This classic Beef Brisket recipe is slow cooked in the oven until it’s tender enough to fall apart. There are also easy directions for how to make it in a slow cooker, so you can prep it in the morning and come home to dinner. And if you're pressed for time, there are instructions for how to make it in the Instant Pot too. Brisket makes a great Sunday supper and is kosher for Passover!
I grew up with pot roast as part of our regular dinner rotation. It wasn’t until I was in my 30’s that I first had brisket!
I was in Austin, Texas, and I had brisket at an awesome BBQ joint called Terry Black’s. It had deep beefy flavor and was so tender it was falling apart. There was a richness from the fat cap that literally melted in my mouth. And the parts that had gotten caramelized and crispy had great smoky flavor. I was hooked.
This is a classic Beef Brisket recipe, not a recipe for BBQ brisket. Although you can easily turn it into barbequed brisket once it’s cooked by using your favorite sauce.
If you're looking for a delicious main course that's kosher for Passover, this is one of my favorites! I give suggestions below on what sides dishes to serve with brisket.
Classic Beef Brisket Recipe
This recipe is very simple, and uses minimal ingredients and easy cooking methods. Salt and pepper are the seasonings, and onion and garlic add depth of flavor.
Tips to Make the Best Brisket
- Make sure to sear the meat before braising! And before you sear the brisket, make sure to pat it dry with paper towels.
- Be sure to add enough beef stock to come halfway up the meat. Check the brisket every couple hours and add more as necessary if the pan starts to get too dry.
- Be patient – brisket needs to cook low and slow so you end up with meat that's tender enough to melt in your mouth.
How to Make Brisket
No matter what method you use to cook brisket, the end result should be the same. Moist, tender meat that you can cut with a fork!
Oven Beef Brisket Recipe
This recipe uses the braising technique for cooking brisket low and slow in the oven. In this technique, there are just two basic steps:
- Sear the meat over high heat until browned on both sides on the stovetop.
- Braise the meat in beef stock in a Dutch oven at a low temperature.
Step-by-Step Photos for How to Cook Beef Brisket in the Oven
Pat the brisket dry, season it with salt and pepper, and sear it on both sides.
Once the brisket is seared, add the onion, garlic, and beef stock.
Here’s the brisket after 6 to 7 hours in the oven at 300F. As you can see, the meat cooks down quite a bit.
If you can wait, the brisket tastes even better the next day! And once it’s refrigerated, you’ll see how the fat solidifies on the top and is easy to remove if you want to reduce the fat.
Here’s the brisket with the fat removed!
Heat it up, slice it up, and eat it up. I like to put the sliced brisket back into the pot with all the delicious juices to keep it tender!
Slow Cooker Beef Brisket Recipe
Cooking brisket in the slower cooker is the same concept as braising it in a Dutch oven in the oven.
- Sear the meat over high heat until browned on both sides on the stovetop.
- To the slow cooker, add the seared meat and enough beef stock to come about ¾ of the way up the meat.
- Braise the meat by cooking it on LOW for 8 hours.
Instant Pot Brisket
You can also make delicious, tender brisket in the Instant Pot!
- Get everything ready. For 1 (3 pound) brisket, you will need the following: 2 tablespoons avocado oil, ¾ cup beef broth, 2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, 2 peeled and sliced onions, 4 peeled and minced cloves garlic, and optionally 5 drops liquid smoke.
- Sear it. Press the “Sauté” function on the Instant Pot and wait for it to heat up. Add the oil; once hot, add the brisket. Sear on both sides, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Press “Cancel” to stop the “Sauté” function.
- Add the other ingredients. Add the beef broth, salt, black pepper, onion, garlic, and liquid smoke (if you're using it).
- Cook it. Cover the Instant Pot, making sure the lid is set to “Sealing”, and cook on “Manual, High Pressure” for 80 minutes.
- Natural pressure release. Once it's done cooking, let the pot naturally release it's pressure for 15 minutes. After that, carefully turn the valve to release the remaining pressure, and then open the pot.
Brisket FAQs
What is Brisket Called in the Grocery Store?
In the grocery store, brisket will often be called brisket. You might also find it labeled as the “flat cut” or “first cut”.
At BBQ restaurants, you’ll often see this on a menu as “fatty brisket”.
Is Brisket a Good Cut of Meat?
Brisket is actually quite a tough cut of meat! But don’t be put off. When it’s cooked right (low and slow), it’s tender enough to cut with a fork, shreds easily, and just about melts in your mouth.
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. This results in very tender brisket.
What is a Fat Cap on Brisket?
On one side of your brisket, you’ll see a thick white layer of fat. This is referred to as the “fat cap”.
Do You Leave the Fat Cap on Brisket?
For this Beef Brisket recipe, I leave the fat cap on when cooking. This helps with a couple things: 1) adds rich flavor, and 2) keeps the meat moist.
However, if you want to reduce the amount of fat, before serving brisket you can refrigerate it overnight. Quite a bit of fat solidifies at the top, which is easy to remove if you want. This step is optional; it bears noting that some people consider the fat a delicacy.
