Foil Wrapped Beef Brisket Recipes: Still the Best
June 16, 2008 by Marye Audet
Filed under Main Course, Make ahead
If you have never had beef brisket you have never lived in Texas. A huge beef brisket is a must have at nearly any summer celebration from Memorial Day to a family reunion, and there are as many arguments about making a good one as there are about whether or not Texas should succeed from the Union.
If you didn’t know THAT was a common conversation then you haven’t even VISITED here. Another thing you must know is that it can be spelled barbeque or barbecue. I will probably spell it both ways in the course of writing this because spell check doesn’t like barbeque and I don’t like little red lines…but barbeque is my normal spelling.
Anyway, brisket is one of those things that is either the best stuff in the universe or absolutely blah. The secret is cooking it a long time at a low temperature.
Now, many guys around here have built their own smokers and such, and have particular ways of handling that. I am not even going there right now because I am way out of my league when you start talking about smokers, wood chips and all. I have done a little of that but it is not my forte by a long shot! However, doing a brisket in the oven? THAT I can do, and I do it very, very well.
The mistake that many people make is to douse the meat with barbecue sauce before roasting. Nope. The barbecue sauce is a go with, a side dish. If you cook the meat in it neither tastes as good as if you do them separately.
How to Choose a Great Brisket
Do not get a brisket that has been trimmed. The fat allows the flavor to be intense. If you get home and find you have an excessive amount of fat, trim sparingly if you must. When you are looking at briskets, pick up the package and see if you can “fold” the brisket in the plastic package (obviously this won’t work if it is on a tray). You want it to be flexible. This will indicate it is tender.
Get a whole one. Yes a whole one. I know it is huge. That is fine..you can freeze what you don’t eat. Brisket is great for OAMC because it freezes very well and thaws even more tender than when it was first cooked. The trick to that is to slice it up and pour the meat juices over it before freezing.
Is it really that simple? Yup.
To Cook the Brisket
Get a large pan. Take the brisket out of the plastic cry-o-vac and rinse it. Blot off the water, you don’t want that.
You are going to wrap the brisket in foil, so you will want to piece together a big enough sheet of foil to totally encompass the meat. It takes 2 or 3 sheets with the edges folded together.
This is how I do the meat. It is spicy. Seasoning a brisket is not rocket science so please adjust according to taste!
Now, lay the meat on the foil in the pan. Douse it with liquid smoke. Be generous, 1/4 a cup is about right, but I have been known to pour on a whole bottle. Drizzle about a tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce over it. Sprinkle with coarse sea salt. Now, hit it hard with cracked black pepper. I love black pepper so I make almost a coating on the meat.
Slice up an onion and lay it over the meat then peel and chop 3 cloves of garlic and lay it over the onion. Sprinkle on about a tablespoon of dried chipotle over the top. Seal up an the foil and allow to stand on the counter for 30 minutes while the oven is preheating.
Preheat the oven to 250. YES! 250. The key to a tender cut is slow, very slow cooking. You will cook your 8-12 lb brisket for 12 hours. Put it in before you go to bed and forget about it.
In the morning you are going to be waking up to the most heavenly odor. That brisket is at this point scenting the whole neighborhood and don’t be surprised if you have neighbors knocking at your door with plates and forks in hand.
When the brisket is done remove it from the oven, unwrap and allow to stand for at least 30 minutes before slicing.
You are going to slice across the grain, thin slices, at a slight angle. There will be a point that some of it will fall apart. That’s o.k..that is what we use to make chopped barbeque sandwiches!
Once the meat is sliced you slather on some barbeque sauce, and start poking it in your mouth. Yeah, it is that good.
Do not slow cook your brisket in a slow cooker..it is TOO moist of a heat and the flavor an texture will not be right no matter what anyone says.
For Once A Month Cooking
Proceed exactly as directed above. Slice the meat up and separate into meal size portions. Save the small bits that break up in a separate bowl.
