Best Brisket Ever

8 servings Prep: 15 m Cook: 3 h 30 m Total: 3 h 45 m Beginner
4.0/5 (1)
This slow-roasted beef brisket marinates overnight in hickory smoke marinade, then roasts low and slow until fork-tender and fall-apart delicious. Once you’ve had brisket this way you will never want to eat it any other way. Very flavorful!

Ingredients

8 servings
  • 1 beef brisket (5 or more lbs.)
  • 1 bottle of Allegro marinade (Hickory Smoke Flavor)

Step-by-Step Instructions

  1. Take your beef brisket and put it in a large heavy duty plastic Ziploc bag. Pour the whole bottle of Allegro or other hickory smoke marinade all over the brisket. Let air out of Ziploc and seal. Put in refrigerator to marinate overnight or at least 12 hours. The longer you marinate, the more tender the brisket. Note: Although I use the brand Allegro marinade, you can substitute any hickory smoke flavor marinade if you cannot find this brand in your city.
  2. Preheat oven to 450°F.
  3. After marinating, remove brisket from Ziploc and put the brisket into a Pam-sprayed pan with a cover. Add your marinade juices on top of brisket.
  4. Cook without a cover for about 30 minutes to brown the brisket.
  5. Turn heat on oven down to 250°F and cook slowly checking once an hour to make sure juices do not evaporate. If they do, add 1 cup of water (not too much water or it will dilute the flavor). Once you are able to stick brisket with a fork and pull the meat apart easily, your brisket is ready (about 3 hours total at 250°F). I like to pull the whole brisket apart and pour the juices over the meat. I usually put in a chafing dish or a crockpot on low to keep warm until I’m ready to serve.

Common Problems and Solutions

Q: Why is my brisket still tough after cooking?

A: Brisket needs low, slow heat to break down the collagen. Make sure you're cooking at 250°F (not higher) and cook until the meat pulls apart easily with a fork. This can take 3-4 hours depending on the size of your brisket.

Q: Can I marinate for less than 12 hours?

A: You can, but overnight marinating (12-24 hours) gives the best flavor and tenderness. If you're short on time, at least 4-6 hours will work, but the results won't be quite as tender.

Q: What if the juices evaporate during cooking?

A: Check your brisket every hour and add 1 cup of water if the pan looks dry. Don't add too much water or it will dilute the marinade flavor. The pan should have some liquid but shouldn't be swimming in it.

Tips and Techniques

The key to fork-tender brisket is not rushing the low-temperature cooking phase. Keep the oven at 250°F and don’t be tempted to turn it up to speed things along. Also, pulling the meat apart and tossing it with the pan juices after cooking makes every bite flavorful and moist.

Ingredient Substitutions

  • Allegro hickory smoke marinade: Any hickory smoke-flavored marinade, liquid smoke mixed with soy sauce and Worcestershire, or homemade marinade with liquid smoke

Equipment Needed

  • Large heavy-duty plastic Ziploc bag or marinating container
  • Roasting pan with cover
  • Fork for testing doneness