Recipes ยป Beef ยป Simple Oven Baked Brisket Recipe

Simple Oven Baked Brisket Recipe

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our Disclosure Policy.

This Oven Brisket recipe is tender and juicy with a delicious crusty bark that will have you licking your fingers. This simple oven-baked brisket will feed a crowd and makes the most delicious leftovers.

You loved how we baked up our Corned Beef recipe, and I’m certain you’ll like this oven baked beef brisket too.

Sliced Beef Brisket fanned out on a cutting board.

The first time I made a brisket in the oven, it turned out to resemble a piece of coal. I could have cried. All that time and money down the drain! This recipe for beef brisket is simple and will take out all the guesswork for when you want a fork-tender juicy beef brisket.

Why You’ll Love or Tell me About This Oven Brisket

  • Juicy and tender with a minimal amount of work
  • Brisket is always the star of the meal and will feed a crowd
  • The leftover options are amazing and reason enough to make this baked brisket oven
Slices of oven brisket recipe on a cutting board

What is Brisket?

Brisket is a cut of beef that comes from the lower breast or pectoral muscles of a cow. This is a muscular (well exercised) area which is why it’s tough.

How to pick out the perfect Beef Brisket

Beef Briskets can vary from about three pounds up to a very large brisket. The size will not determine the quality of the outcome.

A whole brisket is cut into either a “Flat” or Point”. Both bake beautifully but here’s the difference.

  • Point cut is a rounder thicker piece of meat. It generally has more fat marbling so is very flavorful.
  • Flat cut can also be referred to as round and is a thinner piece of meat and it’s a little leaner. It’s easier to slice so it makes a nice presentation.

Both beef brisket cuts are delicious so don’t stress if you don’t know the difference or don’t have the option of one versus the other.

How much brisket equals one serving?

You can expect a brisket to cook down 50 percent of its total weight. It’s always best to have more meat than you need in my opinion. Therefore, I always plan on 1 pound of raw meat per person, or 1/2 pound cooked.

It also depends on how you are serving it. I want a tender brisket thinly sliced. I don’t cook it long enough to shred. Slices will not go as far as chopped or shredded brisket will. I found detailed serving information here.

How many people will I be serving or how much do I want leftover? This tells me how big a brisket cut I want. I generally go for the 4 to 5 pounds. We love the leftovers.

Top down view of a baked and sliced brisket.

Tools we used for oven beef brisket recipe

  • Roasting Pan – I like using a roaster that comes with a rack and a lid. You also need a large enough one for a large brisket or turkey at Thanksgiving.
  • Instant-Read Meat Thermometer – This is a kitchen must-have. We use this one when grilling or even baking bread.

Oven Baked Brisket Ingredients

Brisket

I used a 5-1/2 pound brisket flat for this recipe.

Top down view of the individual spices used to make a brisket dry rub.
Dry Rub Recipe Ingredients

Brisket Rub Recipe Ingredients

  • Brown sugar
  • Paprika – smoked or variety of your choice.
  • Salt – kosher salt works well for this recipe
  • Garlic powder
  • Cracked black pepper – coarse black pepper would work too
  • Onion powder
  • Dry mustard powder
  • Cayenne
  • Chili powder
  • 1 tbsp ground cumin
  • 1 tbsp dried thyme

We love this rub with beef brisket, chicken, or even salmon. Other amazing options would be my Creole Seasoning Blend or my Rib Spice Rub recipe. These blends don’t require that you add additional salt and pepper to the meat.

How to make an Oven Brisket Recipe

Earlier in the day or the night before

Note: I recommend letting the brisket rub sit on the meat for 6 to 8 hours or overnight so the meat has a chance to absorb all of the amazing spice flavors.

  1. Remove the brisket from the refrigerator. Trim the fat cap to 1 inch and dot the moisture off of the brisket with paper towels.
  2. Combine and whisk the brisket rub ingredients together.
A bowl filled with combined dry rub ingredients for beef brisket
Dry Rub Recipe
  1. Sprinkle some of the dry rub on a baking sheet covered with a large piece of plastic wrap. Place the brisket over the dry rub and sprinkle more on the top. Turn it over and apply more to the bottom. Wrap the beef brisket tightly and refrigerate for 6 to 8 hours before cooking or overnight. At least 30 minutes if you’re in a rush.