What to Make with Leftover Brisket
Shred it up and use it to make salad bowls like I did with my Coffee-Spiked Slow Cooker Beef Carnitas.
Chop it and make a meaty hash, similar to Leftover Pot Roast Hash with Chimichurri-Inspired Sauce.
Add veggies and make it into soup!
What Do I Serve with Brisket?
Sides for Brisket at a BBQ
- Black Beans
- Baked Beans
- Classic Potato Salad
- Mexican Corn Salad
- Quick Pickled Red Onions
- Instant Pot Mac and Cheese
- Layered Corn, Avocado, and Tomato Salad with Herbed Sour Cream
Side Dishes for a Traditional Brisket Meal
- Kasha Varnishkes
- Noodle Kugel
- Classic Mashed Potatoes
- Roasted Butternut Squash Salad with Chickpeas, Kale, and Pearl Couscous
- Passover Potato Kugel
- Easy Butternut Squash Puree
- Roasted Root Vegetables
- Millet Pilaf with Roasted Carrot and Fennel
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Beef Brisket Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 ½ pounds beef brisket flat cut
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- 1 large onion peeled and cut into large chunks
- 8 cloves garlic peeled but left whole
- 1 ½ cups beef stock
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300F.
- Get out a Dutch oven or roasting pan that is both stovetop and oven-safe and is big enough to hold the brisket.
- Pat the brisket dry with paper towels. Season both sides with salt and pepper.
- Heat the Dutch oven or roasting pan over medium-high to high heat. Once it’s scorching hot, add the oil, and then the brisket. Sear it on both sides, about 3 to 5 minutes per side, flipping once.
- Remove from the heat and add the onion, garlic, and beef stock.
- Cover the pan (with its oven-safe lid or with aluminum foil), and roast until the meat is tender enough to cut with a fork, about 6 to 7 hours. Check the brisket periodically (every couple hours or so) and see add a splash more beef stock if necessary if the pan starts to get too dry.
If You Want to Reduce the Fat:
- Cool the brisket to room temperature, and then refrigerate overnight (right in the pan it was roasted in). While it’s still cold, remove the fat, which will have collected at the top.
- Reheat the meat in the oven or on the stovetop, and serve along with the juices to drizzle on top.
Video
Faith's Tips
How to Make Beef Brisket in the Slow Cooker:
- Sear the meat over high heat until browned on both sides on the stovetop.
- To the slow cooker, add the seared meat and enough beef stock to come about ¾ of the way up the meat.
- Braise the meat by cooking it on LOW for 8 hours.
How to Make Brisket in the Instant Pot:
- Get everything ready. For 1 (3 pound) brisket, you will need the following: 2 tablespoons avocado oil, ¾ cup beef broth, 2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, 2 peeled and sliced onions, 4 peeled and minced cloves garlic, and optionally 5 drops liquid smoke.
- Sear it. Press the “Sauté” function on the Instant Pot and wait for it to heat up. Add the oil; once hot, add the brisket. Sear on both sides, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Press “Cancel” to stop the “Sauté” function.
- Add the other ingredients. Add the beef broth, salt, black pepper, onion, garlic, and liquid smoke (if you're using it).
- Cook it. Cover the Instant Pot, making sure the lid is set to “Sealing”, and cook on “Manual, High Pressure” for 80 minutes.
-
Natural pressure release. Once it’s done cooking, let it do a natural pressure release for 15 minutes. After that, carefully release the pressure and then open the pot.
Nutrition
This post was first published on An Edible Mosaic on March 9, 2020. I updated it with more information on April 12, 2021.
Carhy says
We have always smoked our brisket but this morning, without consultation, my husband put it in the oven on 225 all day, not in a liquid like pot roast, more like in a smoker but not. We have also used a basting sauce before. If using the oven do you have a sauce recipe to serve with the meat. Something other than bbq sauce. Thanks!
Faith says
Carhy, That sounds delicious! I have a few different sauce ideas: 1) velouté, which is similar to gravy (recipe here: https://www.anediblemosaic.com/veloute-sauce-recipe/; instead of chicken stock, you can use beef stock and add the pan drippings from the brisket), 2) chimichurri (recipe here: https://www.anediblemosaic.com/chimichurri-sauce-recipe/), or 3) creamy horseradish sauce (recipe here: https://www.anediblemosaic.com/buffalo-beef-on-weck-recipe/) that I like to serve with beef sandwiches, but is also delicious with brisket. If you make one of the sauces, let me know how it is with the brisket! :)
Erica Mazon says
Hi! I need to make a 6 pound brisket which won’t fit in my Dutch oven. In the past for bbq brisket, I’ve used large disposable roasting pans (doubled for strength). However, my other recipe didn’t call for browning the meat. Do you think I can brown in the disposable pan? I’ve never tried that. I could also brown 1/2 of it at a time in my largest skillet pan and then transfer the disposable pan for braising. What do you think?
Faith says
Erica, I wouldn't recommend browning it in a disposable pan. I think your idea of browning half at a time in your large skillet and then transferring them both to the disposable pan would work well. Let me know how it goes!