When it comes to recipes that prove the saying that patience pays off, not many do it as well as brisket. It’s one of the most delicious pot roasts you can ever make for yourself or others. And as a rule, many cooks suggest that the standard temperature to cook this large meat in the oven is 275F. But how do you decide how long to cook it for at this temperature? And what else can you do to make sure your brisket comes out tender and juicy?
Tips for Cooking Brisket in the Oven
Brisket is a large cut of beef with a heavy layer of fat on one side. Because of its thickness, it needs to be cooked slowly at low temperature in an oven for the best results. So, unless you want to eat undone meat because you can’t afford to wait, keep these tips in mind.
Picking the Cut
Beef brisket comes out perfectly when the layer of fat is sufficient enough to cook through the entire slab of meat. The melted fat adds moisture to the tissues, so the beef doesn’t dry out as you bake it in the oven. Because of this, you want to select a slab of meat with a good layer of fat on one side. And don’t bother to trim it out; you need all of it.
Season Generously
The slow cooking process of baking brisket in the oven allows the seasoning and spices to seep deeper into the tissues. So, be sure to add enough salt, pepper, and spices to the brisket before you bake. You can also use any spice rub mixture you prefer.
Add Enough Broth
Beef brisket needs to bake in a pool of beef broth to soften, so don’t be stingy when you add. Make sure the broth covers the brisket at least halfway through before you set it in the oven.
Cover Tightly
When you seal the baking container tightly with aluminum foil, you create a makeshift Dutch oven. In this space, the brisket cooks better as the heat is retained and the meat comes out tender. A tighter seal and lots of beef broth are the vital elements to making sure your brisket is as soft as you want it. And if you’d like the brisket to have a crispy exterior, take the foil off at the last hour of cooking.
How Much Brisket to Cook per Person?
As a rule, you should plan at half a pound per person when baking beef brisket in the oven. That means that a 3-pound slab of meat will feed about six people. And if you have leftovers, don’t worry. You can use them for other recipes like burritos, rigatoni, tacos, and sandwiches.
Oven Cooking Time for Brisket at 275F
Beef brisket isn’t a recipe to be rushed, and giving it the required time is what gets you the delicious final result. And like all other pot roasts, it’s a slow-cooking, low-temperature dish meaning you throw it in the oven and leave it to cook. At 275F, you need to cook the beef brisket for up to 4 hours if you want that fork-tender texture.
For a better understanding of how to cook beef brisket in the oven at 275, try out this straightforward recipe;
PrintOven Slow-Cooked Brisket (6 Servings)
Ingredients
- One 3-pound beef brisket
- Two cups beef broth
- Dry rub, to taste
Instructions
- Rub the brisket generously with the dry rub and place it with the fat side up in a baking dish. Preheat your oven to 275.
- Add the beef broth into the baking dish and seal it tightly with aluminum foil. Put the baking dish in the oven and leave it to bake for 2 hours.
- Take the baking dish out and cut off the fatty top layer of the brisket. Slice the brisket at an angle against the grain. You can also strain the fat from the broth at this point if you wish.
- Return the brisket to the baking dish and seal tightly again with aluminum foil. Toss into the oven and bake for another hour. This extra time will give the brisket a fork-tender texture so it can be easily pulled apart.
- You can serve the brisket with roasted or mashed potatoes, roasted carrots, vegetable stews, sandwiches, burritos, pies, and many other dishes and side dishes. And if you’re making gravy, thicken the beef stock with some cornstarch and serve along with the brisket.