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The best recipe for brisket in the oven! Learn how to prepare juicy, tender brisket without a smoker or grill. This slow-cooked brisket is cooked overnight for a perfectly shredded cut of meat for sandwiches or a BBQ.

For this brisket and many other meats, I use mineHomemade Dry Rub Recipe. It's easy to whip up and apply to chicken, beef, pork, fish and more.
What is brisket?
Brisket is a tough cut of meat, so it's best to cook it at a low temperature for a long time to give the connective tissue time to break down and gelatinize into a tender result.
Brisket is a cut of meat from the animal's lower breast area, under the first five ribs. It is a large cut that is sold boneless and usually weighs around 8 to 20 pounds.
In my experience, this cut of meat contains quite a bit of fat that needs to be removed during preparation.
Shop brisket & various cuts
For those who don't want such a large cut of meat, you can purchase a point cut or a flat cut. Both pieces come from a whole brisket.
- Whole chest- This is the entire chest, including the flat and the top.
- Flat cut- This cut has less fat, in a single layer on the bottom. It's usually a little more expensive and easier to cut.
- point cut– This cut is tastier than the flat cut, but more fat flows through the meat than in a single layer like the flat cut. This one is shaped a bit like a triangle and is great for shredding.
How much breast should I buy per person?
Since this method uses a whole brisket, I estimate 1 pound of brisket per person when purchasing the meat. That means fat and all!

During the process you cut off some of the fat, the rest gelatinizes during cooking. Essentially, the end result will be a little less than 1 pound per person. Better to have leftovers than too little!
How to cook brisket in the oven
Step 1: Cut and prepare meat
Be prepared to start this process about 2 days in advance.
Working with a thawed whole brisket, trim the fat cap down until you have about ¼ inch of fat left. The fat cap is the thick layer of fat on the meat.
You can leave the fat intact; however, it may increase cooking time.

Then place the meat in a large skillet. I use a Costco oversized lasagna pan. You can use a disposable aluminum pan for easy cleaning or a frying pan (no grate).
Step 2: Season the meat
Apply about 24 hours before cookingrub dryon all sides of the meat. You can use your favorite rub or minehomemade dry rub.


Cover fat-side up and refrigerate for 24 hours to marinate and absorb flavors.
Step 3: Cook brisket overnight
Remove pan from refrigerator and place in a preheated 275°F oven for about 1 hour per pound. Keep pan covered with foil.
The breast is perfectly tender and ready for shredding when the internal temperature reaches 200°F using a meat thermometer in the oven. It's okay for the brisket to cook over 200 degrees internally, if that's reasonable.

Because the meat cooks in its own juice, the meat will be incredibly tender and should fall apart immediately when shredded.
Step 4: Serve the brisket
When the brisket has reached 200°F degrees on the inside, remove from the oven and allow the meat to rest undisturbed at room temperature for about an hour. Keep your chest covered during this time.
how long should iLeave the brisket to rest? Learn about the science behind resting a brisket, the best internal temperature, and other brisket tips.



Shred the meat with grill claws or two large forks directly in the cooking container and serve on a bun or plain.

