Easy and juicy beef brisket cooked slowly until tender and basted in mildly spicy bbq sauce. This brisket recipe comes with a slow cooker, oven, and pressure cooker methods to choose from.
Wondering how to easily prepare the best beef brisket on the planet? Look no further!
Simply rub brisket with a tasty dry rub, cook low and slow, and baste with a delish barbecue sauce. My mouth is already watering!
Table of Contents
WHAT IS BEEF BRISKET?
It's a meat cut from the breast or lower chest of the animal.
Because it lies in an area that gets heavy exercise, it is tough and requires slow cooking. Basting or braising (in the oven, slow cooker, or stovetop) is essential to keep brisket meat juicy and tender.
Smoked beef brisket is very popular in Texas where I live. The meat gets a generous amount of brisket rub, cooks for hours over indirect heat from charcoal or wood in a smoker, and then is basted in bbq sauce. It’s Texas Barbecue at its best!
Once the meat is done, it holds its shape and slices with no problem. The tender part is the center, which should be sliced against the grain of the meat.
The ends or tips, cook faster, and tend to dry out more quickly. Either cube them to make burnt ends or shred them to make a pulled-beef sandwich, tacos, pizzas, and soups.
Brisket meat makes great pot roast (or stewed beef in the UK) and of course, Texas-Style barbecue. But it also makes good corned beef brisket and pastrami.
HOW TO CHOOSE BRISKET
To make the best beef brisket recipe buy the highest grade you can find. Pick a slab that is USDA Choice, USDA Prime, or Certified Angus Beef. Steer clear of those that have no label or are USDA Select.
Prefer a whole, untrimmed brisket cut with white fat. It costs less per pound and you can trim the meat as you want, helping retain moisture while cooking. Just make sure to keep the fat cap around ⅛ to ¼-inch thick.
Last, look for a cut with a flat section that has a uniform thickness. If too thin, it'll overcook and dry out.
WHAT TO SERVE WITH
Here are a few side dishes that go well with this meat:
HOW TO COOK BEEF BRISKET
To make this easy brisket recipe, choose one among the 3 cooking methods below: slow cooker, pressure cooker, or oven method.
SLOW COOKER BRISKET:
- Spray the bowl of slow cooker with no-stick cooking spray. Combine dry rub ingredients together in a small bowl. Place brisket on a large cookie sheet and season both sides of the brisket with the dry rub and then drizzle with oil.
- Be sure to apply the rub well to both sides with your hands. Place brisket, fat side up, in the slow cooker bowl. Stir sauce ingredients together and cover brisket with half of the sauce. Refrigerate remaining bbq sauce for later.
- Cover brisket with lid and cook on low setting for 8 hours, or on high for 4 hours. SEE PIC. 1 When brisket is tender, place onto a cookie sheet, lined with aluminum foil.
- Baste brisket with meat juices from the slow cooker and then with remaining bbq sauce. Broil on top rack for about 8-10 minutes or until charred on the edges.
- Baste with sauce again and let the beef brisket rest for 15 minutes. SEE PIC. 2 Slice ¼ thick, cutting against the grain. Serve with remaining bbq sauce and a side of your choice.
Watch out video to see how to make bbq beef brisket in the slow cooker, step-by-step!
INSTANT POT BRISKET:
- Spray the inside of the pressure cooker with no-stick cooking spray. Combine dry rub ingredients together in a small bowl. Place brisket on a large cookie sheet and season both sides of the brisket with the dry rub and then drizzle with oil.
- Be sure to apply the rub well to both sides with your hands. Place brisket, fat side up, in the pressure cooker. Stir sauce ingredients together and cover brisket with half of the sauce. Refrigerate remaining bbq sauce for later. Cover and seal pressure cooker.
- Set to Manual at High Pressure and cook for 2 hours and 15 minutes. Quick-release to remove steam/pressure, then unlock and remove the lid. Place onto a cookie sheet, lined with aluminum foil.
- Baste brisket with remaining bbq sauce. Broil on top rack for about 8-10 minutes or until charred on the edges. Baste sauce again and let the brisket rest for 15 minutes. Slice ¼ thick against the grain. Serve beef brisket with remaining bbq sauce and a side of your choice. This Barbecue brisket will become a fave!
