I have a BIG secret for you: amazing, flavorful, smoky, tender brisket can be made in your oven – no smoker required! This recipe includes a lip-smacking dry rub, mouthwatering smoking liquid (that’s also the perfect dipping sauce), and easy steps to make a crazy good piece of meat right in your oven.
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Table of Contents
- Why You’ll Love This Oven Brisket Recipe
- Ingredients Needed
- How to Cook Brisket in the Oven
- How Long Does It Take to Cook Beef Brisket In the Oven?
- Tips & Tricks
- How Much Brisket Per Person?
- How to Store and Reheat Brisket
- Cutting Brisket Against the Grain
- What to Serve With Brisket
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- Other Slow Cooked Meat Recipes You’ll Love!
- How to Cook Beef Brisket in the Oven Recipe
Oven smoked? Yup, I said it! The secret to delicious oven brisket is to cook it low and slow. Tightly cover brisket for most of the cooking process, so it infuses with the smoky steam from the smoking liquid in your roasting pan.
The smoking liquid is a blend of beef broth, liquid smoke, Worcestershire sauce and a dash of tomato paste. After hours in the oven, infused with brisket drippings, the smoking liquid turns into the best dipping sauce to serve with Creamed Corn, German Potato Salad, Cornbread Muffins, and all the usual fix-ins!
Why You’ll Love This Oven Brisket Recipe
Why will you fall in love with this oven brisket, over and over again? Here’s 5 reasons:
- That brisket crust. When the dry rub melts into your meat, infusing it with flavor and crisping up the outside of your meat…it’s next level.
- It’s ACTUALLY smoky! The secret is liquid smoke in the smoking liquid, and smoked paprika in the rub. This oven brisket is truly smoked.
- Any ordinary oven tested. You don’t need a smoker, just your oven and a roasting pan with a rack. A leave-in probe meat thermometer is highly recommended (but not required).
- Just as good the next day. Make brisket up to 4 days in advance. It’s delicious reheated.
- There’s no bad season for oven brisket. Summer BBQ staple or slow-cooked brisket dinner on a cold, snowy night…there’s no bad time for this brisket recipe! Just like my Pulled Pork.
Ingredients Needed
- Boneless beef brisket – the amount of dry rub below is for a 3-5 pound brisket. You can purchase a brisket “flat” or brisket with a point. A brisket with a point is an extra layer of brisket on top of a portion of the flat, giving it a thicker appearance. The “point,” when cooked, turns into pieces of brisket called burnt ends! A brisket “flat” is easier to manage and cook, but you can use whatever cut you prefer. If you purchase a brisket with a “point,” be careful that you don’t insert your meat thermometer into the fat layer between the flat and point, which will lead to inaccurate readings. This recipe is NOT for a corned beef brisket. This website has an awesome photo of the difference between a brisket flat and a brisket with a point.
Dry Rub
- Black pepper – black pepper adds a bit of back heat and a sweet, piney flavor.
- Dark brown sugar – dark brown sugar adds a molasses note.
- Chili powder – chili powder is a blend of savory and aromatic spices.
- Dried mustard – dried mustard adds a zesty note.
- Garlic powder – garlic…duh.
- Onion powder – onion…duh.
- Salt – salt…another duh.
- Smoked paprika – smoked paprika mimics the smokiness you get from a smoker!
Smoking Liquid
- Beef broth – you can use beef broth, stock or bone broth. I prefer low-sodium.
- Worcestershire sauce – Worcestershire sauce is made from vinegar, cloves, molasses, and other flavors that will give your BBQ that “edge.”
- Liquid smoke – liquid smoke mimics that smoker smokiness!
- Tomato paste – a hint of tomato adds sweetness and acidity.
How to Cook Brisket in the Oven
Cook beef brisket low and slow in the oven, covered for most of the cooking time, to infuse the meat with the smoking liquids. Uncover your brisket towards the end to let the outside crisp up. YUM. Full instructions in the recipe card; this is just an outline!
- Mix smoking liquid.
Preheat oven to 250 degrees. In a roasting pan with a wire rack, add Worcestershire sauce, liquid smoke, tomato paste, and just enough beef broth to fill the bottom of the pan without submerging the brisket which will sit on the wire rack (about 2 cups depending on size of pan). Stir.
- Trim.
