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Close up image of sliced brisket on a baking sheet.
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4.41 from 71 votes

How to Cook Brisket in the Oven

A complete tutorial on how to cook brisket in the oven. Follow these tips for the best result every time!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time4 hours
Total Time4 hours 10 minutes
Course: Main Dishes
Cuisine: American
Servings: 6 to 10
Calories: 460kcal
Author: Julia

Ingredients

  • 1 (3 to 5-pound) beef brisket trimmed to 1/4" of fat
  • Coarse sea salt
  • Garlic Powder
  • Black Pepper

Instructions

  • Remove the raw brisket from its packaging and pat it dry with a paper towel. Transfer it to a large baking sheet or roasting pan. Sprinkle the brisket liberally with coarse sea salt, making sure to get the sides as well. Allow the brisket to sit uncovered in the refrigerator overnight (24 hours is ideal), or as long as you can before cooking it in the oven.
    Beef brisket on a baking sheet sprinkled with sea salt for dry brining
  • At least 30 minutes before you want to cook brisket in the oven, remove it from the refrigerator to allow it to come closer to room temperature. Sprinkle it liberally with garlic powder and black pepper and a little additional salt and allow it to sit.
    Brisket covered with garlic powder, sea salt and pepper
  • Preheat the oven to 250 degrees Fahrenheit. Transfer the brisket to a long sheet of foil. Double wrap the brisket in foil, then place it back on the baking sheet (or roasting pan). Roast the brisket in the preheated oven until it reaches an internal temperature of 180 to 200 degrees Fahrenheit, about 1 hour and 15 minutes per pound of meat.
  • Once the brisket reaches about 145 degrees F, you can uncover the foil and raise the oven temperature to 300 degrees F to allow the fat to become crispy for the last 45 minutes to 1 hour of baking. The final cooking temperature for brisket is 203 degrees Fahrenheit. Meat continues cooking while it rests, so you can pull it out of the oven around 190 - 195 degrees F and allow it to finish cooking as it rests, if you'd like. Otherwise, pull it out of the oven once it reaches 200 degrees Fahrenheit.
    Roast brisket that is fully cooked sitting in foil
  • The best way to check the internal temperature of the meat is to use a quality meat thermometer and insert it into the thickest part of the meat. Wait patiently until the thermometer gets an accurate read.
  • Remember that large roasts will increase in temperature by about 5 to 10 degrees after they are out of the oven, so keep this in mind before you pull it out.
  • Once the brisket is out of the oven, allow it to sit for at least 20 minutes to give the juices an opportunity to evenly distribute throughout the meat for the best texture.
    Cooked oven roasted brisket on a baking sheet
  • Transfer the finished brisket to a cutting board, reserving the drippings to make au jus for dipping if desired.
  • Slice meat against the grain of the meat, and serve it with your favorite side dishes.
    Slices of brisket on a plate with roasted broccoli
  • Store any leftover brisket in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Video

Notes

The final cooking temperature for brisket is 203 degrees F. In this sense, brisket is always served well-done, never medium-rare or medium. For the best results, use a meat thermometer to keep tabs on the internal temperature. 

Nutrition

Serving: 8ounces | Calories: 460kcal | Protein: 76g | Fat: 16g