How To Cook Brisket In The Oven

A dry rubbed beef brisket sitting on a grate inside a roasting pan.
place brisket on a cooking rack
  1. Remove the brisket from the refrigerator and allow the brisket to come close to room temperature.
  2. Preheat the oven to 275°F and place the oven rack so the meat cooks close to the middle of the oven.
  3. Prepare the roasting pan by placing the rack inside and filling the bottom with water just below the rack. You don’t want the meat sitting in the water.
  4. Remove the plastic wrap from the brisket and place the brisket fat side up on the roaster pan rack. Replace the lid and place the brisket in the oven.
  5. Bake covered until the brisket reaches 140 to 145°F. Remove the lid and continue baking to 190-200°F.
  6. Remove the brisket from the oven and let it rest for 30 minutes.
Top down view of a whole oven baked brisket with a thick crusty dry rubbed bark.

How long do you cook a brisket and at what temperature?

The temperature of your oven means everything. Higher heat can equal less cooking time. If you have the time low and slow is the way to go.

Since a beef brisket is a tougher cut of meat it has to cook slower so the fibrous tissue breaks down making it tender.

We choose to slow cook brisket by baking it at 275°F covered until it reaches an internal temperature of 150°F to 165°F which takes about 3 hours. Baked brisket is actually safe to eat at 145°F but will be tough.

At that time we remove the lid so the bark can crisp up and cook it until it reaches 190°F to 200°F for slicing or 205-210°F for chopping or pulling which took about 1 more hour.

Tip: Once the internal beef brisket temperature reaches about 145°F, I check it about every 20 to 30 minutes so I don’t overbake it.

You can overbake a brisket. If that happens, your brisket can taste dry, crumble, and fall apart.

We’ve baked brisket in the oven at 325ºF and it was at 185ºF within 3 hours. Test it at 2 hours and see what the internal temperature is.

How to store and reheat baked brisket

Best Way To Store beef brisket

Before I bake the brisket, I plan on how I will be serving it such as;

  • If I bake just enough for a couple of meals, I will slice it and store it in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
  • If I want to repurpose oven brisket, I get a general idea of what I’m going to be doing with it and when I plan on using it.
    • You can chop it or slice it before refrigerating it or, you can freeze it in the quantity for the recipes you plan on making eventually.
  • Baked brisket freezes well for up to 3 months in an airtight container.
    • To freeze sliced brisket, I will usually separate individual servings. That makes a quick dinner during the week.

How to thaw oven-baked brisket

Beef brisket can be placed in the refrigerator to thaw overnight. You can also partially thaw it at room temperature and then finish thawing it in the refrigerator to finish thawing.

Best way to reheat oven-baked beef brisket

Brisket can be used from a frozen state if using it in soups or stews. You can also put frozen brisket slices in a slow cooker covered in a sauce such as BBQ sauce. Cook on low until heated through.

Slices of oven brisket recipe on a cutting board

Oven Brisket Recipe FAQs

Should I trim the fat off a brisket?

I trim the fat to a 1/2 inch thickness. Some recommend 1/4 inch because they say the spices will not penetrate more than 1/4 inch.

To me, the fat adds flavor and helps the tough meat to break down and become tender. Either thickness will not affect the outcome of this oven beef brisket recipe

Do you oil brisket before adding the rub?

No, there is no reason to oil the meat before applying the brisket rub.

Should I cover the brisket with foil while it rests?

No, don’t cover the brisket with foil. That will ruin that crusty bark that you’ve worked so hard to get.

Can this oven beef brisket recipe be cooked on a grill?

Yes, oven-baked brisket is amazing when cooked on a grill just like you would an oven, low and slow.

Why do you cut brisket across the grain?