Now, lay the meat in a casserole dish. Pour about 1/4 c of the juice over the meat. You may need more. You want to have the meat soaking in the juices. Cover carefully and freeze. Be sure to label with what it is and the date.
For the little pieces you can just pour barbeque sauce over that and freeze it as chopped barbeque. It makes fantastic sandwiches when piled atop crusty sandwich rolls.
Thaw in the refrigerator and heat for a quick meal.
I have several recipes for barbeque sauce. I will get the posted later this week. 
Image: Marye Audet
This sounds like how I learned to cook a roast from my grandma.
I haven’t been to Texas, but I know all about the leaving the union convos. Dated a Texan
WEll gosh Julie, that makes you practically a Texan.
LOL, I have something I could say, but it’s a little dirty, so I won’t.
Now I understand what you said on KC..LOL!
Hi,I was looking for a simple recipe that I could cook in the oven,because after going to get gas for my two grills,coming home and my husband was cleaning them.He came in and was a little mad.Both the grills had rusted or whatever they do when left out.This sounds wonderful.I will be trying it tomorrow on July the 4th.By the way I have lived in Texas all my life.Thanks a million.jackie
Jackie- Let me know what you think!
Hi Marye,this might sound like the Beverly Hills Hillbilly’s,I bought a new stove and my old one was just in the storage bldg.so my husband went and got it out.Fixed it up by my Fish pond and I cooked a 10lb.brisket for 9 to 10 hrs.outside and my house stayed cool.It was a 100 degrees here in Granbury Tx.,so this worked out good.Thanks for a wonderful brisket.It was tender and delicious.Will be making this more often.jackie
Jackie! You live in Granbury? We have done several Nigerian Dwarf Goat shows out there and just love it!
this is a crock of S%^T!
i just did one last night. i cooked it 12 hours at 220. another one goes to the dog. it was dry as leather! iam guessing 6 maybe 8 hrs would have been better.
i have done about 15 or more now. 2 or 3 have come out real good, most have not. i cant seem to be consistant. i have tried a combination of smokers/oven, in foil, not in foil, in foil part of the time. even different temps down to 180.
the one at 180 was moist but tough, i put back in the oven at 350 for about 30 min. and it got tender.
i talked to a cook in nashville, best brisket i have had, he cooked it for 18 hours. i just cant figure out what temp, 150 maybe?
Question. What type of beef brisket do you buy? If you buy it trimmed of fat then it will be shoe leather. You want a brisket with a good thick layer of fat on it and then a bit of fat marbled through it.
It needs to be the large brisket, about 10 lbs. The foil needs to be sealed well around the brisket, making a complete, air tight package.
And then, you need to ask questions nicely.
I just finished putting together a brisket using your recipe! It already smells fantastic. I’m waiting the 30 minutes to put it in the oven. Question: How do the edges get a little crusty? Almost burntlike? That’s my favorite part!
SUsan..sorry..my blog was all weird last night and I couldn’t reply..I tried three times!
That crispy part is the result of it being dry cooked in a smoker..you can some of the same result by unwrapping it about 30 minutes before it is ready to come out..or try broiling it at the end for a few minutes.,
I followed your instructions and my first time brisket was perfect 250 degrees for 12 hour. Thank you.
awesome Chris, thanks for letting me know
Hey, I love the sound of your receipe. I have never done a beef brisket, but decided to do one for 25 people coming over on Friday night. We like to live on the edge here in Alabama. We play good football too.
Let you know how it turns out!!
Well if it turns out good for Carolyn, I am going to try making it for Christmas. Please let us know how it turns out. It sounds delicious!
Good luck carolyn..I hoep it is pefect for you
sunny-LOL! not a risk taker , huh?
Hello, following instructions above, how long to cook an 8 lb brisket, and do you cook it meat or fat side up?
yes, meat should be cooked fat side up so it runs down through the meat as it cooks.. An eight pound brisket? Give it seven or eight hours and then check it for tenderness.
