Slow-Roasted Beef Brisket in the Oven (Low and Slow at 300°F)
This slow-roasted beef brisket in the oven marinates overnight in Worcestershire, soy sauce, liquid smoke and a few seasonings, then bakes low and slow at 300°F, covered, for about 4 hours. It comes out juicy and fork-tender, and an easy ketchup and brown sugar sauce on top is optional but worth it. A 4- to 5-pound brisket feeds about 10 people, and it only takes about 15 minutes of hands-on prep.
A Quick Look At The Recipe
- Recipe Name: Slow-Roasted Beef Brisket
- Main Ingredients: Beef Brisket, beef brisket (4 to 5 pounds), Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, onion salt, liquid smoke, salt, pepper
- Why You'll Love It: This easy slow-roasted beef brisket in the oven includes a homemade sauce and results in juicy, tender strips of melt-in-your-mouth beef.
Brisket can be pricey, so I save this one for special occasions, and it’s always the first platter scraped clean. Word has gotten out about Southern brisket, and the price goes up around the holidays when everybody wants to barbecue, so keep an eye on it at your grocery store and grab one when it’s on sale. You don’t need a smoker for this. Your oven does all the work.
How Long Do You Cook a Brisket in the Oven at 300°F?
Bake a 4- to 5-pound brisket covered, fat side up, at 300°F for about 4 hours, until fork-tender. Marinate it overnight in Worcestershire, soy sauce, liquid smoke and seasonings first. If you like, spread on the ketchup-brown sugar sauce and bake 15 to 30 minutes more uncovered. Slice thin across the grain.
Why This Low and Slow Oven Brisket Works
Brisket is a tough cut, so it needs low heat and plenty of time. Keeping it covered traps the moisture so the meat stays juicy instead of drying out, and baking it fat side up lets that fat melt down over the meat while it cooks. The drippings mix with the marinade in the pan, so the brisket seasons from the top and the bottom. The liquid smoke gives you a little of that smoky barbecue flavor without a smoker.
Beef Brisket Ingredients
- Fresh beef brisket: Use a fresh brisket, not corned beef. I like a first cut or flat cut because it roasts evenly and slices nicely.
- Worcestershire and soy sauce: These give the marinade its savory, salty base. For the sauce, I use gluten-free tamari.
- Liquid smoke: I use Colgin, but any brand works.
- Onion salt, salt, pepper and hot sauce: Just a dash of hot sauce adds a little kick.
For the optional sauce: ketchup, brown sugar, lemon juice, soy sauce, ground mustard, a few drops of hot sauce and a dash of nutmeg. All the amounts are in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Helpful Tips Before You Start
- Start the day before. The brisket needs to marinate in the fridge overnight.
- A 9×13-inch baking dish fits a 4- to 5-pound brisket. Cover it with foil or a lid so it doesn’t dry out.
- Let the brisket rest for about 30 minutes before you slice it.
- Always slice across the grain, on a diagonal, into thin slices. It makes every bite more tender.
- A meat thermometer is handy, but fork-tender is what you’re looking for.
How to Make Slow-Roasted Beef Brisket in the Oven
1Add the marinade
Place the brisket fat side down in the baking dish. Mix the Worcestershire, soy sauce, onion salt, liquid smoke, salt, pepper and hot sauce in a small bowl and pour it over the brisket.
2Marinate overnight
Turn the brisket fat side up, cover it and refrigerate overnight.
3Roast low and slow
Take the brisket out of the fridge and preheat the oven to 300°F. Bake it covered, fat side up, for 4 hours.
4Add the sauce (optional)
Mix the sauce ingredients in a small bowl and spread it on top of the brisket. Bake uncovered for 15 to 30 minutes more, until tender.
5Rest and slice
Let the brisket rest for about 30 minutes, then cut it diagonally across the grain into thin slices.
What to Serve With Oven Brisket
Brisket goes with all your favorite Southern sides. I like it with oven-baked mac and cheese, fresh green beans, mashed potatoes and a pan of cornbread. For something cool and crunchy, add vinegar slaw or creamy coleslaw, and you can’t go wrong with Southern fried okra or biscuits.
Leftovers make the best sandwiches the next day with a slice of Swiss cheese and a slather of mustard, and sometimes I put them on a salad for lunch. Store leftover brisket in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days, or freeze it for up to 3 months. To reheat, wrap it in foil and warm it in a 325°F oven until heated through.
Beef Brisket FAQs
Should I wrap my brisket in foil in the oven?
Wrap it in foil or cover the dish with a lid. Either way, it traps the moisture and keeps the meat juicy and tender.
Do I cook brisket fat side up?
In the oven, cook it fat side up. The fat melts down over the meat and keeps the top tender with a slightly crusty top. In a smoker, fat side down may be better, since the fat protects the meat from the heat.
Why did my brisket turn out tough?
Usually it didn’t have enough moisture, so keep it covered while it roasts. Slicing with the grain can make it chewy too, so always slice across the grain.
Slow-Roasted Beef Brisket in the Oven
Ingredients
Beef Brisket
- 1 fresh beef brisket (4 to 5 pounds)
- 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp onion salt
- 1 tbsp liquid smoke
- 2 tsps salt
- 2 tsps pepper
- dash hot pepper sauce
Sauce (optional)
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 3 tbsps brown sugar
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp ground mustard
- 2-3 drops hot pepper sauce
- dash ground nutmeg
Instructions
- Place brisket, fat side down, in a 13×9-inch baking dish. In a small bowl, mix the Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, onion salt, liquid smoke, salt, pepper, and hot pepper sauce and pour it over the brisket. Turn the brisket fat side up and refrigerate, covered, overnight.1 fresh beef brisket (4 to 5 pounds), 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, 2 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp liquid smoke, 2 tsps salt, 2 tsps pepper, dash hot pepper sauce
- Remove the brisket from the refrigerator. Preheat oven to 300°. Bake fat side up, covered for 4 hours.
- Optional: In a small bowl, combine the sauce ingredients and spread it over the brisket. Bake uncovered for 15 to 30 minutes longer or until tender.1/2 cup ketchup, 3 tbsps brown sugar, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tsp ground mustard, 2-3 drops hot pepper sauce, dash ground nutmeg
- Cut diagonally across the grain into thin slices.
I’ve only cooked corned beef brisket, never BBQ brisket, thinking it needed to be smoked outside. This sounds so good and I’m definitely going to give it a try!
Can this be done in a crock pot, say for 6-8 hours?? (So I can do it while at work?)
I have never made this in a crock pot but if you used a small slab for meet around 3 pounds or so you could make it in the slow cooker. But I would say 8 to 10 hours of cooking time on low. That would be a good place to start. You have inspired me! I am gonna do this in a slow cooker for the holidays 🙂
This looks delicious but I think I will leave off the sauce or maybe serve it on the side
Thank you for adding all your extra tips and comments as I will be a first time brisket baker! My friend makes brisket often but I’ve not seen a recipe until now, that has tempted me to try it! Love the sauce ingredients so I think that’s a must to try as well!
I have a hard time finding Brisket. What would be a good substitute? Can’t wait to try this!!!
I am so excited to try your brisket recipe. I often order it out at my favorite local spots in Georgia, but have been intimidated for some reason to try at home. My husband and kiddos dont like smoke flavoring, is their a substitute that may still maintain some
of the unique flavor ?
Hi Jane, am so glad you are going to try it! It really is easy, just takes a bit of time is all. You can leave the liquid smoke out and the flavor will still be delicious. Let me know how it turns out!
That looks absolutely delicious! That recipe is now on my ‘to try’ list !