When you slice the brisket across the grain you break up the tough fibers evenly making it tender. When you slice it with the grain those fibers remain intact and make for a tough and chewy brisket.

Grilling Brisket on a Charcoal Grill

A grilled brisket with a beautiful dark bark. Hostess At Heart

I can’t stress enough that every brisket is going to cook differently and you have to give yourself plenty of time and use an instant-read thermometer to guide you. We grilled a 7-pound brisket and it took 10 hours plus we rested it one hour.

We own a “Big Green Egg” which uses lump charcoal. Any charcoal grill where you can control the temperature would work.

Apply the rub like we did with our baked brisket.

We choose to slow cook brisket by baking it at 250°F, 25 degrees lower than our baked brisket until it reached an internal temperature of 165°F which takes about 6 hours.

We increased the grill temperature to 275°F and wrapped it in butcher paper which we believe helps it retain moisture without steaming the meat like foil does. Put it back on the grill and cook to an internal temperature of 200°F to 210°F, for another 4 hours.

Note: You can use parchment paper in lieu of butcher paper.

Remove it from the grill and let it rest for 1 hour. We set our brisket in a small cooler to rest. It stays warm and moist.

Tips for the perfect oven brisket

  • Apply the rub with a spoon. That way you can store any that you don’t use for the next time. If you use your hands to apply it you’ve contaminated it and can’t use any leftovers.
    • There is no need to rub it in.
  • Don’t cover the beef brisket with water or broth. You will not be able to the flavorful crusty bark.
  • Before baking, we slice the tip to see the direction the grain is running. You want to slice your cooked brisket opposite the grain. By looking before it’s baked you’ll know how to slice it. In the image below, the grain is going vertically ↑↑↑ so we will slice it horizontally →→→.
A beef brisket with the tip cut off showing the grain.
sliced raw brisket showing the grain
  • Always let the brisket rest after baking for at least 30 minutes before slicing. We just put it on the cutting board and don’t cover it.
    • You can tent it but don’t wrap it. We’ve tried wrapping it in butcher paper and parchment paper while resting and it did nothing for the final outcome in our opinion.

What should I serve with brisket?

You can find all of our side dish recipes here!

Front image of a sliced juicy Beef Brisket with a dark dry rubbed crust.

What to make with leftover brisket

I hope you enjoyed this delicious recipe as much as we do. Drop me a comment below, and don’t forget to give it a star rating. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐. Your comments and ratings help others decide if this recipe is for them too.

Front image of an oven brisket recipe that was dry rubbed creating a crusty bark and juicy beef.

Beef Brisket

Author: Julie Menghini
This Oven Brisket recipe is tender and juicy with a delicious crusty bark that will have you licking your fingers.
4.52 from 93 votes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours
Resting time (see notes) 30 minutes
Total Time 4 hours 40 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Keyword: Brisket, Corned Beef
Servings: 8

Ingredients
 
 

  • 5 lb Beef Brisket – I used a flat cut

Dry Rub Seasoning

  • 3 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp paprika – smoked or variety of your choice.
  • 4 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tbsp cracked black pepper
  • 2 tsp onion powder
  • 2 tsp dry mustard powder
  • 1/2 tsp cayenne
  • tbsp chili powder
  • 1 tbsp ground cumin
  • 1 tbsp dried thyme

Instructions
 

  • Combine the dry rub seasoning ingredients together in a small bowl.
  • Pat the brisket dry with a paper towel. Cover the brisket with the dry rub seasoning with a spoon. Don't rub the spices into the meat. Cover the meat with plastic wrap and refrigerate it for at least 30 minutes. I recommend 8 to 24 hours.
  • Remove the brisket from the refrigerator and remove the plastic wrap. Allow the meat to come down closer to room temperature while the oven preheats.
    Once the oven is preheated you can bake the brisket regardless of the temperature of the meat.
  • Preheat to 275 °F, and put a grate (roasting rack) in the bottom of a roasting pan or baking dish large enough to hold the meat.
  • Place the brisket fat-side up on the grate. Fill the bottom of the pan with water up to the edge of the grate. Place the meat on the grate and cover with the roasting pan lid.
  • Bake the meat covered for 2 to 3 hours or until an instant-read thermometer reads 145 °F. Remove the lid and bake for 1 more hour or until the internal temperature reaches * 190 °F to 205 °F.
  • * Allow the meat to rest for 30 minutes and then cut the brisket across the grain into thin slices. Serve.