Your brisket wrapped in foil turned out very well. every one tried it loved it. Going to make another one tomorrow. Thanks again for a great recipe
Thanks for letting me know, Gerry
hi i am cooking a brisket in a water smoker, all day i am supost to let it get to 190* ( meat thermomter) but the edges are geting burned up and kinda dry, i want to wrap it up in foil and do the rest in the oven it was at 170*, been cooking it for 6 hrs now, i am going to try it for about 3 hours, can the meat still get to 190*? in an oven at 250*?
190? Wow! That seems high..
It is probably too late but I would let it go another six in the foil
Literally just took this out of the oven. Smells and looks awesome can’t wait to try it! Thank you I had no idea what to do with this meat!
Great Pamela! Keep an eye out..I just bought a brisket yesterday and I am going to do a post on making your own corned beef!
internal temperatures are very important. First 3 hours in a smoker fatty side down will give the outside crust. At 250 degree’s in the oven the internal meat temperature should reach 185 degree’s. This is neccesary so that the colegen breaks down.
I will be trying the recipe but only have 5 1/2lb brisket…..how long would you suggest cooking it?
Marye did you ever post your bbq sauce recipie? I looked but I can’t seem to find it. I’m not fond of the pre bottled stuff so I’d like to try something else
Thanks
Your recipe sounds wonderful.
I am a native Texan and just wanted to let you know that Texans talk about “how to secede from the union” not “succeed.”
I think they want to succeed at seceding. Thank you for correcting my typo.
Pamela, I have not…I will make a note and try to get that done!
felicia, long slow cooking is the key..plan on at least 6- 8 hours
No rush, its Christmas time :p I just wasn’t sure if I missed it.
This is my first time, and I just prepped the brisket as you suggested, but…my brisket is 19 lbs!
Should I have used more seasoning? And how long should it be in the oven? Thanks. -newbie
You may have needed a little more seasoning but you should be o.k. I would give it an extra couple of hours and just check it a little more often.
Give it 14-15 hours and then begin to check it.
Thank you so much for posting this recipe! My husband and I are from Texas, but he is in the army and now stationed at Ft. Lewis, WA. You just can’t find good barbeque here. We made this for New Year’s Day, and it was wonderful! You could not tell that it had been done in the oven instead of a smoker. We’re planning to make it again for our super bowl party this weekend, and introduce our friends to real barbeque. Thanks for helping some homesick Texans make this rainy state feel a little bit more like home!
I am so glad Jana! If you want more “home news” you can catch me at the Dallas Examiner as well:http://www.examiner.com/x-2531-Dallas-Cooking-Examiner
Marye, Thanks again (esp for your prompt reply)! I ended up cutting the 19lbs brisket in half and then half again. Even after 22 hrs in the oven, a few pieces still seemed surprisingly a bit undone. The brisket tasted fantastic, and you are right…the reheated brisket tasted even better. The pieces that looked undone cooked perfectly when I reheated them. For the past week, I’ve been rushing home from school to make myself delicious brisket BBQ sandwiches. (And I still have some in the freezer! Talk about uum..yum college survivor food.)
you could at least get it right and spell it “secede”. Not all Texans are illiterate and poor spellers. And cooking a brisket well is definitely a trademark of a true Texas woman.
Cimarron ..but the best Texans consider graciousness and kindness to be an art form. Are you originally from somewhere else?
hi marye. i am a vegan from brooklyn and ill be cooking my first brisket ever next week, as a birthday gift for the texan i recently started dating. i will let you know the reviews i get! thanks for the recipe!
Bethany, just be sure to get a well marbled piece of beef. It will be a challenge for a vegan but I know you can do it. That is a sweet gesture!
thanks! tomorrow is the big day, and let me tell you finding a brisket in nyc has been a feat. the biggest one i could find was 7.41 lbs. its marbled, but not all that fatty. how long do you think i should cook it? the full 12 hours? or less?
