20 Irresistible Beef Brisket Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to moist tender brisket? ›

After two or four hours of cooking, you can lightly spray your brisket with water, hot sauce, apple cider vinegar, or apple juice. You can do this every 30 minutes or every hour, based on preference.

What's the 3-2-1 method for brisket? While it is true cooking brisket is a time-consuming process, the 3-2-1 rule makes it easier for beginners. First off, you'd smoke or bake the brisket at 225 degrees for 3 hours; then you'd wrap it in foil and keep cooking it for 2 hours.

Brisket is done when it reaches 203° internally. Smoke a 10 lbs brisket for 6-9 hrs and then rest for at least 1 hour. Smoke a 15 lbs brisket for 10-12 hrs and then rest for at least 1 hour. Smoke a 20 lbs brisket for 12-16 hrs and then rest for at least 1 hour.

WHAT ARE THE SERVING SIZES FOR BEEF BRISKET? A whole brisket weighs about 12-15 pounds, and it should feed 10 to 20 people, depending on how much it weighs. If you plan on one pound of raw brisket per person, you can expect to get 12 to 15 servings out of it.

Dry rubs are great on their own but can be spectacular when finished with a sauce in the case of ribs, brisket, and pulled pork. Wet rubs are fantastic when you are cooking low and slow – again, brisket and pulled pork. This allows your food to develop a unique bark and allows the sugars to caramelize instead of burn.

Slow cook it. Tough cuts of meat with lots of connective tissue, like brisket, chuck roast, and bottom round, are some of the best choices for the slow cooker. Cooked low and slow for many hours, the collagen in these tough cuts eventually breaks, leaving you with shreds of tender, juicy meat.

Wrapping the brisket at this stage also helps keep it moist and tender by trapping the juices and preventing it from drying out. If you wrap a brisket too early, you may end up with a softer, less textured bark. If you wrap the brisket late, it may take a lot longer to cook.

Can I pull brisket at 190? The brisket is just about ready at 190. While I suggest you wait until it hits at least 195 before pulling it off the smoker, you can do so a few degrees sooner as well.

There is no magic number for when briskets are done. I've had briskets be done anywhere from 200° – 208°. What are you looking for is for it to feel done.

To set things straight, we're here to put an end to the confusion, so you can get back to the grill with confidence. For brisket cooked to flavorful perfection, fat-side-down is the way to go. This is the only way to achieve a brisket that is perfectly moist with a perfect bark on both sides.

Should brisket be wrapped in foil in oven? ›

Wrapping a brisket in butcher paper or aluminum foil will speed up the cooking process. Wrapping the brisket will prevent what's called "the stall" — when evaporation from the surface of the brisket halts the cooking process.

Removing the brisket from the oven/smoker at 205 F and letting it sit for an hour or two (while it will continue to cook and tenderize) will yield fall-apart tender meat.

Sear brisket directly over medium coals or near a hot fire: 20 minutes per side. After searing, allow approximately 1 hour of cooking time per pound. Slow cook at a low temperature of 250 ˚F. Measure cooking temperatures in a closed pit or grill with an oven thermometer set near the brisket.

As you can see from the lead picture, searing your brisket gives it a glorious color when it's done later. You can probably skip this step and just braise the brisket without searing, but you'll miss a lot of flavor. Plus, even though it's a messy nightmare, it's also kind of fun. Sear it until it's brown all over.

For those who prefer traditional favorites, coleslaw, baked beans, mac and cheese, classic potato, and corn are all great options to complement your brisket. But why not add a twist with some veggie delights like Brussels sprouts, grilled bell peppers, or fried okra? Don't forget about the bread selection!

Cooking brisket at a relatively low temperature (such as 300F) for a long period of time (6 to 7 hours for a 3 to 4 pound piece of meat) lets the connective tissue break down and the fat melt to keep the meat juicy. This results in very tender brisket.

One of the tricks I use for making a brisket with great bark and tenderness is wrapping it in aluminum foil or butcher paper. The wrap helps to keep moisture in the meat, ultimately speeding up the cooking process. This technique is commonly called the "Texas crutch."

Classic ingredients include beef broth, water, apple juice, apple cider vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce. Avoid spices that could clog the spray nozzle. Start spraying the brisket 3-4 hours into cooking, every 30 minutes, until it's time to wrap the brisket.

Brisket can be done in a range of 200-210°F (93-99°C), but as a general rule, it's safe to bet on 203°F (95°C). Brisket should be tender but not so tender it's falling apart. You should be able to slice it into pieces that can just hold together, requiring a little pull to come apart.