FAQ and tips for overnight brisket in the oven
How do you keep a brisket moist in the oven?
Always cook the breast fat-side up.
As the fat melts during cooking, it bastes the meat, keeping it tender and juicy.
Let the meat rest.
Chopping brisket immediately after cooking is more difficult and results in a less juicy product. By resting, the juice is distributed throughout the meat and makes it even more tender.
You can read more about itRest here.
trimming the chest.
Many stores label brisket as "precut". There is no need to purchase a pre-cut chest piece. In fact, I usually cut off more before applying the spice.
My best advice is to take a look at the cap of fat that is on the meat before you buy. If it's too thin, the meat will likely dry out.
Choose a cut with a fat cap of about 1/4 inch or so. Also remember that fat is factored into the price, so don't choose a brisket that's too fat.
Should I cover my brisket in the oven?
To prevent the brisket from drying out, cover the pan with foil before placing in the oven. This locks in moisture and prevents what is known as “stalling” – when the moisture evaporates and “stalls” the cooking time.
What is the best temperature to slow cook a brisket?
How long does it take to cook a brisket in the oven at 275°F? 250°F? 200°F? 325°F? 350°F?
Cooking in the oven:A general rule of thumb is to allow 1 hour per pound. For example, a 20 pound brisket takes between 15 and 20 hours. The entire process of trimming, marinating, slow cooking, and resting takes about 24 hours.
Make sure you give yourself enough time for the whole process.
Can you leave a brisket in the oven overnight?
Yes! As long as you've followed this recipe's instructions, considering the size of the cut and the time needed, overnight cooking in the oven is perfectly safe. Check the oven temperature and your meat thermometer for added security.
What is the best cooking method for brisket?
Whether you're smoking a brisket or cooking it in the oven, low and slow is the best method. Brisket is a tough (and expensive) cut that can be quite uncomfortable if not prepared properly. Allowing plenty of time for marinating, cooking, and resting results in a deliciously juicy, moist, and tender brisket.
Resist the urge to rush the cooking process. Build in a few hours so you have flexibility.
What to serve with brisket
- Twice Baked Potatoes
- baked potatoes
- Smashed red potatoes
- Baked mac and cheese
moreSide dishes…