Bethany, long slow cooking is the key. If there isn’t much fat on the outside you can cover it with bacon. Good luck and let me know!
its in the oven presently, and i did cover the more “bare spots” with bacon. ill let you know the final reviews i get! thanks so much for the feedback!
I want to cook a brisket like they do in Texas. I just bought a 3 pound brisket from Bristol Farms. Seems like they trimmed alot of the fat off. Think you are suppose to use one with more fat to keep moist. If I cook in oven at 250 degrees should I cook it for 12 hrs.
Tommy yes that should be fine. And you can wrap it with bacon if they trimmed it too much.
Thank You Marye
Marye it came out very good and I read how to make the ends crisp by uncovering it the last 30 min or the broiler. Yes it seems that the brisket I cooked for 12 hrs was a 3 pounder and after 12 hrs it would of been ruined but it was not. Do you think it would of been ok if I had cooked it for like 6 hrs.
Trying to do this as a first attempt for a northerner.
Do I put the meat fat side up or meat side up before seasoning?
Can it be overcooked. I have an 11 lb piece that needs to be ready for a 6:00pm cookout, can I still put it in the night before.
Derek season the meat on all sides and then cook fat side up so it seeps throughout. If you start it at 8 am you should be good to go by 6 pm. good luck!
Thanks for the Texan hospitality advice. If my oven generally runs cooler than set temp, would there be a risk of over cooking if I started it much earlier? Kinda scared of a dry overcooked outcome. Thanks
As long as it is tightly sealed, derek, and there is fat and a low cooking temp you should be good.
Turned out absolutely perfect. Our guests raved!! Thank you. Any more secret recipes I can spring on my friends?
Great recipe! Just cooked up a 13 lb’er and it is “melt in your mouth good.” Thank you for the wonderful directions.
So glad, Michael! Thanks for letting me know.
How many servings could I expect from a 12 pound brisket? I’ll be having pork ribs and chicken wings also and there will be approx. 75 guests.
Judy, a rule of thumb for brisket is to figure four servings per pound or 48 servings for your 12 lb brisket. That will vary a little depending on the actual brisket, your guests’ appetites, and other factors.
Hi Marye!
We are getting ready to make our first brisket tomorrow for the 4th of July!! We have followed all of your directions. We have noticed that one end is much thicker than the other, is this a normal thing with briskets? Please say a little prayer that is comes out great!!! Will keep you posted. Thanks for the recipe!!! Hope you have a wonderful 4th of July!!
It is very normal. Cook it just the same, and prayers headed upward that it will be amazing!
This is my first time cooking brisket. I have 40 people coming for a 4th of July celebration in the morning. We put the briskets in the oven at 7pm last night and I woke at 3am to an awesome smell in the house. I am worried because much of the juice is now in the foil pan …even though we thought we wrapped them very well. Most concerned about the 11 pound one that we cut in half ( before I read your recipe). It is wrapped in 2 pieces.
Do you think it will be dry if I continue cooking it?
Erkia, if it is done and tender go ahead and take it out. Cooking well wrapped at that low of temperature should keep it from over cooking but why take chances…
I can’t wait to hear, Bethany!
well my first ever brisket was a success! it got pretty rave reviews, thanks! because it was a little smaller, it had completely cooked thorough in 8.5 hours. i didnt know to do the “fat side up” trick, so that may have speeded up the cooking process a little, but it wasnt over cooked at all and people loved it. i had thought 7.5lbs of meat would go a lot further than it did! thanks for all your help marye!
YAY! I am so glad! It really is easy.
Excellent, Derek, I am glad to hear it..hey, there are secret recipes all over my website. Help yourself.
Tommy,
six hours would probably have been o.k for a 3 lb brisket, but longer cooking time makes for a more tender brisket. My guess is that it would have been less tender.