How to Cook a Brisket in the Oven
Brisket is a cut of beef from the chest area of a cow or steer. This area of the cow is generally tough, with a great deal of connective tissue and little fat marbling inside the meat. Despite the tough cut, tender, slow-cooked brisket is a favorite main course in many areas of the country. Most barbecue restaurants prepare their brisket in a grill or smoker, but you can also bake flavorful briskets in your oven at home. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- 5- to 6-lb. beef brisket
- Large baking dish or roasting pan
- Aluminum foil
- Barbecue sauce
- 2 tbsp. garlic powder
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 2 tbsp. seasoned salt
- 2 tbsp. pepper
- 3 to 4 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
- 3 to 4 tbsp. liquid smoke
- Optional:
- Water
- 12-oz. can of cola
- 1-oz. package of onion soup mix
- 12-oz. bottle of chili sauce
Instructions
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1
Trim the excess fat from the top and sides of the brisket. Sprinkle both sides with garlic powder, pepper and seasoning salt. Place the brisket in a roasting or baking pan and sprinkle the chopped onion on top. Pour the Worcestershire sauce and liquid smoke over the meat. Cover the baking pan tightly with foil and allow it to marinate in the refrigerator overnight.
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2
Preheat oven to 275 degrees Fahrenheit. Bake the brisket, covered, for approximately four to six hours, or for approximately an hour and 15 minutes for every pound, until the meat is very tender. Remove it from the oven and allow the brisket to rest for another hour. Cut the meat across the grain into thin, narrow slices approximately 1/4 inch thick. Serve with your choice of barbecue sauce.
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3
Mix a 1-oz. package of onion soup with about 1/4 cup of Worcestershire sauce and seasoned salt or black pepper to taste for a variation on the traditional recipe. Sprinkle the brisket with salt, pepper and the onion soup. Pour the Worcestershire sauce on top of the brisket, add a cup of water to the pan and cook for about an hour at 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Then reduce the heat to 300 degrees and cook the brisket until you can pull it apart easily with a fork. Allow it to rest for an hour before cutting and serving.
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4
Mix a 12-oz. can of cola with a 1-oz. packet of dry onion soup mix and a 12-oz. bottle of chili sauce for another alternative. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking pan with aluminum foil and place the brisket in the pan. Mix the ingredients together, pour them over the brisket and cover the pan tightly with foil. Bake the brisket for about three or four hours or until tender, then cut and serve. Pour the juices in the pan over the individual slices of brisket as a sauce.
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Tips & Warnings
A 5- to 6-lb. brisket serves eight to 10 people.
Serve brisket with side offerings such as dill pickles, onions, fresh or pickled jalapenos and bread or Texas toast.
Keep the oven temperature low. This cut of meat is tough and stringy if it is cooked rapidly at high temperatures.
