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, ground black pepper, sugar, dry mustard and bay leaf. Mix the ingredients in a small bowl and apply dry rub liberally to all sides of the brisket.
- We typically use a large roasting pan for this oven-baked brisket recipe, but you could also use a disposable pan for easy clean-up.
- This recipe calls for cooking the brisket uncovered AND covered. Be extra carefully when you remove the brisket from the oven and tightly wrap pan with aluminum foil. The pan will be very hot, so please be careful.
- Always allow for carryover cooking. Watch the thermometer, and when the center of a brisket comes within 10 degrees of the target, it’s time to take it off the heat. The internal temperature will rise an additional 5-7° degrees as it rests after being removed from the oven.
- Always let the brisket rest for 15-20 minutes before you cut it. This will allow the juices to redistribute evenly and lets the meat fibers relax for ultimate tenderness.
How Many Hours Does it Take to Cook a Beef Brisket?
Remember, patience is a must when cooking brisket! It needs to cook for about 40 minutes per pound of brisket. For best results, always use a digital meat thermometer (this is our favorite). The ideal temperature is between 180-200°F.
How Much Brisket Per Person?
The recommended serving size for brisket is 1/2 pound of uncooked meat per person. That said, brisket shrinks when it cooks more than any other cut of beef. So, our rule of thumb is 1 pound of meat per person we’re serving.
Rest & Serve
Like any good piece of meat, brisket must rest after cooking. Resting the meat lets the brisket’s fibers relax and widen so that juices redistribute throughout the cut of beef.
You absolutely must let the brisket rest for at least 20 minutes before slicing. If you do, you’ll have tender, juicy slices of flavorful brisket. If you hurry and slice it too soon, you’ll loose the juiciness on the cutting board and the beef will be dry. Let it rest!
Cutting Against the Grain
In beef, the grain of the meat is referring to the direction of the muscle fibers that run within the piece of meat. Cutting against the grain means to cut through the fibers and make them shorter. This makes all cuts of beef more tender and easier to chew, especially cuts like brisket, which is known to be a tough cut of meat.
How do you cut meat against the grain? First, look at your meat and find the grain. Next, place your knife perpendicular to the grain. Then, cut the meat into thin slices. That’s it!
How to Store and Reheat Brisket
We never have any leftover brisket when we make this recipe, but maybe you will!
- To store: Place any leftover brisket and meat juices into an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months
- To reheat: Place your refrigerated brisket and meat juices into a roasting pan or baking dish and heat in a 325°F oven until warmed to your liking.
Beef Brisket Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 pounds beef brisket trimmed
- 2 Tablespoons chili powder
- 2 Tablespoons kosher salt
- 1 Tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 Tablespoon onion powder
- 1 Tablespoon ground black pepper
- 1 Tablespoon sugar
- 2 teaspoons dry mustard
- 1 bay leaf crushed
- 1 1/2 cups beef stock
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350
- Trim the brisket (if you haven't already done so). Pat meat dry with a paper towel.
- Make a dry rub by combining all of the dry ingredients in a small bowl, and season all sides of the brisket with the rub
- Place brisket in a roasting pan uncovered, and roast for 1 hour at 350-degrees
- Remove brisket from oven, add the beef stock so that there’s about 1/2 inch of liquid in the pan. If you have a big pan, you may need more than 1 1/2 cups of beef stock or you can also add water.
- Lower oven to 300, remove brisket from oven and tightly wrap pan with aluminum foil. Place back in oven for an additional 3-hours or until fork tender.
- Slice meat thinly across the grain. If desired, use the drippings from the pan to make an au jus sauce. Pour sauce over meat or potatoes, if desired.
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