Braised Beef Brisket Recipe (How to Cook Beef Brisket in the Oven) (2024)

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

1. Make sure to sear the meat before braising! And before you sear the brisket, make sure to pat it dry with paper towels.
2. 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.
3. 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:

1. Sear the meat over high heat until browned on both sides on the stovetop.
2. 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.

1. Sear the meat over high heat until browned on both sides on the stovetop.
2. To the slow cooker, add the seared meat and enough beef stock to come about ¾ of the way up the meat.
3. 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!

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. Add the other ingredients. Add the beef broth, salt, black pepper, onion, garlic, and liquid smoke (if you're using it).
4. Cook it. Cover the Instant Pot, making sure the lid is set to “Sealing”, and cook on “Manual, High Pressure” for 80 minutes.
5. 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

Let's Connect

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This post was first published on An Edible Mosaic on March 9, 2020. I updated it with more information on April 12, 2021.