Slow-Baked Tender Beef Brisket Recipe
Discover a simple recipe for a slow-baked, tender beef brisket with a flavorful marinade. Perfect for beginners, this easy-to-follow recipe is ideal for dinners or gatherings.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 3 hours
Total Time: 3 hours and 10 minutes
A beef brisket is a cut of meat from the breast section of the cow, which is rich in connective tissue collagen, causing the meat to be tough in nature. When using beef brisket in most recipes, it usually requires long, slow cooking to achieve a tender cut of meat. Additionally, it's important to use an appropriate temperature—not too high and not too low—to ensure the meat's tenderness.
In this recipe, I used a temperature of 260°F (about 126°C), and after three hours of cooking, it resulted in a deliciously tender beef brisket. While this recipe may require a longer cook time compared to other dishes, most of the work is in the preparation. Once the brisket is placed in the oven, you're free to do other tasks. With the long downtime, you can tackle housework, assignments (if you're a student), or any other activities you need to complete at home. By the time dinner rolls around, you'll have a nice and delicious brisket that you can use to make sandwiches or pair with other foods like rice. You can enjoy it however you prefer. After all, a tender beef brisket recipe is a favorite comfort food for many meat-eaters.
Kitchen Utensils Needed
For this recipe, we will use basic kitchen utensils such as:
- 9x9 baking pan
- Knife
- Cutting board
- Spoon (for drizzling sauce)
- Small bowls for preparing dry and liquid ingredients
- Oven
- Aluminum foil
- Serving plate
Tips for Achieving a Tender and Flavorful Beef Brisket
- Choose the Right Cut: Select a brisket with good marbling, as the fat will render down during cooking and add flavor and moisture.
- Trim Excess Fat: While some fat is necessary for flavor, trimming excess fat ensures a better texture and prevents overly greasy results.
- Season Generously: Use a dry rub or marinade to season the brisket. Common ingredients include salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika, and brown sugar.
- Low and Slow Cooking: Cook the brisket at a low temperature (around 225°F to 275°F) for an extended period. This slow cooking process breaks down the tough connective tissues.
- Use a Meat Thermometer: Monitor the internal temperature of the brisket. Aim for an internal temperature of around 195°F to 205°F for optimal tenderness.
- Rest the Meat: After cooking, let the brisket rest for at least 30 minutes. This allows the juices to redistribute, resulting in a more tender and flavorful meat.
- Moisture Maintenance: Keep the brisket moist during cooking by using a water pan in the smoker or basting it periodically with a marinade or broth.
- Wrap the Brisket: Consider wrapping the brisket in aluminum foil or butcher paper during the latter part of cooking. This technique, known as the "Texas Crutch," helps retain moisture and speeds up the cooking process.
- Slice Against the Grain: When serving, slice the brisket against the grain. This shortens the muscle fibers and makes the meat easier to chew.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs. or 0.70 kg of beef brisket
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon of sugar
- 1/4 cup vinegar
- 2 Thai peppers (optional)
- 1 cup of water
- 1 teaspoon of pepper
- 2 1/4 teaspoons of salt
- 4 cloves of garlic
- 1 medium sized onion
Directions
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Preheat oven to 260°F or about 126°C. You want the temperature slightly above 250°F, but don't push it too high because it will make your brisket tough in the end, instead of being tender.
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Measure and prepare dry ingredients in small bowls - salt, pepper, and sugar. It may seem like an extra step, but it makes the prep more organized.
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Put the soy sauce in a cup or small bowl, put the vinegar in bowl and combine with brown sugar, the vinegar will aid in dissolving the sugar, let sit for 3-5 minutes and stir again.
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Chop the garlic into small pieces, it doesn't need to be finely chopped. Then, combine soy, vinegar, salt, pepper, and garlic in a large bowl to create the marinade/cooking sauce.
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Chop the onion in half and then slice the onion half onions into 3/8 inch thick slices, as if you were making half onion rings.
