20 Irresistible Beef Brisket Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to moist tender 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.

First off, you'd smoke or bake the brisket at 225 degrees for 3 hours; then you'd wrap it in foil and keep cooking it for 2 hours. Finally, uncovered and cook for 1 more hour before letting it rest for a few minutes prior serving.

Brisket is done when it reaches 203° internally. Smoke a 10 lbs brisket for 6-9 hrs and then rest for at least 1 hour. Smoke a 15 lbs brisket for 10-12 hrs and then rest for at least 1 hour. Smoke a 20 lbs brisket for 12-16 hrs and then rest for at least 1 hour.

20 pounds of brisket is around 40 to 2 people.

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.

Dry rubs are ideal if you need a sear but works just as well when you smoke or slow cook. And finally, wet rubs are perfect if you are going the slow route for cooking.

Wrapping the brisket at this stage also helps keep it moist and tender by trapping the juices and preventing it from drying out. If you wrap a brisket too early, you may end up with a softer, less textured bark. If you wrap the brisket late, it may take a lot longer to cook.

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.

To set things straight, we're here to put an end to the confusion, so you can get back to the grill with confidence. For brisket cooked to flavorful perfection, fat-side-down is the way to go. This is the only way to achieve a brisket that is perfectly moist with a perfect bark on both sides.

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.

Why did my brisket turn out tough? ›

Brisket contains a lot of connective tissue, which can make it tough. The type of connective tissue in brisket is called collagen. Cook the meat quickly and you get tough, dry meat. Cook a brisket slowly, with some liquid, and the collagen turns into gelatin.

Wrapping a brisket in butcher paper or aluminum foil will speed up the cooking process. Wrapping the brisket will prevent what's called "the stall" — when evaporation from the surface of the brisket halts the cooking process.

You have to sear off the brisket to caramelize the meat before letting it slow-cook in the oven at 275°, so it goes from stove to oven. Afterward, you bring it back to the stovetop to thicken the sauce.

For those who prefer traditional favorites, coleslaw, baked beans, mac and cheese, classic potato, and corn are all great options to complement your brisket. But why not add a twist with some veggie delights like Brussels sprouts, grilled bell peppers, or fried okra? Don't forget about the bread selection!

Brisket will shrink while cooking, which means your finished dinner will weigh less than the piece of beef you purchased. With those factors in mind, buying a cut of brisket that equals about one pound per person is reasonable and accounts for having leftovers.

The secret to serving a tender and yet lean brisket is cooking it in two stages. First, cook it covered, with broth and seasonings, at a low temperature for a long time. Then cool the meat for several hours or overnight. Refrigerate the cooking liquid separately and remove the fat that rises to the top and hardens.

Advantages Of Wrapping

Wrapping a brisket helps seal in the moisture and juices for the duration of the cooking process, which prevents your meat from drying out in the smoker.

The meat still needs a couple of hours in a higher temperature range to fully render fat and dissolve collagen. 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.

To keep brisket moist in a slow cooker, sear before cooking to trap in the juices, add liquid (broth, BBQ sauce), cook on low heat, and avoid lifting the lid frequently to retain moisture.