How to cook brisket in the oven
Anna Kate
Learn how to cook a juicy, tender brisket in the oven! Low and slow, this whole brisket is cooked overnight, yielding a perfectly shredable cut of meat for sandwiches or BBQ. No smoking necessary!
3,60out of5Voices
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preparation time15 Min
cooking time1 D
total time1 D 12 Std 15 Min
Ingredients
- 1 ganze Rinderbrust
- homemade dry rub
instructions
Trim the breast fat cap to 1/4 inch thick. Place the brisket in a large roasting pan or disposable skillet.
Season the beef brisket on all sides with homemade dry rub
Cover with foil and marinate in the fridge for 12 hours or overnight.
Place in a 275 degree oven for 1 hour per pound or until the internal temperature reaches 200 degrees Fahrenheit.
Chop up and serve on a bun or plain with side dishes.
Remarks
Please read the entire post for details, tips and more!
Visit this dry rub recipe
Nourishment
Portion:1Gramm
Tried this recipe?let us knowhow was it!
FAQs
Can you leave brisket in oven overnight? ›
Can you leave a brisket in the oven overnight? Yes! As long as you have followed the instructions of this recipe, and accounted for the size of the cut and the time needed, an overnight cook in the oven is perfectly safe. Double-check the oven temperature and your meat thermometer for extra assurance.
Can brisket be cooked overnight? ›Overnight Brisket is tender, succulent, mushroomy, and super easy to make. Overnight Brisket is cooked tightly wrapped, at a low temperature overnight. The result is out of this world! Make sure to use a 2nd cut brisket for best results.
What temperature should I set my brisket in the oven overnight? ›If there is no resistance, rest the brisket for 2 hours until the internal temperature is around 160°F. Then place the brisket in the holding oven at 145°F until you're ready to serve.
Can you cook brisket at 200 degrees in oven? ›Step 3: Cook Brisket in the Oven:
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.
No matter the cooking method (smoking, roasting, etc.), cooked brisket should rest for at least one hour but not more than two hours. After more than a couple of hours at room temperature, the brisket starts to get cold, and reheating it can cause it to dry out.
How do you keep a brisket warm for 12 hours? ›So, if I need to keep the meat warm and juicy for a prolonged period, I wrap it in heavy foil soon after the cooking time is done. You don't necessarily need heavy-duty foil; any type of tin foil will do. The trick is to wrap your brisket tightly without leaving any air space.
Can you cook a brisket in 10 hours? ›Set the oven to 120C/250F, Rub the brisket all over with a good grinding of salt and pepper, place in a shallow ovenproof tray such as a white enamel ashet, Pour over the whisky and cover well with foil. Place in the middle of the oven for 10 hours.
Can I leave meat in oven overnight? ›Yes, it'll be fine.
How long to cook brisket at 180 degrees? ›6 – Set the grill at 180 degrees using 1/3 mesquite pellets and 2/3 cherry pellets. 7 – Set the brisket, fat side up, on the grill for 2 hours.
How do you cook a brisket overnight? ›Place your brisket on the smoker, fat cap down, and insert your wireless temperature probe. Smoke overnight (8-12 hours) or until internal temperature reaches ~150f. Once the brisket has reached ~150f internal temperature, increase the temperature of the smoker to 225f.
How do you keep a brisket moist in the oven? ›
If you're using an oven, put a water pan or drip pan under the roast. That will help add moisture to the air while you cook and keep a brisket moist.
How long can you keep a brisket in the oven at 170? ›Holding Brisket For 17 Hours In A Holding Oven
Pitmaster Jimmy Perez was kind enough to show me around, including in the kitchen where they hold briskets in holding ovens at 170°F for 17 hours. Yes, you read that right.
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.
How long should a brisket stay at 200 degrees? ›Place the brisket directly on the smoker grate with the fat side down. Maintain 200°F throughout and keep the smoke going for at least 6 hours if you are not using a stick burner. If you have a water pan, use it.
Is 200 too low for brisket? ›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 after cooking thousands of briskets, Franklin feels the magic temperature is 203°F (95°C).
Can I rest brisket in oven instead of cooler? ›You can also opt to let your smoked brisket rest in the oven. Aim for a low temperature of 150-170°F (65-75°C) to prevent overcooking. If you don't have access to a faux Cambro or cooler, the oven is the next best thing.
Can I slow cook brisket for 12 hours? ›Leaving your brisket unattended for 10 to 12 hours is not an option; if you go that route, the brisket can go from tender to mush. Know when it's done: A three-pound beef brisket will take six to eight hours in the slow cooker.
How long can you hold brisket in the oven? ›At 200°F you should be able to hold your brisket in the oven for about one to two hours without drying out the meat. Routinely check the brisket with a meat thermometer to double-check the internal temperature is high enough and ensure that the brisket doesn't become tough and chewy.
Can you let a brisket rest for 6 hours? ›Yes, you can rest a brisket for up to 6 hours. I would suggest only doing this with a larger, whole brisket. With smaller ones, about two hours or just a little bit longer is good.
Do you put brisket fat side up or down? ›Always smoke brisket with the fat side facing down. Fat-side down helps keep the seasoning on the brisket and makes it look better. Cooking brisket fat side up does not add moisture to the meat.
How long to cook a 10 lb brisket in the oven at 250 degrees? ›
How Long to Cook Brisket at 250? You'll need to cook brisket at 250° for about 30-40 minutes per pound.
Does brisket get softer longer it cooks? ›It's a tough cut of meat, which is why the best way to cook brisket is a low-and-slow method: Long, slow cooking makes it tender.
