7 Perfect Beef Brisket Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What is the best cooking method for beef brisket? ›

Slow cooking is a convenient method for cooking brisket. Season your brisket and place it in the slow cooker with some vegetables and broth. Cook on low heat for 8-10 hours or until the internal temperature of the meat reaches 90-95°C.

It's a tough cut of meat, which is why the best way to cook brisket is a low-and-slow method: Long, slow cooking makes it tender.

Often used for other meats that require long, slow cooking on the barbecue, such as ribs, the 3-2-1 method essentially involves firstly smoking the meat as it is for three hours, wrapping it for the second two hours, and finally finishing the cooking unwrapped for the last hour.

The secret to making a delicious brisket is smoking at a consistent temperature, cooking with indirect heat, and, most importantly, monitoring the brisket's internal temperature to determine when to wrap it and when it is done. It is critical to know when to wrap the brisket.

Set the temperature to a low heat, around 225°F to 250°F (107°C to 121°C), and cook the brisket slowly. You can wrap it in foil or use a roasting pan with a lid to help retain moisture. Slow Cooker Method: Using a slow cooker is a convenient and hands-off method.

The temperature of the meat begins to rise again -- which you want because brisket gets more tender the longer you cook it.

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.

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.

While smoking meat, you should pay special attention to the temperature danger zone because there is a higher chance of bacteria growth in the meat. Therefore, you need to find the optimum temperature for meat. As mentioned above, the temperature danger zone is 46°F -140°F (8°C-60°C).

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.

How to season a brisket? ›

To season your brisket for smoking and for Brisket Burnt Ends, simply rub generously with kosher salt, black pepper, and optional garlic powder. Place the seasoned brisket into the fridge and allow it to dry brine overnight. Now, it's time to cook!

The main reason to cook brisket fat side down is for delicious consistent results, especially when it comes to competitive barbecue.

Dissolve the salt and sugar in the boiling water. Add the ice, then let cool to room temperature. Place the brisket in the brine and cover. Transfer to the refrigerator to brine overnight.

Low and Slow (225°F to 250°F / 107°C to 121°C): This is the classic method for cooking brisket. It involves slow smoking over indirect heat with a smoker or barbecue grill.

Place brisket, fat-side down, on grill rack over pan. Cover and smoke according to your recipe, or 4 to 5 hours until the brisket reaches 185°F to 190°F and is tender. Turn once halfway through smoking. Add additional coals and water as needed to maintain temperature and moisture.

Preheat your smoker for 250-265F with some added Post Oak wood chunks or chips for extra smoke flavor. Add the brisket on to the smoker fat side either way. Cook the brisket until it reaches about 165-170F at the thickest and fattiest part (about 7-8 hours). Once it has hit 165, get ready to wrap in butcher paper.