Brisket cooked in the oven until tender and juicy with a smoky crust! The trick with brisket is cooking slow until an internal temp reaches 175 degrees. Sliced brisket can be served with drippings and a side of potatoes that you slow-roast underneath the brisket.
This spice rubbed oven baked brisket is perfect for chilly days!
I love a smoked brisket but it’s way simpler to throw one in the oven, especially when you skip the foil mess and use a Dutch oven. You can make-ahead, cook, and store all in the same pot. Ba-da-bing bada boom…
Let’s talk about brisket fears. You have them. I have them. We all have them.
First up, how do you cook beef that’s this lean without it drying out? Simple. You cook it covered and monitor it by temperature. Not only can you cook an incredible brisket in the oven, it will be as juicy and tender as anything.
Second, what if you only want to cook a half brisket? Brisket can be cut in half and frozen. With this recipe, it’s easy to cook whatever size brisket you have because it’s really about two things: low oven temperature and internal temperature.
Leftover brisket keeps well and makes for a magnificent sandwich with some bbq sauce.
How to Make Spice Rubbed Brisket in the Oven (VIDEO)
You can see that the brisket in this video has a fat layer trimmed to 1/4-inch.
Spice Rub Ingredients
Beef can handle a lot of bold spices. At a minimum, it needs salt, heat, and smoke (maybe a touch of sweet). Therefore, my spice blend is simply:
- Kosher salt: you can easily see where the salt lands on the beef for even coverage
- black pepper: you can use ground flakes or freshly ground
- smoked paprika: adds a touch of sweet, smoky flavor, and a bit of heat; chili powder is a good substitute
- dry mustard: intensifies the flavors without imparting any mustard flavor
The list may seem overly short, but it works because the brisket fat caramelizes the flavors in a way that makes a big impact.
Temp For Brisket
You want to target a temperature of 175 degrees in the thickest part of the brisket. Think of this temperature as an indicator that the brisket muscles have had enough time to relax. If you pull your brisket too soon, your meat will be tough. If you pull your brisket too late, you get dry beef.
Sliced Brisket
How you slice a brisket can greatly affect how tender and juicy it feels in your mouth. Consider these 3 tips when slicing your masterpiece:
- Thick not thin. You can slice brisket on the bias or straight up and down. The key is to keep the slices nice and thick (as in 1/4-inch) so that the meat holds some juices.
- Let it rest. Before slicing, be sure to fully rest cooked brisket for 30-minutes.
- Locate the grain. Slice against the grain.
MAKE IT A MEAL
When you cook brisket in the oven, you have an opportunity to cook a side dish at the same time. I love baby potatoes because they don’t require any prep and they won’t overcook. They catch a lot of the drippings from the brisket that you’d never want to waste.
Baby Potatoes Side: Halfway through cooking, you can dump a bag of waxy baby potatoes in the Dutch oven and set the Brisket on top. You won’t believe how flavorful brisket basted potatoes are! Add a sprig of fresh oregano on top for even more flavor.
Step-by-Step Instructions and Cooking Tips
Step 1: Make the dry spice rub then smear all over the brisket.
Make-Ahead Tip: After applying the dry rub, you can store the brisket in the refrigerator (in a Dutch oven with lid or wrapped in foil) for up to 2 days.
Step 2: Cook low and slow in the oven, turning halfway through with tongs for approximately 3 hours (1 hour per pound) or until your thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the brisket reads 175°F.
Technique Tip: Turning your brisket will baste it in it’s own juices and give you a nice caramelized outer crust.
Note: After about 2 ½ hours in the oven, you should see caramelization (brown color) but if you desire more color, you can remove the lid during the last 30 minutes of cooking.
Step 3: Rest and slice brisket on the bias into 1/4 -inch thick slices. Serve with the cooking juices for dipping.
Oven Baked Brisket FAQs
How to make a fall apart brisket in the oven?
To get a fall apart texture, you actually want to cook the brisket past the recommended time for slicing. So, instead of 175°F, you’d be cooking the brisket to an internal temperature of 225°F.
How to reheat brisket in oven?
Cut your brisket down into portion size pieces and heat in the oven just until warmed through, so 450°F for about 5 to 10 minutes, depending on thickness.
What temperature for brisket?
Brisket is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 175°F because it will be tender when sliced. If you continue to cook the brisket to 225°F that texture will be far more fall-apart tender.
You should keep a constant low temperature when cooking brisket. For example, your oven or smoker should be set within the range of 175°F to 300°F–whatever temperature you choose, be sure to keep that heat as constant as possible (so try not to let that temperature swing too much or you run the risk of drying out the meat).
What to Serve with Brisket
Since brisket is quite flavorful and heavy, I’d recommend something light:
- Collard Greens
- Thinly sliced kale tossed with Essential Lemon Garlic Sauce
- Garlicky Green Bean Salad
- Minty Melon Cucumber Salad
SPICE RUBBED OVEN BAKED BRISKET
Ingredients
- 3 pounds brisket fat trimmed to ¼-inch thick
- 2 teaspoons Kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons black pepper
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon dry mustard
Instructions
- Make the dry spice rub. Preheat the oven to 300°F. Set the trimmed brisket in a Dutch oven. In a small bowl, combine the dry ingredients: salt, pepper, smoked paprika, and dry mustard. Mix then rub all over the brisket.
- Cook low and slow in the oven. Transfer the Dutch oven (lid on) into the oven. Cook, turning halfway through with tongs for approximately 3 hours (1 hour per pound) or until your thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the brisket reads 175°F. After about 2 ½ hours in the oven, you should see caramelization (brown color) but if you desire more color, you can remove the lid during the last 30 minutes of cooking.
- Rest and slice brisket. Allow the brisket to cool for at least 30 minutes. Then move to a cutting board and cut on the bias into 1/4 -inch thick slices. Serve with the cooking juices for dipping.
Video
Nutrition
Photography by Adam Rahman
