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    Home > American Recipes

    Published: May 27, 2019 · Modified: Mar 26, 2021 by Denise Browning · "Post may have affiliate links so I earn a commission at no extra cost to you."

    Easy & Juicy Beef Brisket Recipe

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    collage with beef brisket sliced in a sheet pan with vegetables

    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.

    A close up of beef brisket with veggies

    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

    • 1 WHAT IS BEEF BRISKET?
    • 2 HOW TO CHOOSE BRISKET
    • 3 WHAT TO SERVE WITH 
    • 4 HOW TO COOK BEEF BRISKET
    • 5 CAN THIS BEEF BRISKET RECIPE BE MADE AHEAD OF TIME?
    • 6 SUBSTITUTES
    • 7 EASY AND JUICY BEEF BRISKET RECIPE

    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.

    brisket sandwich with bbq sauce and French fries

    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: 

    • Coleslaw
    • Corn Gratin
    • Mashed Potatoes
    • Collard greens
    • Mac and Cheese
    • Potato Salad
    • Grilled Corn

    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. 

    Photo collage with 2 images, one with brisket in the slow cooker and the other in the oven

     

     

    SLOW COOKER BRISKET:

    1. 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.
    2. 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.
    3. 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.
    4. 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.
    5. 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:

    1. 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.
    2. 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.
    3. 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.
    4. 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:

    1. 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.
    2. 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.
    3. 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. 

    smoked brisket sliced with sides

    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!

     

    Close up image showing basted meat  with bbq sauce in a sheet pan

     

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    A close up of beef brisket with veggies
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    5 from 22 votes

    EASY AND JUICY BEEF BRISKET RECIPE

    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.
    Course:Main Course
    Cuisine:American
    Keywords:beef brisket, brisket
    Prep Time 20 minutes minutes
    Cook Time 8 hours hours
    Servings 12 people
    Calories496 kcal
    Author Denise Browning
    Cost $ 3.50 per person

    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

    MAKE AHEAD: You can make brisket a day or two ahead and then refrigerate. The flavor will improve with time.
    SUBSTITUTES: Although beef brisket has more flavor, you can use other beef cuts 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.
    STORAGE: Refrigerate cooked beef brisket for 3 to 5 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 496kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 48g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 141mg | Sodium: 1738mg | Potassium: 973mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 26g | Vitamin A: 640IU | Vitamin C: 1.2mg | Calcium: 43mg | Iron: 5.2mg

    ** Nutrition labels on easyanddelish.com are for educational purposes only. This info is provided as a courtesy and is only an estimate, since the nutrition content of recipes can vary based on ingredient brand or source, portion sizes, recipe changes/variations, and other factors. We suggest making your own calculations using your preferred calculator, based on which ingredients you use, or consulting with a registered dietitian to determine nutritional values more precisely.

    Please note that health-focused and diet information provided on easyanddelish.com is for educational purposes and does not constitute medical advice, nor is it intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent disease. Consult with your doctor or other qualified health professional prior to initiating any significant change in your diet or exercise regimen, or for any other issue necessitating medical advice.

    DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?Comment and rate the recipe. Also follow us on Pinterest at @easyanddelish for more delish recipes.

     

     

     

     

     

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    About Denise Browning

    Hi! I'm Denise Browning, a professional chef and cookbook author. My mission is to help you cook budget-friendly, healthy global meals for your family with some occasional splurges. They are sure to bring a lot of excitement to your table! More About Me.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. FoodDoz says

      October 26, 2023 at 10:56 pm

      5 stars
      Thanks for the recipes. Best regards!

      Reply
    2. Sophia says

      October 25, 2020 at 8:04 pm

      5 stars
      Simply delicious!! You didn’t need a knife to cut it. Thank you!!

      Reply
      • Denise Browning says

        October 26, 2020 at 11:50 am

        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!

        Reply
    3. wendy novatkowski says

      September 26, 2019 at 7:09 am

      5 stars
      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

      Reply
      • Denise Browning says

        September 26, 2019 at 10:09 pm

        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!

        Reply
    4. Millican Pecan says

      August 10, 2019 at 11:22 pm

      5 stars
      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!

      Reply
      • Denise Browning says

        August 12, 2019 at 9:32 pm

        So glad to hear. The pleasure is all mine. Enjoy!

        Reply
    5. Karen (Back Road Journal) says

      June 07, 2019 at 1:59 pm

      Growing up in Texas, you know I'm going to love brisket and yours looks great.

      Reply
    6. JB says

      June 07, 2019 at 3:50 am

      5 stars
      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

      Reply
    7. Deb|EastofEdenCooking says

      May 30, 2019 at 1:04 pm

      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.

      Reply
      • Denise Browning says

        May 31, 2019 at 2:06 pm

        Thank you Deb! Yes, garlic bread would make a great side as well.

        Reply
    8. Martina Roy says

      May 29, 2019 at 4:34 am

      5 stars
      This is very really unique helpful information. keep it up. Thank you so much!

      Reply

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    Hi! I'm Denise Browning, a professional chef and cookbook author. My mission is to help you cook budget-friendly, healthy global meals for your family with some occasional splurges. They are sure to bring a lot of excitement to your table!

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