Trim fat layer (the fat cap), so that there is about ¼ inch thick fat layer still left on the brisket. Don’t trim too much fat, or you’ll have a tough, bland brisket! Fat is flavor and moisture.
- Mix dry rub.
In a bowl, mix together all ingredients in the dry rub: black pepper, brown sugar, chili powder, dried mustard, garlic and onion powder, salt, and smoked paprika.
- Rub meat.
On a large plate, rub brisket with dry rub, sticking as much dry rub as possible to all surfaces of your brisket. You should use all or almost all of the dry rub. Transfer brisket to the wire rack in your roasting pan, fat-side down. It’s okay if some of the rub falls into the smoking liquid.
- Seal shut.
Insert a leave-in probe thermometer (highly recommended) into the center of the thickest part of your brisket. Make sure the thermometer’s tip isn’t in the center of a fat layer, as the temperature will be inaccurate. Tightly cover your pan in foil (you can poke a hole through the foil for the thermometer if needed).
- Cook covered.
Cook brisket in the oven until a thermometer reads about 190 degrees in the thickest part. Cooking time varies based on many factors. Great brisket is all about temperature, not time!
- Cook uncovered.
Uncover brisket and let cook until a thermometer reads 200-205 degrees, and the thermometer can easily slide in and out of the brisket (this signals a tender brisket!).
- What happens if there’s “stall time?”
Stall time is when the internal temperature of your brisket stops rising and may even fall a few degrees. A stall time might occur when you uncover your brisket and steam cools your brisket down. If a stall time lasts for more than 30 minutes, I recommend re-covering your brisket with foil until your brisket’s temperature starts to rise steadily again. Stalls sometimes never happen, happen once, or happen more than once – don’t get discouraged!
- Slice.
Let brisket rest at room temperature for 30 minutes before slicing against the grain.
How Long Does It Take to Cook Beef Brisket In the Oven?
Cooking time varies. Great brisket is all about internal temperature, not time! The entire cooking process could take anywhere between 3 and 7 hours. Typically brisket takes about 1 to 1.5 hours per pound of meat, but this is simply a guideline!
Tips & Tricks
- You can absolutely dry rub brisket ahead of time, leaving in the fridge for 24 hours.
- Cooking time varies. Great brisket is all about internal temperature, not time!
- You can purchase a brisket “flat” or brisket with a point. If you purchase a brisket with a “point,”be careful that you don’t insert your meat thermometer into the fat layer between the flat and point, which will lead to inaccurate readings.
- What happens if there’s “stall time?” A stall time might occur when you uncover your brisket and steam cools your brisket down. If a stall time lasts for more than 30 minutes, I recommend re-covering your brisket with foil until your brisket’s temperature starts to rise steadily again.
How Much Brisket Per Person?
1 pound of uncooked brisket will yield about ½ pound cooked brisket because of the fat. Therefore a 4 pound brisket will yield about ½ pound of brisket for 4 people.
How to Store and Reheat Brisket
Brisket keeps well in the fridge for about 4 days. I like to slice brisket before refrigerating. The best way to reheat brisket is place slices in the smoking liquid, covered, at 275 degrees for 15-30 minutes, depending on how much meat you’re reheating.
You can also reheat unsliced brisket, covered, in the smoking liquid at the same temperature.
Cutting Brisket Against the Grain
Slice brisket with a chef’s or serrated knife against the grain of the meat. Brisket is a tough cut of meat due to its long, thick muscle fibers. When you slice against the grain, you cut through these fibers for a more tender bite. It also helps distribute the juices and flavors more evenly throughout the meat!
What to Serve With Brisket
Serve brisket with or without barbecue sauce, and reduced smoking liquid as dipping sauce. Don’t forget brisket sandwiches with mustard and melted cheese! Some of my favorite side dishes with oven smoked brisket are:
Potatoes
Veggies
- Glazed Carrots
- Grilled Corn on the Cob
- Corn Salsa
- Creamed Corn
- Broiled Asparagus
- Mexican Coleslaw
- Sautéed Broccoli
Breads
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Beef brisket is a cut from the lower chest of a cow. There are two briskets per cow. Brisket is typically a cheaper cut of beef because it is tough from lots of connective tissue that needs to be broken down by low and slow cooking.
