Braised Brisket Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How long should you braise a brisket? ›

Add thyme and bay leaves to roasting pan and cover well with foil. Set oven to 300°F (150°C) and cook brisket on middle rack until fork-tender, 3 to 4 hours.

Many people report about 50% yield for cooked brisket. Yield goes down the more you trim the meat and the longer you cook it. Every piece of meat is different, so your results may vary. Always cook more than the estimated amount to account for big eaters and leftovers.

What's the 3-2-1 method for brisket? While it is true cooking brisket is a time-consuming process, the 3-2-1 rule makes it easier for beginners. First off, you'd smoke or bake the brisket at 225 degrees for 3 hours; then you'd wrap it in foil and keep cooking it for 2 hours.

Set the temperature to a low heat, around 225°F to 250°F (107°C to 121°C), and cook the brisket slowly. You can wrap it in foil or use a roasting pan with a lid to help retain moisture. Slow Cooker Method: Using a slow cooker is a convenient and hands-off method.

Slow cooking beef brisket in a rich, savory red wine bath for several hours transforms the tough, fatty cut of beef into something so tender and juicy you hardly need a knife to cut it. This red wine braised brisket recipe is a variation of the recipe my husband and I usually make for my family at Passover.

Contrary to some sources, you do not need to flip your brisket at any point during cooking.

“You can overcook a braise,” she says, even if there is more wiggle room for when it's done.

Braising liquid is traditionally stock and wine; however, beer emphasizes other flavors in meats. Stock emphasizes the meat flavor, while wine and beer diversify the profile. Wine works in any braise, increasing depth, nuance and acidity.

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.

Danger Zone for Smoking and Grilling Meat

Therefore, you need to find the optimum temperature for meat. As mentioned above, the temperature danger zone is 46°F -140°F (8°C-60°C). Hence, it is better to keep the hot smoking or grill above 158°F (70°C).

Can brisket take 20 hours? ›

For extensive information about smoking brisket, I recommend you check out this article by our friends at AmazingRibs.com. Prepare the smoker for 225°F smoking with oak wood (see detailed instructions for the Kalamazoo Smoker Cabinet following the recipe). Smoking duration will be 18 to 22 hours.

Our general rule of thumb is to plan on between 30 and 60 minutes per pound when learning how to cook a brisket. For example, a 16-pound brisket cooked at 275 degrees Fahrenheit will take between 10 and 12 hours. The entire process from trimming, injection, seasoning, and cooking will take between 18 and 20 hours.

Plain Water

Sometimes the simple way is a good way to go too. If you want to give your brisket some extra moisture without messing with the flavor, just use plain water. It will get the job done and allow you to focus on imparting your desired flavor into the meat through a brisket injection and exterior rub.

Once seared, place brisket in foil pan, fat side up, and smoke, uncovered for 2 hours. Flip brisket and smoke for 1 hour. At this point, the juices inside are under a fair amount of pressure. It is important not to pierce the meat from this point until it is done.

Beef broth – you can use beef broth, stock or bone broth. I prefer low-sodium. Worcestershire sauce – Worcestershire sauce is made from vinegar, cloves, molasses, and other flavors that will give your BBQ that “edge.” Liquid smoke – liquid smoke mimics that smoker smokiness!

The temperature of the meat begins to rise again -- which you want because brisket gets more tender the longer you cook it.

The liquid level needs to remain the same, so add more if necessary. It will take about 1 1/2 to 3 hours to become fork-tender. As soon as it's fork-tender, it's done. Cooking any longer will dry out the meat.

Ideally, the temperature should be kept just below boiling, between 185°F (85°C) and 195°F (90°C). In this temperature range, the collagen will need two to three hours to soften, depending on the size of your cut.

Can you overcook brisket in a slow cooker? Cooking the brisket for too long can result in a lackluster texture and flavor. Make sure to check on the brisket starting at seven hours to see how it's progressing. Cooking it longer (such as 10 hours) will not necessarily result in better meat.