Notes

I apply the dry rub, wrap it and refrigerate the brisket overnight. If you don’t have that kind of time, I recommend at least 30 minutes.
Cooking times vary so it’s recommended that you cook by temperature. A flat brisket will cook quicker than a point because of its thickness. Therefore I recommend that if you purchase the entire brisket you cut the point from the flat.  
*The internal temperature is dependent on your desired outcome. 190° F to 200° F is perfect for slicing. 205° F is for pulling.
Note: We have increased the temperature of our oven to 325° F and the brisket baked in 3 hours. Bake by internal temperature, not the clock.

Nutrition

Calories: 674kcalCarbohydrates: 1gProtein: 50gFat: 51gSaturated Fat: 16gCholesterol: 184mgSodium: 4140mgPotassium: 1010mgVitamin C: 92mgCalcium: 24mgIron: 6mg

Nutritional Disclaimer

This recipe was calculated using the exact brands and measurements I used to make this recipe. If you are following a strict diet please note changing anything will cause the nutritional info to change. My calculations are intended as a guide only.

Tried this recipe?Let me know how it was!

Pin this amazing Brisket Recipe!

Angled view of slices of dry rubbed brisket fanned out on a cutting board

Similar Posts

4.52 from 93 votes (79 ratings without comment)

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




67 Comments

  1. Toughest brisket I ever made and Iโ€™ve made several, tried following the temperature method and I cannot imagine how long I would have had to cook it to reach 190, it was well crusted over at 160โ€ฆflavor was wonderful, but I basically made beef jerky.

  2. Thank you for this fabulous recipe!I made a few adjustments…
    1 tsp cumin
    Ancho chili powder
    Instead of a rack, I set the beef over roughly chopped carrots,celery,and onion. I strained the broth, skimmed off the fat, and boiled the broth to reduce a bit.
    All of it was to die for!

  3. Hi there, dinner is currently in the oven (5:17) and Iโ€™m just now realizing that this 8lb brisket is going to need possibly another 3-4hrs before itโ€™s done.
    I switched the measurement button from 1x (5lb) to 2x for a 10lb brisket but the instructions -bake 2-3 hrs or until temp reaches 145- did not adjust accordingly.
    I am waaay off on having dinner ready tonight.
    Not your fault, but I thought Iโ€™d let you know. Maybe you can make a note in the instructions that a 10lb would be closer to 8-10hrs?
    First time attempting brisket and this is a cow my husband raised, pretty bummed.

    1. @Shelley, hi I read that you should cook a brisket for about 60 minutes per pound up to 190-200 in oven. Is that how long yiurs ended up taking? I have a 7 pounder so Iโ€™m prepping for 7 hours.

  4. This the first time making a brisket. I followed the recipe except did less salt and chili powder. I left the rub on overnight and used beef broth instead of water.
    It turned out pretty good although it cooked much faster than expected so I didnโ€™t get to uncover it for the last hour since it was already at 195 degrees. It was still delicious and will just need to always check temperature earlier so I can get some bark. I will make again

    1. Thank you for sharing your experience, Margie. I’m so glad that you used your themometer to cook your brisket. There’s no cut and dried time since no cut of meat is the same size or thickness.

    1. I typically don’t use liquid smoke, Richard. I found this article: https://eatpallet.com/how-much-liquid-smoke-per-pound-of-meat/. It states to use a ratio of 8:1 water/liquid smoke. I hope this helps.

    1. I would dilute it with a little water and then dab it on with a brush after the brisket has sat with the dry rub and just before cooking. By dabbing it on you will not loose the dry rub. Go easy because you don’t want to change the flavor of the meat.