A “full packer” is an entire brisket, usually weighing at least 10 pounds. At your local butcher or grocery store, you’ll be able to find a brisket “flat” which is a smaller, thinner piece of brisket that’s easy to manage and cook (recommended). You can also get a brisket with a portion of the point, which is a the brisket “flat” + an extra layer of brisket that’s connected to the flat by a layer of fat. This larger, thicker piece is delicious (it includes prized brisket pieces called burnt ends!), but it’s a bit more difficult and time consuming to cook. If you purchase a brisket with a “point,” be careful that you don’t insert your meat thermometer into the fat layer between the flat and point, which will lead to inaccurate readings.
Brisket is done when the center of the thickest part measures 200-205 degrees and a thermometer can easily slide in and out of the brisket with little resistance (a sign of tender meat!).
Let brisket rest for 30 minutes before slicing.
Yes! Brisket keeps well in the fridge for about 4 days.
You’ll need a roasting pan with a wire rack, and a meat thermometer. It is highly recommended that you use a leave-in probe meat thermometer.
Yes, although the texture may change a bit. You can freeze your brisket without the juices, wrapped tightly, or with the juices in a freezer safe container, for 4-5 months.
Other Slow Cooked Meat Recipes You’ll Love!
How to Cook Beef Brisket in the Oven
Equipment
- Roasting pan with wire rack
- Leave-in probe meat thermometer (highly recommended)
Ingredients
- 3-5 pound boneless beef brisket, see notes below on what brisket cut to buy
Dry Rub
- 1 tablespoon black pepper, or ½ tablespoon if you prefer less heat*
- 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon dried mustard
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
Smoking Liquid
- 2 cups low-sodium beef broth, (roughly) depending on size of pan
- ¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons liquid smoke
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 250 degrees. In a roasting pan with a wire rack, add Worcestershire sauce, liquid smoke, tomato paste, and enough beef broth to fill the bottom of the pan without submerging the brisket, which will sit on the wire rack. Add enough broth so that it almost touches the bottom of the brisket (typically 2 cups or more). Stir.
- Trim fat layer (the fat cap), so that there is about ¼ inch thick fat layer still left on the brisket. Don’t trim too much fat, or you’ll have a tough, bland brisket! Fat is flavor and moisture.
- In a bowl, mix together all ingredients in the dry rub: black pepper, brown sugar, chili powder, dried mustard, garlic and onion powder, salt, and smoked paprika.
- On a large plate, rub brisket with dry rub, sticking as much dry rub as possible to all surfaces of your brisket. You should use all or almost all of the dry rub. Transfer brisket to the wire rack in your roasting pan, fat-side down. It’s okay if some of the rub falls into the smoking liquid.
- Insert a leave-in probe thermometer (highly recommended) into the center of the thickest part of your brisket. Make sure the thermometer’s tip isn’t in the center of a fat layer, as the temperature will be inaccurate. Tightly cover your pan in foil (you can poke a hole through the foil for the leave-in thermometer if needed).
- Cook brisket in the oven until a thermometer reads about 190 degrees in the thickest part. Cooking time varies based on many factors. Great brisket is all about temperature, not time!
- Uncover brisket and let cook until a thermometer reads 200-205 degrees, and the thermometer can easily slide in and out of the brisket (this signals a tender brisket!). Cooking time varies. Great brisket is all about temperature, not time!
- What happens if there’s “stall time?” Stall time is when the internal temperature of your brisket stops rising and may even fall a few degrees. A stall time might occur when you uncover your brisket and steam cools your brisket down. If a stall time lasts for more than 30 minutes, I recommend re-covering your brisket with foil until your brisket’s temperature starts to rise steadily again. Stalls sometimes never happen, happen once, or happen more than once – don’t get discouraged!
- Let brisket rest at room temperature for 30 minutes before slicing against the grain.
Video
Notes
- You can use a pre-blended dry rub if preferred. I recommend using 1/3 to 1/2 cup of pre-blended dry rub.
- You may want to use 1/2 tablespoon of black pepper if your chili powder blend is spicy. Mine is quite mild so I use the full tablespoon of black pepper.
- This recipe works for any size brisket, however the amount of dry rub in this recipe is for a 3-5 pound brisket.
- You can purchase a brisket “flat” or brisket with a point. A brisket with a point is an extra layer of brisket on top of a portion of the flat, giving it a thicker appearance. The “point,” when cooked, are prized pieces called burnt ends! A brisket “flat” is easier to manage and cook, but you can use whatever cut you prefer. If you purchase a brisket with a “point,” be careful that you don’t insert your meat thermometer into the fat layer between the flat and point, which will lead to inaccurate readings.
