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Easy Baked Beef Brisket

Not only is this apple and onion smothered beef brisket easy and delicious, it's also very fast (for a brisket recipe)! Cooking it low and slow often results in dried-out meat, so instead we dial up the temperature slightly and bake it in about half the time to ensure it's both tender and moist.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours 55 minutes
Total Time 12 hours 15 minutes
Course lunch/dinner
Cuisine American
Servings 8 people
Calories 4168 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 Baking Dish Large enough to comfortably fit the brisket
  • 1 Saucepan For preparing the apple-onion mixture
  • 1 Aluminum Foil Heavy-duty for tight sealing and creating a resting rack
  • 1 Stick Blender For pureeing the gravy directly in the liquid
  • 1 Sharp Chef's Knife Essential for clean slicing across the grain

Ingredients
  

Main

  • 3 pounds first-cut brisket or flat-cut, trimmed of fat
  • 4 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 large yellow onion sliced
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 4 cloves garlic sliced
  • 1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
  • 1 cup apple juice

Instructions
 

  • Season both sides of the brisket generously with salt, pepper, and cayenne. For best results, place brisket over an aluminum foil "rack" set over a plate and refrigerate, uncovered, 8 to 12 hours. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
  • Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
  • Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and salt. Cook and stir until translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, rosemary, and apple juice. Increase heat to high and boil until liquid is reduced by about half, about 3 minutes. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
  • Transfer half of the apple-onion mixture into a baking dish. Place brisket fat-side up on top; cover with remaining apple-onion mixture. Cover baking dish tightly with foil. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
  • Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour 30 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 250 degrees F (121 degrees C) and bake until fork-tender, about 2 hours 15 minutes. Check for doneness after 2 hours. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
  • Transfer brisket to a plate and tent with foil.
  • Pour the onions and braising liquid into a large measuring cup or bowl. Skim some fat off the top. Puree with a stick blender to create a gravy. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
  • Slice brisket across the grain and serve with the gravy. DOTDASH MEREDITH FOOD STUDIOS 

Notes

The initial uncovered refrigeration is crucial for developing a flavorful "bark" and a more even cook. When placing the brisket in the baking dish, always orient it fat-side up; as the fat renders, it will continuously baste the meat, ensuring a moist and tender result. The two-stage cooking temperature, starting higher and finishing lower, effectively breaks down connective tissue while preventing the meat from drying out. When pureeing the gravy, be sure to skim off any excess fat first for a cleaner, richer sauce. Finally, always slice brisket against the grain to maximize tenderness and prevent stringiness.