Brisket Recipe

Prepare brisket

Trim excess hard fat from the brisket leaving about 1/4 inch fat cap. If the brisket is tied, keep as is or retie loosely after trimming. Pat the meat thoroughly dry with paper towels.

Make rub

In a small bowl combine kosher salt, coarse black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika and brown sugar. Mix until evenly distributed.

Season brisket

Rub the vegetable oil over the surface of the brisket to help the dry rub adhere. Evenly coat the brisket with the dry rub, pressing it into the meat. Let rest at room temperature for 30–45 minutes or refrigerate up to overnight (bring to room temp before cooking).

Sear (optional)

Preheat a large oven-safe Dutch oven or heavy roasting pan over medium-high heat and add vegetable oil. When shimmering, sear the brisket fat-side down 3–5 minutes until well-browned, then sear the other sides 2–3 minutes. Transfer brisket to a plate.

Aromatics

Reduce heat to medium and add butter to the pan. Add sliced onion and smashed garlic cloves and cook, stirring, until softened and lightly browned, 4–5 minutes. Deglaze the pan with 1 cup of beef broth, scraping up browned bits.

Braising liquid and roast

Place the brisket back in the pan on top of the onions with the fat side up. Add remaining beef broth, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce and bay leaves. The liquid should come about 1/3 to 1/2 up the side of the brisket — do not fully submerge. Bring to a gentle simmer on the stovetop.

Oven braise

Cover the Dutch oven tightly with its lid or with foil and transfer to a preheated oven at 300°F (150°C). Braise until the brisket is fork-tender and an internal temperature of about 195–205°F (90–96°C) is reached, approximately 3 to 4 hours for a 4-lb brisket (time will vary by size). Check once at the 2-hour mark and baste with pan juices if desired.

Rest

Remove the brisket from the oven and transfer to a cutting board. Tent loosely with foil and let rest 30–45 minutes to allow juices to redistribute.

Slice

Skim excess fat from the collected pan juices and, if desired, reduce the remaining juices on the stovetop over medium-high heat until slightly thickened to make a sauce. Slice the brisket against the grain into 1/4-inch to 1/2-inch slices for the flat and slightly thicker for the point. Arrange slices on a platter and spoon sauce over, if using.

Sprinkle chopped parsley over the sliced brisket. Serve with pickles or your favorite BBQ sauce on the side. Leftover brisket stores well in the refrigerator up to 4 days or can be shredded and reheated in warmed sauce.