Easy Oven Brisket Recipe

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Making this oven brisket is incredibly easy. Simply rub the meat with spices, bake it in a foil pouch, then briefly broil it to crisp the fat. The result is tender and juicy beef. Just as important, the leftovers are excellent, too!

Oven brisket, sliced and served on a wooden cutting board.

I enjoy affordable yet flavorful beef cuts such as beef shanks and tri-tip roast. In barbecue places, brisket is my favorite cut to order - I even prefer it to pork ribs! The best restaurants smoke the meat slowly, but the oven is a great tool, too. Simply use smoked paprika to give the meat a smoky flavor, and cook it on low for several hours. You'll be rewarded with tender, flavorful meat and plenty of delicious leftovers.

Ingredients

You'll only need a few ingredients to make this oven brisket recipe. The exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below. Here's an overview of what you'll need:

Beef brisket: I usually get a three-pound cut at Whole Foods. You can also order it online on websites such as US Wellness Meats.
To season: Kosher salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, ground cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, and dry mustard.

Brisket Point vs Flat

The brisket has two parts, shown in the photos below: the point and the flat. The point is a thicker and fattier cut. The flat is leaner and tougher and has more connective tissue. The flat is easier to slice because of its shape, while the point is perfect for shredding.

While this recipe was written for the flat part, I sometimes use it to cook a brisket point. Although the point is typically ready faster than the flat, using the same recipe for both is fine. The point is fatty, so it won't dry out even if cooked for longer than it actually needs.

Brisket point on a white plate. — Brisket point.

Brisket flat on a cutting board. — Brisket point.

Variations

The best way to vary this recipe is to experiment with different spices and herbs. Sometimes, I omit the dry mustard and add herbs instead. Dried thyme is great in this recipe - I like to add half a teaspoon.

If you enjoy spicy food, add ¼ teaspoon of cayenne or ½ teaspoon of red pepper flakes. I tried both and enjoyed them.

Instructions

The detailed instructions for making this recipe are included in the recipe card below. Here are the basic steps:

You start by mixing kosher salt, black pepper, and spices, then rubbing the mixture all over the meat.

Place the brisket in a well-sealed foil pouch.

Bake it for three hours in a 300°F oven. This is what it looks like when it's ready:

Brush the slightly cooled meat with the cooking juices and broil it to crisp the fat. This is what it looks like after being broiled:

Fully cooked oven brisket in a cutting board.

Let the meat rest for a few minutes before slicing it.

Expert Tips

Cook the Meat Fat Side Up

Beef brisket comes with a beautiful fat cap. Please don't remove it completely, whether before or after cooking. It's the best part! But you can ask your butcher to trim it to a manageable thickness: ¼ inch is ideal. Brisket should be cooked with the fat side up. This will allow the melting fat to seep into the meat, making it juicier and more flavorful.

Slice Against the Grain

Before you cook it, look at the raw brisket and locate the direction of the grain, as shown in the photo below. When cooked, you will want to cut it thinly against the grain to sever the muscle fibers, tenderize the meat, and make chewing easier.

A visualization of how to locate the direction of the grain in a raw brisket.

Recipe FAQs

What is the best way to cook a brisket?

Unlike the tender ribeye roast, beef brisket is a tough but flavorful cut of beef that requires low and slow cooking.

Since it takes a while, this recipe is excellent for a winter weekend when you're home anyway. It's not difficult, but it does require a time commitment of about three hours.

Should I use a brisket point or a flat? Is there a difference?

The point is a thicker and fattier cut. The flat is leaner and tougher and has more connective tissue. The flat is easier to slice because of its shape, while the point is perfect for shredding.
While this recipe was written for the flat part, you can use it to cook a brisket point.

Can I cook brisket uncovered?

No. The foil pouch is crucial to prevent the meat from drying out and keeping it juicy.

Serving Suggestions

I bake the brisket at low heat, so I can't roast vegetables at the same time since those require a hot oven. Roasted green beans, for example, need a 425°F oven, but I cook the beef in a 300°F oven.

So, I usually serve it with easy side dishes that I can make separately in the microwave, such as mashed cauliflower, microwave broccoli, or microwave asparagus.

A salad is another great option. My favorites are arugula salad, cucumber salad, and tomato salad.

Storing Leftovers

Like other slow-cooked meats (such as pot roast or oxtail stew), oven brisket improves with time. You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days.

Use them as you would roast beef - serve cold slices on a plate with sriracha mayo or Dijon mustard and quick pickles, or make a cloud bread or almond flour bread sandwich.

If you'd like to reheat the leftovers, do so gently, covered, in the microwave at 50% power.

You can freeze the leftovers in a single layer in freezer bags for up to three months. Thaw them overnight in the fridge and reheat them in the microwave.

Sliced oven brisket is served on a wooden cutting board.

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Recipe Card

5 from 71 votes

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Baking brisket in the oven is easy. Simply rub the brisket with spices, bake it in a foil pouch, then briefly broil it to crisp the fat.

Prep Time20

Cook Time3

Total Time3 20

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Jewish

Servings: servings

Calories: 582kcal

Author: Vered DeLeeuw

Video

Ingredients

▢ 3 pounds brisket - fat trimmed to ¼-inch thick

Dry Rub:

▢ 2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt - see notes below
▢ 1 teaspoon black pepper
▢ 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
▢ 1 teaspoon ground cumin
▢ 1 teaspoon onion powder
▢ 1 teaspoon garlic powder
▢ 1 teaspoon dry mustard

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 300°F. Look at the raw brisket and locate the direction of the grain. You will want to cut it against the grain when it's cooked.
In a small bowl, mix the salt, pepper, smoked paprika, cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, and dry mustard. Gently rub the spice mix all over the brisket.
Make a foil pouch: Place the brisket, fat side up, on two layers of foil. Pull the edges of the foil up around the brisket and wrap it. Use a third foil layer on the top if needed. Seal well to keep moisture in, but don't wrap the meat too tight; leave some room for the steam.
Place the foil pouch on a foil-lined, broiler-safe, rimmed baking sheet. Cook the brisket for 3 hours (about 1 hour per pound) until very tender.
Turn off the oven and let the meat rest until it's cool enough to handle. Remove the brisket from the oven and open the foil pouch. Pour the cooking juices into a measuring cup. You can skim the fat from the top if you want (I don't).
Turn the oven to broil. Brush the meat with some of the cooking juices. Broil until the fat browns and starts to crisp, for about 2 minutes.
Allow the brisket to cool for a few minutes before slicing. Slice it against the grain and on the bias into ¼-inch slices. Serve it with the cooking juices for dipping.

Notes

You can use smoked salt for a more pronounced smoky flavor. If using any salt other than Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt, including Morton kosher salt, use half the amount listed.
Beef brisket comes with a beautiful fat cap. Please don't remove it completely, either before or after cooking. It's the best part! But you can ask your butcher to trim it to a manageable thickness. ¼ inch is ideal.
Cook the brisket fat side up. This will allow some of the melting fat to seep into the meat, making it juicier and more flavorful.
Like other slow-cooked meats, oven brisket improves with time. You can keep the leftovers in the fridge, in an airtight container, for up to four days. Slice the leftovers and serve them cold, or reheat them covered in the microwave at 50% power.
You can freeze the leftovers in a single layer in freezer bags for up to three months. Thaw them overnight in the fridge and reheat them in the microwave.

Nutrition per Serving

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Oven Brisket

Ingredients

Brisket Point vs Flat

Variations

Instructions