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Ingredients
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Brisket
Optional finishing sauce & garnish
Method
Brisket
Prepare the brisket
Pat the brisket dry with paper towels. Trim excess fat leaving about 1/4-inch fat cap to keep the meat moist during cooking.
Make the dry rub
In a small bowl combine kosher salt, black pepper, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, brown sugar and ground cumin. Mix thoroughly.
Season
Rub the vegetable oil over the brisket to help the rub adhere. Generously apply the dry rub all over the brisket, pressing it into the meat on both sides. Let rest at room temperature 30 minutes or refrigerate up to overnight for deeper flavor (if refrigerated, bring to room temp 1 hour before cooking).
Sear (optional but recommended)
Preheat oven to 300°F (150°C). Heat a heavy Dutch oven or large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon vegetable oil. When shimmering, sear brisket fat-side down until a deep brown crust forms, about 6–8 minutes. Flip and sear the other side 4–6 minutes. Remove brisket to a plate.
Deglaze and braise
Reduce heat to medium. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil if needed and pour in the beef stock, apple cider vinegar and Worcestershire sauce to deglaze the pan, scraping up browned bits. Return brisket to the pot fat-side up. Add bay leaves. The liquid should come up to roughly 1/3–1/2 the height of the brisket (add a little water if necessary). Cover tightly with a lid or foil.
Slow roast
Place the covered pot in the preheated 300°F oven and roast until the brisket is fork-tender and an instant-read thermometer in the thickest part registers 195–205°F, about 3 to 4 hours for a 4 lb brisket (time will vary by size; check at 3 hours).
Rest and slice
Remove brisket from oven. Transfer the brisket to a cutting board and let rest, covered loosely with foil, 20–30 minutes. Strain and reserve the braising liquid. Slice the brisket thinly against the grain for maximum tenderness.
Finish & serve
Optional sauce
If using barbecue sauce, warm the reserved braising liquid in a small saucepan over medium heat and whisk in the barbecue sauce (about 1 cup) to taste. Simmer 3–5 minutes until slightly thickened. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.