Classic Beef Brisket Recipe with Dry Rub - These Old Cookbooks (2024)

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Looking for an easy cooking method to make brisket? Get terrific results by cooking your brisket in the oven. Find out more here.

Classic Beef Brisket includes an easy brisket rub recipe and a slow cooked oven method. The result is a juicy, tender, melt-in-your-mouth meal that you will fall in love with and continue to make time and time again.

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Classic Beef Brisket for the Win

There’s almost no words that describe how much I love this oven baked beef brisket. It is my favorite meal that I make PERIOD. And, this is also true of my husband.He really really loves me when I make this Texas style beef brisket.

Let me break down this easy beef brisket recipe in three easy steps.

  1. Marinate beef in dry rub overnight.
  2. Roast uncovered for 1 hour.
  3. Add beef broth, cover and continue to cook until juicy and tender.

By letting the beef sit with the dry rub overnight, the flavors permeate all the way through.The beef brisket dry rub creates a bark on top that looks like it’s been sitting in a smoker.The fat slowly renders out through the meat to create a fork-tender texture.

The juices in the bottom are the perfect gravy to drizzle back over the meat, and I especially love to serve the juices over mashed potatoes.

Classic Beef Brisket Recipe

Within the first 30 minutes of cooking this Texas beef brisket in the oven, the amazing aroma of slow cooked meat wafts through the house, and my stomach begins to growl and my mouth starts to water.

I created the brisket rub to mimic an old rub blend that I used to like that was based on cocoa powder.The cocoa powder doesn’t make it taste like chocolate, instead it complements the spice of the chili powder and paprika.Be sure to rub the brisket rub on all sides of the meat before letting it set for several hours or overnight in the refrigerator.

When it comes to the amount of time it takes to cook a beef brisket, I tend to follow a lax approach.I always cook the brisket for 1 hour uncovered at 350 degrees F, and then I reduce the heat to 300 degrees F, add beef broth and cover.At the point, it takes another couple hours.The goal is to get a tender brisket, juicy and easily fall apart. If you want, you can use a meat thermometer.The internal temperature in the thickest part of the brisket should be around 195 degrees F.

Ingredient List

  • Beef Brisket (with fat marbling)
  • Brown Sugar
  • Dried Minced Onions
  • Chili Powder
  • Garlic Powder
  • Paprika
  • Kosher Salt
  • Black Pepper
  • Cocoa Powder
  • Beef Broth

How To Make Oven Beef Brisket

Step By Step Instructions

  1. Combine the following for the beef brisket rub recipe: brown sugar, chili powder, paprika, dried minced onion, garlic powder, cocoa powder, black pepper and salt.
  2. Rub the blend thoroughly into all sides of the beef brisket; cover and refrigerate over night or at least for several hours.
  3. Pre heat oven to 350 degrees F.Add beef brisket to a deep covered baker, cast iron deep casserole, large foil pan, or a heavy baking dish. Bake uncovered for 1 hour.
  4. Reduce heat to 300 degrees F, add beef broth, and cover.
  5. Continue to cook until the beef is fall apart tender or the internal temperature reaches 195 degrees F.
  6. I love to serve this cut of meat with the braising liquid served over mashed potatoes. Cut the beef against the grain.

For the full instructions for oven beef brisket, scroll to the bottom of this post.

Recipe FAQs

  • The beef brisket dry rub recipe is flexible – use more or less of any of the ingredients and substitute for whatever you have in the cabinet. Check out the Pantry Essentials list on our Amazon Storefront for some of the items we keep in our pantry, including spices,
  • Beef briskets usually have a large fat cap. I prefer to leave on the fat during the cooking process to allow the fat to render and create a moist, juicy beef brisket. If desired, trim the fat before serving.
  • If you don’t have a lid to fit your roasting pan, cover tightly with foil instead.
  • If you’re wondering how to cook a beef brisket in the crock pot, check out this recipe.
  • There’s no exact amount of time to cook a brisket; instead, judge the doneness to when it is pulls apart easily or a knife slices right through it.
  • Let the beef sit for approximately 10 minutes before cutting to prevent all the juices from leaking out of the meat. It also makes it easier to cut slices of meat instead of it pulling or shredding.
  • Serve along side your favorite vegetables including carrots or peas.

Our Favorite Beef Recipes

Beef is a favorite protein of mine, especially since we’ve always had our own cattle and a freezer full of beef.Check out some of my favorite beef recipes.

  • Country Fried Steak
  • Ground Beef Goulash
  • Crock Pot Minestrone (with beef stew meat)
  • Baked Beef Tips and Gravy
  • 3 Ingredient Steak Marinade
  • French Onion Sloppy Joes
  • Slow Cooker Swiss Steak
Classic Beef Brisket Recipe with Dry Rub - These Old Cookbooks (7)

Linking up to Meal Plan Monday.

Classic Beef Brisket

Classic Beef Brisket includes an easy brisket rub recipe and a slow cooked oven method. The result is a juicy, tender, melt-in-your-mouth meal that you will fall in love with and continue to make time and time again.

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time4 hours hrs

Total Time4 hours hrs 10 minutes mins

Course: Entree, Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: beef brisket, beef brisket rub, brisket rub, classic beef brisket, oven beef brisket, Texas beef brisket, texas style beef brisket

Servings: 6

Calories: 380kcal

Author: Barbara

Ingredients

  • 3-5 pound beef brisket
  • 1 Tablespoon brown sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon chili powder
  • 1 Tablespoon paprika
  • 1 Tablespoon cocoa powder
  • 1 Tablespoon dried minced onion
  • 1 Tablespoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 cups beef broth

Instructions

  • Mix together brown sugar, chili powder, paprika, cocoa powder, minced onion, garlic powder, salt and pepper; rub all sides of the brisket.