Eager to find out how does a pressure cooker work? Get our cooking time charts!
BRISKET IN OVEN:
- Preheat oven to 350° F. Season brisket (see above) and place it into a large roasting pan. Mix 1 cup beef broth with 1 cup water and then add the mixture to the base of the pan. Cover tightly with heavy aluminum foil and cook for 1 hour.
- Reduce temp down to 300°F and let cook for an additional 5-6 hours, or until tender. Baste brisket with meat juice from the roasting pan and then with remaining bbq sauce.
- Broil on top rack for about 8-10 minutes or until charred on the edges. Baste sauce again and let the brisket rest for 15 minutes. Then slice ¼ thick against the grain. Serve with remaining bbq sauce and a side of your choice. To make a smoked brisket, use a smoker.
Another easy dinner recipe to try on a busy weekday is this Slow Cooker Brunswick Stew and this Chipotle Beef Barbacoa... both so yummy! Of course, you can also use our bbq brisket to make sandwiches, pizzas, and more.
CAN THIS BEEF BRISKET RECIPE BE MADE AHEAD OF TIME?
Yes, you can make brisket a day or two ahead and then refrigerate. The flavor will improve with time.
Refrigerate cooked bbq beef brisket for 3 to 5 days, or freeze for 3 months. It is one of those easy freezer meals!
SUBSTITUTES
Although beef brisket has more flavor, you can use other cuts of beef for making a pot roast, such as boneless chuck roast, blade roast, or short ribs – but not London broil which is lean and ideal for grilling or broiling.
If you are wondering what cut of meat you should buy to make corned beef brisket, get a packed corned beef (most are a flat cut brisket) and apply dry rub. Easy peasy!
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EASY AND JUICY BEEF BRISKET RECIPE
Equipment
- slow cooker, pressure cooker, or oven
Ingredients
BEEF BRISKET DRY RUB:
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 6 lbs beef brisket trimmed and pat dry
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
FOR THE BARBECUE SAUCE:
- 3 cup barbecue sauce
- ¾ cup apple cider or red wine vinegar
- 1 ½ teaspoon hot sauce
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- SLOW COOKER METHOD: Spray the bowl of slow cooker with no-stick cooking spray. Combine dry rub ingredients together in a small bowl. Place brisket on a large cookie sheet and season both sides of the brisket with the dry rub and then drizzle with oil.
- Be sure to apply the rub well to both sides with your hands. Place brisket, fat side up, in the slow cooker bowl. Stir sauce ingredients together and cover brisket with half of the sauce. Refrigerate remaining bbq sauce for later.
- Cover brisket with lid and cook on low setting for 8 hours, or on high for 4 hours. When brisket is tender, place onto a cookie sheet, lined with aluminum foil.
- Baste brisket with meat juices from the slow cooker and then with remaining bbq sauce. Broil on top rack for about 8-10 minutes or until charred on the edges.
- Baste with sauce again and let the brisket rest for 15 minutes. Slice ¼ thick, cutting against the grain. Serve with remaining bbq sauce and a side of your choice.
- PRESSURE COOKER METHOD: Spray the inside of the pressure cooker with no-stick cooking spray. Combine dry rub ingredients together in a small bowl. Place brisket on a large cookie sheet and season both sides of the brisket with the dry rub and then drizzle with oil.
- Be sure to apply the rub well to both sides with your hands. Place brisket, fat side up, in the pressure cooker. Stir sauce ingredients together and cover brisket with half of the sauce. Refrigerate remaining bbq sauce for later. Cover and seal pressure cooker.
- Set to Manual at High Pressure and cook for 2 hours and 15 minutes. Quick-release to remove steam/pressure, then unlock and remove the lid. Place onto a cookie sheet, lined with aluminum foil.
- Baste brisket with remaining bbq sauce. Broil on top rack for about 8-10 minutes or until charred on the edges. Baste sauce again and let the brisket rest for 15 minutes. Slice ¼ thick against the grain. Serve with remaining bbq sauce and a side of your choice.