- This recipe is NOT for a corned beef brisket. Be careful not to purchase this cut in the store.
- You can absolutely dry rub brisket ahead of time, leaving in the fridge for 24 hours. I find that dry rubbing brisket right before yields a delicious result, without the extra time of marinating in the fridge!
- Cooking time varies. Great brisket is all about internal temperature, not time! The entire cooking process could take anywhere between 3 and 7 hours. Without lengthy stall times, typically brisket takes about 1 to 1.5 hours per pound of meat, but this is just a guideline!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Iโve seen many recipes call for slathering in yellow mustard then applying the rub. How would that work for this?
Hi Chuck,
I haven’t tried this myself but definitely have heard of this technique and think it should work. Let me know how it goes!
Grace
Hi Grace….I can’t wait to try your recipe but I have one question. My family is large, can I double this recipe and cook at the same time without affecting the end results?
Thank you
Hi Patsy,
You can absolutely use any sized brisket as long as you double the dry rub quantity. Brisket is all about internal temperature, not time so you can definitely follow the same cooking instructions until the correct internal temps are reached ๐
I hope this helps!
Grace
Thank you so much.
This brisket rivals the best ones I’ve had with a smoker. It’s AWESOME.
Drew,
I wish I could have a piece right now!
Grace
Best brisket ever. EVER.
Thank you!!! I agree ๐
Grace
I know cooking Brisket is a gamble. However, after reading your recipe and procedure, how could I go wrong? I ordered a Bluetooth Probe Temp from Amazon, made up my dry and wet mixes, fired up my “Brand New” electric oven to 250ยฐ, and proceeded to follow each step. Just a few minutes ago, I dropped a $26 Beef Brisket into the garbage what was so tough, a sharp knife, nor a meat fork would penetrate the surface. I am NOT blaming you in any way, other than to say, it is not foolproof and I will never attempt to be so disappointed again. No more Briskets for me. Sorry, this could not be me eating a juicy, tender Smoked Beef Brisket sandwich as I write to you.
Hi Edward,
Thank you so much for your feedback. I am tremendously disappointed that the recipe didn’t work out for you. I take so much pride in testing and retesting recipes, and when someone like you reaches out with an issue, I am racking my brain for how it could go wrong and want to help as much as I can! I’m emailing you directly so I can help make up for this and make it right!
Warmly,
Grace
Thank you for your personal attention to my issue. After your email, I am going to redo the procedure as soon as I find the right Brisket. Note: I had purchased three large chicken breasts from Albertsons (Buy One, Get Two Free.) and prepared them along with the Oven Smoked Brisket. I pulled them at 165 degrees internal and they were fantastic. Great smoked taste and texture and there are extremely tender and moist.
I will let you know how my next effort turns out… can’t wait for what you describe as the end product!
Ed Craig
Hi Ed,
Thank you so much for responding to my email. I really hope that the brisket turns out well (I am crossing my fingers and toes!). This is one of my favorite recipes so I am hoping this was just a fluke!
All the best,
Grace
Can I use your recipe and method to cook a 4 pound “london broil” cut of beef instead of the brisket cut?
Hi Cheryl,
Although I haven’t tried using a London Broil myself, from what I’m reading, it seems that London Broils are best cooked quickly (not slowly like brisket) since they are leaner and tend to overcook quickly.
I wish I could help more!
Grace
This brisket is awesome. 6 stars.
Best brisket I’ve ever had!!
Your recipes are easy and well defined, great pics and tips. I cooked a brisket you way in oven, first time not using a smoker and tender with good taste. Thanks
Hi Robert,
Thanks so much for the comment! Apologies for my delayed response. For some reason your comment was filtered to spam! Thanks again for leaving a note – I’m thrilled to hear it came out well.
Grace
Holy Moly this was delicious! My 4.5lb brisket did stall for about 45 minutes after I took the foil off but I waited it out and it was at 200 degrees in just over 7 hours. My only tip for others would be to use unsalted beef broth as I didn’t and felt that the pan drippings were way too salty to use which made me sad as they tasted delicious otherwise. Thank you for the recipe!
Hi Amanda!
Thanks so much for the comment and I’m so glad you loved the recipe! I should have specified that I use low-sodium beef broth…I changed the recipe and hope you make it again soon!
Thanks again,
Grace