  5. This is an excellent recipe!! The flavor is awesome! I added beef broth to the pan instead of water and with the 160 degree stall my 3.5 pound brisket took 9 hours! I know my oven temp is off by 5 degrees and I cooked it to 195 with a 30 minute rest. So beefy, tender with a slight spiciness…so delish! I will make this again and again and again! Thanks for sharing!

    1. I’m so happy that you enjoyed this recipe, Michelle, and glad that you knew how to check your brisket for doneness! Your comment will help other readers with their questions.

  6. the time was wayyyyy off, it was maybe 1/2 baked at 4 hrs i think 6 to 7 hrs was more correct possibly even 8

    1. I can’t indicate enough that you have to bake brisket with a thermometer. The different weights, thickness of the meat, as well as the oven and grill vary. I’ve made this recipe several times and can only give my experience. I appreciate you giving me your experience and hope you’ll stop back and let me know what the weight of your brisket was and how you cooked it.

  7. Do you know how the cook time should scale if you have a larger brisket (10 pounds)? Most internet guidance suggests 1 hour/ pound, but yours is shy of this, and I don’t want to ruin a 10 lb brisket!

    1. You’re correct, Deanna, that brisket is gold! Do you know if this is a whole brisket meaning the flat and point combined? If the beef fairly the same thickness? The reason I say this is if theyโ€™re different thicknesses you may want to separate them so you can monitor their baking temperatures separately. If theyโ€™re the same, the math would say 10 hours (1 hour per pound) but mine never takes that long. I would still give it 9 to 10 hours. Remove the lid when the internal temp gets to 145-150F and finish baking it to 185-190 for slicing or 190-210 for shredding. Make sure you give it time to rest too. If your brisket is done before time, Itโ€™s just fine resting. You can cover it with the lid or foil but donโ€™t wrap it tightly. It will steam and soften that beautiful bark. I hope youโ€™ll stop back and give me your experience. I havenโ€™t done one that large.

    2. @Julie Menghini, hi Julie! If I only have 10 hrs to bake a 17.76 pound brisket, will it be okay if I change the temperature to 325? So it cooks on time? Do I still have the fat faced up? Should I spray it w/beef broth every so often? Or keep refilling the bottom w/beef broth once it dissolves?

      1. Hi Karla! That brisket is huge and I’ve never baked one that large! You can up the temperature to 325. I’d bake it to 165 internal temp and then uncover it. If your meat has a thick end and a thin end, I’d separate them and while you can cook them in the same pan, you would have the ability to remove one if it cooks faster than the other. I wouldn’t spray it with broth. You’ll remove that bark by steaming it. You can keep liquid in the bottom but don’t let the meat sit in it. Have your meat on a rack in the pan and the liquid just coming up to it. I hope this helps and that you’ll come back and let me know your experience with such a large piece of meat.

  8. What do you mean in step #3 when you say “and allow it to come down in temperature”? What temperature is coming down? The meat temp should be rising as will the oven temp. Can you please clarify?

    1. Great question, Deborah. Let me clarify. You don’t want to put the Brisket directly from the refrigerator to the oven. Let it sit out while you preheat the oven so it’s not as cold when you place it into the oven. It doesn’t have to read a certain temp because it’s raw. Does this help? If not, please let me know.

  9. I followed this recipe closely (which is rare for me- I usually just wing it!) It turned out amazing! Very moist and delicious! Thank you for the clear and easy-to-follow instructions!

  10. This was amazing. I made it for our Chrismukkah 2022 party and people could not stop commenting…it was so juicy and tender. This is my new Brisket recipe !!
    Thank you

  11. Everyone was so impressed with the brisket! Thanks to your awesome instructions. Followed it exactly and it came out amazing. Cannot wait to make it again.

  12. Oh my goodness, brisket is one of my favorites and I’ve had mine come out like a hockey puck too many times. This was perfect and tender and so delicious!

  13. My family loved this. Served it with macaroni & cheese and coleslaw and they said it was better than some BBQ joints.