Slow Cooking Brisket in Oven

beef brisket sliced in an aluminum foil pan

This recipe for Slow Cooking Brisket in the Oven delivers tender, flavorful beef brisket infused with a mouthwatering blend of spices, slow-cooked to perfection right in your own kitchen. Easy to prepare and worth the wait, this recipe is a must-try!

Prep Time10

Cook Time5

Marinate time8

Total Time13 10

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Slow Cooking Brisket In Oven, Slow Cooking Brisket in Oven Recipe

Servings:

Calories: 303kcal

Ingredients

4 to 5 pound beef brisket

For the Dry Rub

2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 ½ tablespoons smoked paprika
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 ½ teaspoons dry mustard powder
1 ½ teaspoons cumin
1 tablespoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

Trim your beef brisket of any excess hard fat from the top and side. The hard fat will not render well when cooking. Be sure to not trim away all the fat as a good amount of fat is necessary to keep the brisket moist and tender when slow cooked.
Place the beef brisket into a disposable aluminum baking pan that is roughly 12”x10”x2” in size. Place the aluminum tray onto a large rimmed baking sheet. This will make it easier to transport, and cook, the brisket while in the disposable pan.
In a small bowl mix together the brown sugar, smoked paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, dry mustard powder, cumin, kosher salt and black pepper to create the dry rub.
Sprinkle half the dry rub mixture over the bottom of the beef brisket, being sure that the entire surface is covered. Flip the brisket over, so the fat side is facing up, and sprinkle the remaining dry rub mixture over the entire surface of the beef brisket. Using your hands, rub the spice mixture into the entire surface (top, bottom and sides) of the beef brisket.
With the fat side of the beef brisket facing up, cover the pan with a large piece of heavy duty aluminum foil and tightly seal the aluminum foil around the edges of the disposable pan.
Place the foil covered brisket into the refrigerator to marinate in the dry rub for a minimum of 8 hours up to overnight. I find that an overnight rest in the refrigerator is best.
Remove the foil covered beef brisket and allow it to sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before cooking. Preheat oven to 300°F while the dry rubbed beef brisket is coming to room temperature. This ensures even cooking of the brisket.
With the brisket still tightly covered with aluminum foil, and with the aluminum pan still on the rimmed baking tray, place the brisket into the oven, on the center rack, and cook for a minimum of 4 -5 hours. You want to plan for cooking the beef brisket for 1 hour-1 hour 10 minutes per pound or until the internal temperature reaches 200-205F. For the last 30 minutes to 1 hour of cooking time, you can remove the foil covering to allow the outer layer of the brisket to crisp up, similar to if it was smoked. Be sure to add a little water (about ½ cup) to the aluminum pan if needed to keep the pan drippings from burning if you remove the foil covering for more than 30 minutes.
Once the slow cooked brisket comes out of the oven, cover and allow it to rest for 15-20 minutes before slicing and serving. When slicing, be sure to cut against the grain for the most tender slices.

Notes

When you clean your meat, be sure not to trim away too much fat, as a good amount is necessary to keep the brisket moist and tender when slow-cooked.
The amount of dry rub this recipe makes is suitable for a 4-5 lb brisket. If your brisket is larger, you can double the recipe. Make sure to discard any leftover spice rub if it may have been contaminated by the meat.
Use a disposable tray to make it easier to transport the meat if necessary. It's also easy to clean up, makes an instant storage tray for leftovers, and can even be used to reheat the meat. However, you can use a roasting pan if you don't have a disposable tray.
We find that refrigerating the brisket in the fridge overnight is the best way to develop the rich flavor of the marinated beef.
Allow the meat to come to room temperature before you begin to cook it. This is the secret to making sure your brisket cooks evenly!
There is no exact time to cook this flavorful brisket, as the time will depend on the size of your brisket. A smaller brisket may be done after 2-3 hours and a larger brisket may take 4-5 hours. Continue to monitor the temperature of your brisket. Sometimes, the beef will hit what is called a "stall time," when the internal temperature seems to be stuck and doesn't seem to want to rise. Don't worry, your beef will eventually rise in temperature, and it is very difficult to overcook this cut of beef, so just continue to let the brisket cook.
For the last 30 to 60 minutes of cooking time, you can remove the foil covering to allow the outer layer of the brisket to crisp up the crust, like if it was smoked. If you uncover the brisket for more than 30 minutes, you might need to add about 1/2 cup of water to the bottom of the pan to keep the pan drippings from burning.

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