- OVEN METHOD: Preheat oven to 350° F. Season brisket (see above) and place it into a large roasting pan. Mix 1 cup beef broth with 1 cup water and then add the mixture to the base of the pan. Cover tightly with heavy aluminum foil and cook for 1 hour.
- Reduce temp down to 300°F and let cook for an additional 5-6 hours, or until tender. Baste brisket with meat juice from the roasting pan and then with remaining bbq sauce.
- Broil on top rack for about 8-10 minutes or until charred on the edges. Baste sauce again and let the brisket rest for 15 minutes. Then slice ¼ thick against the grain. Serve with remaining bbq sauce and a side of your choice.
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
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Sarah says
If you follow the recipe for the pressure cooker/instapot, you have forgotten to add the liquid at the bottom, if you don’t do it you will get a burn notice.
Denise Browning says
Hi Sarah! Thank you for letting me know. I think not all IPs are made equal. I tested this recipe in my IP as described in the IP cooking method and had no burned meat. But I will make sure to add this note in the recipe. Depending on your IP, one may have to add at least 1/2 cup of broth or water to the pot to preventing burning. The liquid coming out of the meat during the cooking time and the steam from the pressure was enough to cook mine without burning. Plus I didn't add the sauce and then the meat. My cut of beef was big and the sauce was added onto the top of the meat. But I will add the note! Thank you again!
Christina says
This looks amazing and I'd like to try it with a 9 lb brisket. Can you please let me know how long it should take in the oven? Also, if I make it ahead so the flavor intensifies how should I reheat it so it doesn't dry out?
Denise Browning says
Hi Christina! For a 9-pound brisket, start by cooking the brisket at 350 F oven for 1 hour (as directed in my recipe), and then reduce the oven temperature to 300 F and cook it for additional 8-9 hours. It takes about 1 hour per pound of meat to cook brisket in a 300 F oven. To reheat it, remove your brisket from the fridge and let it sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 325˚F and place the brisket in an ovenproof dish. Drizzle the meat with some of the original cooking liquid or sauce, cover the dish tightly with foil, and heat the meat until hot (about 15-20 minutes or more).
FoodDoz says
Thanks for the recipes. Best regards!
Sophia says
Simply delicious!! You didn’t need a knife to cut it. Thank you!!
Denise Browning says
Hi Sophia! I am so happy to read that you enjoyed our beef brisket recipe and that the brisket was so tender and juicy that you did not need a knife to cut off. It is one of my family's favorite recipes!
wendy novatkowski says
OMG this is the best recipe THANK YOU SO MUCH I made it last night and the Brisket was so tender it was like eating butter and the BBQ sauce was to DIE for even both my kids had extra on there dinner and THEY DO NOT LIKE BBQ SAUCE i would never of thought to put apple cider vinegar in my sauce THANK YOU
Denise Browning says
Wow Wendy! You made my day. I am so happy to hear that you and you kids loved this recipe. It is my family's favorite...every time that I make it disappears quite quickly. Vinegar balances well the sweetness of the sauce -- it is the only time when one of my daughters eats bbq sauce. She finds to sweet in general except the homemade version which I always put vinegar enough to cut down the sweetness of the sauce. Thanks a ton for the great review! If you have any questions about this or any other recipe, please don't hesitate to ask. Have a great weekend!
Millican Pecan says
I love brisket and just do not see recipes for making it in the many ways that you have listed here. It looks and sounds delicious! My husband and I are both fans of barbecue, but don't always have the time to make it. Your recipe makes it possible...thanks for sharing!
Denise Browning says
So glad to hear. The pleasure is all mine. Enjoy!
Karen (Back Road Journal) says
Growing up in Texas, you know I'm going to love brisket and yours looks great.
JB says
Oh my goodness, this was so delicious-- so tender you could cut it with just a fork and no knife. And on sandwiches, it was the bomb
Deb|EastofEdenCooking says
I'm liking the list of sides as much as the brisket! Here in California garlic bread would be another option. A scoop of summer in every plateful of this tender brisket recipe.
Denise Browning says
Thank you Deb! Yes, garlic bread would make a great side as well.
Martina Roy says
This is very really unique helpful information. keep it up. Thank you so much!