How to Cook Brisket 5 Different Ways

Mouthwatering, tender brisket is the ultimate main dish for any special occasion. If you want to make it for a holiday or even a Sunday dinner, you need to know how to cook brisket. With these 5 cooking methods, you can take your pick and make your brisket recipe come out just the way you dreamed!

Serving Your Brisket

Brisket does take time to cook, and that feels like forever when you have to let it rest before you can even slice it. This is an excellent time to think about your side dishes. If you’re having a sit-down type of dinner, your brisket may be best with mashed potatoes and gravy along with some buttered green beans and dinner rolls. Twice baked potatoes would also be a nice addition for an elegant meal.

However, if you’re grilling or serving it picnic-style, you may want to go with potato salad, coleslaw, macaroni salad, and all those other fantastic sides that make for a phenomenal spread.

How to Cook Brisket in the Oven

Plenty of people know how to cook brisket and the oven, and you can too! The key to this method is slow and low, preheating it to 300F. You’ll want to set a rack inside your large roasting pan, then put the brisket with its fat cap up on top. Cover it loosely with foil and cook for an hour and 15 minutes per pound, or until it reaches an internal temperature of 180F.

When it’s finished, set it onto a cutting board, cover it with a tent of foil, and allow it to rest for 30 minutes before slicing it against the grain.

How to Cook Brisket Without a Smoker

If you want that smoked brisket taste but you don’t have a grill or a smoker, follow this method for how to cook brisket! Set your oven to preheat to 220F. Prepare your brisket, then lay it fat side down on an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet. Wrap it tightly in the foil and bake it for 8 to 9 hours.

How to Cook Brisket in a Slow Cooker

Your slow cooker is one of the easiest set-it-and-forget-it ways to know how to cook brisket. Simply prepare and season your brisket as directed by the recipe. Then put it in the slow cooker for 8 hours if your brisket is 3 lbs. or 10 hours for a 4-lb. brisket. You can use the liquid from the slow cooker to make a sauce that you can baste it with, if desired.

How to Cook Brisket on the Grill

Grill your brisket with ease for the most succulent flavors. You’ll want to put your meat with the fat cap facing down over direct flame and cook this way until it has browned, which takes about 10 minutes. You can then flip it and grill it for 10 minutes.

Next, set the grill heat to 250F, and move the brisket to the cool zone, closing the lid afterwards. Set a timer for 2 hours, then check it with a meat thermometer at the thickest part. When it reaches 180F, move your brisket to a large piece of foil and put it on the grill, turning the edges of the foil up just a tad to capture the juices.

Close the lid and keep cooking until your brisket registers at 200F, which will take about 45 minutes to an hour more. Once finished, set it on a cutting board, tent it with aluminum, and let it rest before carving.

How to Cook Brisket in an Air Fryer

Many people are surprised that you can use the air fryer to cook brisket, but it’s true! Here’s how to cook brisket in an air fryer! Stick your brisket in the tray, and coat it with seasonings and olive oil. Put the air fryer basket in and set it to cook at 360F for 30 minutes. Midway through the cooking time, turn over the brisket. When it’s finished, you can move it to your cutting board to let it rest, just as in all the other methods for how to cook brisket.

This may just be the fastest way to cook a brisket, and could be worth a try, especially if you have a smaller brisket. If you have a large brisket, it may be too big to fit in your air fryer.