  • Refrigerate brisket overnight or for several hours.

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Bake brisket (fat side up) uncovered in a deep cast iron casserole or large foil pan for 1 hour.

  • Reduce heat to 300 degrees; add beef broth and cover. Cook for 2-4 more hours or until the meat falls apart.

  • Let meat rest for 10 minutes before cutting or serving.

Notes

  • The beef brisket dry rub recipe is flexible—use more or less of any of the ingredients and substitute for whatever you have in the cabinet.
  • Beef briskets usually have a large fat cap. I prefer to leave on the fat during the cooking process to allow the fat to render and create a moist, juicy beef brisket. Or, if desired, trim the fat before serving.
  • If you’re wondering how to cook a beef brisket in the crock pot, check out this recipe.
  • There’s no exact amount of time to cook a brisket; instead, judge the doneness to when it is pulls apart easily or a knife slices right through it.
  • Let the beef sit for approximately 10 minutes before cutting to prevent all the juices from leaking out of the meat. It also makes it easier to cut slices of meat instead of it pulling or shredding.
  • The carb counts, calorie counts and nutritional information can vary greatly depending on products you use. The nutritional information below is auto-calculated and should NOT be used for specific dietary needs.

Nutrition

Calories: 380kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 49g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 141mg | Sodium: 814mg | Potassium: 876mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 970IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 24mg | Iron: 5mg

Classic Beef Brisket Recipe with Dry Rub - These Old Cookbooks (2024)

FAQs

How long to leave dry rub on brisket before cooking? ›

How Long Should a Dry Rub Sit on a Brisket. While you can technically cook a brisket right after you apply the rub, we recommend letting the rub sit on the meat for up to 24 hours so the flavors are really absorbed into the meat.

What is the secret to moist tender brisket? ›

Add Moisture

After two or four hours of cooking, you can lightly spray your brisket with water, hot sauce, apple cider vinegar, or apple juice. You can do this every 30 minutes or every hour, based on preference.

What makes a brisket more tender? ›

Cook the brisket slowly over low heat. The best way to cook brisket is to cook it slowly over low heat. This will allow the connective tissues to break down and make the brisket tender.

Do I put rub on both sides of brisket? ›

Now mix the remaining ingredients and rub them on the top and all the sides of the brisket. 5. Flip the brisket and repeat the same on the other side. Remember to put a layer of salt first and then a layer of the dry rub.

Can you leave dry rub on too long? ›

Don't keep the ribs coated for more than 12 hours. As we stated earlier, most dry rubs contain salt, which has a dehydrating effect, so prolonging the seasoning may work against you if you keep it on too long.

Why is my brisket so tough? ›

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.

Should brisket be fat side up or down? ›

To set things straight, we're here to put an end to the confusion, so you can get back to the grill with confidence. For brisket cooked to flavorful perfection, fat-side-down is the way to go. This is the only way to achieve a brisket that is perfectly moist with a perfect bark on both sides.

Why is my brisket always dry and tough? ›

It's more likely that a dry brisket is overcooked, rather than under, but the dryness can also be the result of improper seasoning or particularly low fat marbling.

Should brisket be wrapped in foil in oven? ›

Wrapping a brisket in butcher paper or aluminum foil will speed up the cooking process. Wrapping the brisket will prevent what's called "the stall" — when evaporation from the surface of the brisket halts the cooking process.

How to make the juiciest brisket? ›

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.

Why is my brisket still tough after 12 hours? ›

It sounds like it isn't done yet and the internal fat and connective tissues haven't had a chance to render yet. If it were overcooked it would most likely be falling apart. Of course, you could just have a tough brisket.

Why do you put the fat side down on a brisket? ›

Pro: Heat rising over the brisket is the primary source of drying. By using the fat cap of the brisket as a shield between the intense heat of the fire and the delicate meat, you'll end up with a more tender brisket with a lot less surface drying.

How much dry rub to put on brisket? ›

The fat helps season the rest of the meat that you are eating. We have rubbed half of this brisket with Texas Brothers BBQ dry rub. Use 1/3 cup of dry rub for each average sized beef brisket.

Can you rub a brisket too early? ›

Don't season too far in advance

Seasoning too far in advance will start to cure the meat, resulting in dry brisket. Brown and Ayala usually apply a dry rub about an hour an advance, though they say it's also fine to do it right before you put the brisket in the smoker.

How long should dry rub sit on meat? ›

Next spread the rub all over the cut of meat on all sides, using your hands to help it stick. If you did it right, the entire surface should be covered. Be sure to let the rub sit for 30 minutes or up to 1½ hours to allow the salt and spices to penetrate the meat before cooking.

Can you season a brisket for 48 hours? ›

Once it has been trimmed up, it is recommended to dry brine your brisket because it is such a large cut of meat. To do this, apply kosher salt to the outside of the brisket and place it back into the fridge overnight or even up to 48 hours in advance to cooking.

How long to dry rub meat before smoking? ›

Allow the BBQ rub to rest on the food 15 minutes to 2 hours (and up to several hours if you've got time) before tossing the meat on the grill or in the smoker.

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