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Optional Step: Chop red peppers, only use red peppers if you like a spicy beef brisket. Then add the pepper to the marinade sauce.
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Place brisket into cooking pan, ensure that the fat side is up. Keeping the fat side up keeps the brisket moist while cooking.
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Combine the onions all around the brisket, do not place the onions under the brisket.
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Pour the marinade/sauce over the brisket and onions.
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Carefully tear a large piece of aluminum foil to cover the baking pan and place over pan.
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Seal the edges of the pan tightly with the aluminum foil.
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Place the pan carefully in the pre-heated oven and close the oven. Let the brisket cook for 3 hours.
Important Tips
- Ensure the oven is pre-heated fully.
- Do not open the aluminum foils to check during cooking.
- Use a glass pan, so you can check the fluid level during the cooking process.
- Use the right size pan so that the marinade slightly covers the meat. We used a 9x9 Pyrex glass cooking pan.
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After 3 hours of cooking time open the oven and carefully remove the brisket from the oven without tipping the cooking pan to ensure you do not spill any hot liquid. This picture is what your brisket should look like.
Important: Ensure you are using good potholders (preferably silicone gloves)
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Check for tenderness with a fork, if the brisket feels too tough, put back in oven and cook for another 30-45 mins.
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When your brisket is done carefully remove your pan and using tongs place the brisket on a large cutting board to let the meat rest for 10 to 15 mins.
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Thinly slice your delicate brisket and place of a serving platter.
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Carefully drizzle or spoon the cooking juices from the pan on top of the brisket.
** Tip: ** This will keep the brisket from drying out.
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Now you can enjoy your beautifully cooked tender beef brisket as your main course or make into beef brisket sandwiches with a hearty sour dough bun.
Fun Facts About Beef Brisket
- Historical Significance: Beef brisket has been a staple in various cultures for centuries, particularly in Jewish, Texan, and Korean cuisines.
- Barbecue Favorite: In Texas, beef brisket is a barbecue favorite, often smoked for hours to achieve a tender and flavorful result.
- Two Parts: A whole brisket is divided into two parts: the flat cut and the point cut. The flat cut is leaner, while the point cut is fattier and more flavorful.
- Collagen Breakdown: The long, slow cooking process breaks down the collagen in the brisket, transforming it from tough to tender.
- Versatile Dish: Brisket can be prepared in various ways, including smoking, braising, and slow cooking, making it a versatile dish.
- Holiday Tradition: In Jewish cuisine, brisket is often served during holidays like Passover and Rosh Hashanah.
- Popular in Competition: Beef brisket is a popular choice in barbecue competitions, where pitmasters showcase their smoking techniques.
- Nutrient-Rich: Brisket is rich in protein and essential nutrients like iron, zinc, and B vitamins, making it a nutritious choice.
Why Try a Beef Brisket Recipe?
Beef brisket is known for its deep, rich flavor that comes from the marbling of fat and the slow cooking process. It's a taste that is hard to beat. Brisket can be prepared in various ways, including smoking, braising, and slow cooking. This versatility allows you to experiment with different flavors and cooking techniques. When cooked properly, beef brisket becomes incredibly tender, making it a delight to eat. The long, slow cooking process breaks down the tough connective tissues, resulting in melt-in-your-mouth meat. A beef brisket recipe is ideal for feeding a crowd. Whether it's a family dinner, a holiday celebration, or a barbecue, brisket is sure to impress your guests. Brisket is a good source of protein and essential nutrients like iron, zinc, and B vitamins, making it a nutritious choice for any meal. Cooking beef brisket allows you to connect with various culinary traditions, from Texas barbecue to Jewish holiday meals. It's a dish with a rich cultural heritage. Brisket can be cooked ahead of time and reheated, making it a convenient option for busy schedules. The flavors often improve after a day or two in the fridge. Leftover brisket can be used in a variety of dishes, such as sandwiches, tacos, and chili, ensuring that nothing goes to waste.