What's the longest you can cook a brisket? ›Smoking duration will be 18 to 22 hours. After smoking, it should rest for at least 1 hour, but can be held in the oven at 140°F for several hours. Plan to put the brisket in the smoker 24 hours before serving so that you can be confident it will be done and ready.
Can you leave meat out for 12 hours? ›If a perishable food (such as meat or poultry) has been left out at room temperature overnight (more than two hours) it may not be safe. Discard it, even though it may look and smell good. Never taste a food to see if it is spoiled.
What happens if you leave meat overnight? ›If food is left out too long, some bacteria, such as staphylococcus aureus (staph), can form a heat-resistant toxin that cooking can't destroy. One of the most common sources of staph bacteria is the human body.
What happens if I leave the oven on all night? ›The results of leaving an oven overnight or for hours can possibly be disastrous and deadly. If you leave an electric oven on, it could lead to a fire. If you leave a gas oven on, it could lead to a fire and carbon monoxide poisoning.
What temperature is the lowest for brisket? ›It takes a low temperature (215 to 225 degrees) and long cooking time (15 to 20 hours) to melt the collagen, fat, and other tough connective tissue in the brisket.
Is brisket tender at 195 degrees? ›A good rule of thumb is to bring the meat up to an internal temperature of 185°F to 195°F to attain this conversation of tough meat to melt in your mouth deliciousness. The ideal peak internal temperature of brisket should be 205°F-210°F since beyond that it will begin to dry out.
Do you use 180 or 225 for brisket? ›Put brisket on the grill at 225 °F. Smoke for 6 hours until internal temperature is 160 °F. Wrap brisket in butcher paper or foil and return to the grill.
Can you cook a brisket in 8 hours? ›Smoke the brisket until it is at least 160°F internally AND has a dark, almost black, exterior. This can take anywhere from 5 – 8 hours depending on the size of your brisket.
Do you add water when cooking brisket in the oven? ›
Pour water in the bottom of the baking pan to fill 1-2 inches. This will help steam brisket in the oven and keep it nice and moist while it cooks. Add the brisket fat side UP on top of a rack suspending it over the water.
Can you cook a brisket in 7 hours? ›Keep the temperature between 300° to 325°. Continue to cook the brisket until it reaches just over 200° about 5 - 6 hours. If you feel like the brisket is getting dry, you can remove it after it hits about 165°-170°, you can wrap it in peach butcher paper or heavy foil and continue to cook.
Should I wrap my brisket in foil in the oven? ›Cooking a brisket in a smoker can take all day and all night, however, you can cook brisket in the oven in only three to four hours. The key to shortening the cooking time is to wrap the brisket in foil, also known as the Texas Crutch. This traps the moisture in with the meat, dramatically speeding up cooking.
Can brisket be overcooked in oven? ›Yes, you can overcook brisket. Overcooking your brisket at too high a temperature will result in dry, chewy, sinewy meat. To ensure the perfect texture and taste, the internal temperature of the meat should be monitored closely. The ideal internal temperature for brisket is between 195°F and 205°F.
What is the secret to a tender brisket? ›We cook our brisket at 250 degrees Fahrenheit (F) using cherry or apple wood from the Northwest. This temperature will break down the connective tissue, rendering some of the intramuscular fat, which in turn keeps the tenderness, and juicy flavor.
How long does it take a brisket to get to 165 at 225? ›How Long Does It Take a Brisket to get to 165 at 225? It can take between 1.5 and 2 hours until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.
Can you take brisket off at 180? ›The brisket is done when the temperature reaches 180 degrees to 185 degrees F internally or when a fork slides easily in and out of the meat. Remove and allow the brisket to rest for about 10 minutes.
How long does it take a 10 lb brisket to get to 165? ›Place the brisket on the smoker with the point end facing your main heat source. This is a thicker part of the brisket and it can handle the additional heat. Close the lid and smoke until and internal thermometer reads 165 degrees F (usually takes around 8 hours).
Why is my brisket still tough after 8 hours? ›The only way to break it down to get tender brisket is to expose the meat to heat for an extended period of time. As such, if you don't cook brisket for long enough, the connective tissue isn't going to have time to break down. Therefore, you will be left with a still tough brisket.
How do you make brisket fall apart? ›With briskets and roasts, you may find that after cooking the meat is tough. This is most likely a result of under cooking the brisket. Simply adding in more time to cook the meat can give you the fall apart goodness that you want. The longer you cook the meat, the more it can tenderize and the easier it is to shred.
Is 250 degrees too hot for brisket? ›
This temperature will cook faster than if it were smoked at a lower temperature. However, the brisket will still have time to break down and yield a tender cut of meat. 250°F is also a perfect temperature for melting fat. Once the brisket's fat cap renders, a succulent layer of seasoned fat will be left behind.
What temperature do you cook a brisket at in the oven? ›A general rule of thumb is to cook beef brisket in the oven at 275F for around 60 minutes / 1 hour for every pound of meat. For example, 4 lb = 4 hours, 5 lb = 5 hours, etc... Additionally, leave any fat on the top of the brisket - this will keep it moist and tender.
Should brisket be 200 or 225? ›Brisket is one of those meats that should be cooked at a low temperature such as 225 and slow to achieve maximum tenderness. It takes longer than other cuts of meat to cook because it has more connective tissue and fat.
How long should a brisket stay in the oven? ›How Long To Cook Brisket In The Oven: A general rule of thumb is to cook beef brisket in the oven at 275F for around 60 minutes / 1 hour for every pound of meat. For example, 4 lb = 4 hours, 5 lb = 5 hours, etc... Additionally, leave any fat on the top of the brisket - this will keep it moist and tender.