4 Ways to Make Mouth-Watering Brisket

Are you a fan of brisket? Whether you’re an avid brisket maker or a first-timer, you’ll find these different ways of cooking brisket useful in the event you don’t always have the traditional tools for making it.

Brisket is made of tough meat, that’s why no matter where you plan on cooking it, your biggest weapon is to cook it slow and low. Without further ado, let’s take a look at your options!

Cooking Brisket in the Oven

If you have the right tools, we recommend trying to make slow-cooked brisket in ovens.

Start by patting your meat dry using paper towels. Season lightly with salt and pepper. You may brown the brisket with oil if your recipe calls for it. You can use either a Dutch oven or a covered baking pan.

There are so many varieties of brisket flavorings, but we find that the simplest ones let the true flavors of the meat come through. Regardless of the recipe you’re following, go for at least 3 cups of liquid for every 4 lbs of meat when cooking in the oven.

Once seasoned, bake the brisket in the pan. Use the same liquid you used to cook the meat over the brisket. Put a lid on the pan and bake for 3 to 4 hours. The ideal temperature for baking brisket is 325°F. Once finished, don’t serve it immediately. Wait for about 15 minutes for it to stand on its own juices before slicing and serving.

Here are a few of the most amazing brisket recipes made in the oven:

Easy Baked Beef Brisket (Allrecipes)
Texas Oven-Roasted Beef Brisket (Food Network)
Oven-Baked Beef Brisket (The Mom 100)
Onion Braised Brisket Recipe (Once Upon a Chef)

Cooking Brisket on the Stovetop

Again, begin by patting the meat using paper towels and seasoning with salt and pepper. Cook the meat by heating it with oil on medium-high heat. Use a braising pot or dutch oven until it’s brown and seared. This should take about 5 minutes per side.

After searing, place the meat on a plate. Add oil to the pot to cook your onions and garlic. Put the meat back on the pot, together with the ingredients mentioned in your oven brisket recipe. You can use any BBQ sauce you like, some tomatoes, vinegar, sugar, and other spices. Let this simmer over low heat, regularly spooning the sauce over the meat.

To cook it completely on the stovetop all the way through, you’ll need about 3 hours until it’s tender enough. When you’re happy with the doneness and tenderness, remove the brisket and place the meat on a chopping board. Don’t slice just yet - let it stand on its own for 15 minutes before serving.

Here are easy brisket recipes on the stovetop:

Asian-spiced stovetop brisket (Today)
Stovetop Smoker Brisket with BBQ Sauce (Food.com)
Stovetop Smoked Brisket on Garlic Buns (Food Network)

Cooking Brisket in a Slow Cooker

Start by trimming the fat from the meat. Season with salt and pepper. You might need to cut your brisket to smaller portions, depending on how big or small your slow cooker is.

You can use your preferred cooking liquid. If you’ve no idea, it can be simply some water and Worcestershire sauce.

Again, you don’t need anything fancy because this dish is really great on its own merit. You can also use a BBQ sauce that you bought from the store or made at home using your own spices and rubs.

Next is placing the brisket in the slow cooker. Pour your liquid mix over the meat and cover the cooker. Recipes will vary regarding the length of brisket cook time, but we recommend 10-12 hours on low heat or 5-6 hours on high heat for a 3 lb brisket.

Here are a few recipes on how to cook brisket in slow cookers:

Slow Cooker Brisket and Onions (The Kitchn)
Classic Beef Brisket Recipe (Life is but a dish)
BBQ Brisket Recipe with Sauce (RecipeTinEats)

Cooking Brisket in a Smoker or on the Grill

How to cook brisket on grills? It’s pretty simple.

You’ll need a cup or two of wood chips if you’re using a smoker. Use enough water to soak the chips for an hour before cooking, then drain them out before grilling. You can also opt to soak the wood chips in beer, wine, or apple juice instead of water to add more flavor!

Using a Charcoal Grill

Coat the brisket evenly with your preferred dry rub. Let the coals reach a medium heat. Use a drip pan filled with an inch of hot water. Add the wood chunks to your charcoal. Place the brisket with the fatty side down on a grill rack over your pan. Cover it and let it smoke for 5 hours (or depending on your recipe).

The optimal temperature for this is 190°F. You’ll know you’re done once the meat is really tender. Halfway through, turn the meat on the other side. You can add more water and charcoal if needed along the way. However, avoid adding wood chunks for the first half of your cooking time.

Using a Gas Grill

Preheat your grill. Coat the brisket evenly with your preferred dry rub. It’s best to use indirect cooking settings for this. Lower the heat down to medium. Add your wood chips. Place the meat on a rack in a roasting pan. The pan should be on a grill rack over a burner that’s turned off. Add about an inch of water to your drip pan, then set your grill rack directly over medium heat. Cover and smoke for as long as your recipe dictates.

Here are a few recipes for making brisket in the grill or smoker:

The Best Easy Smoked Brisket Recipe (Sweet C’s)
Authentic Texas Style Smoked Brisket Recipe (Meathead’s Amazing Ribs)
Texas-Style Barbecued Brisket (Epicurious)

No matter which method you prefer to use when cooking brisket, make sure to keep it low and steady. The only secret here is to take your time with your meat. And again, there’s no need to be too fancy with the ingredients for your sauce and cooking liquid. The brisket meat is the star of the dish, and is more than capable of being the star of your cooking!

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