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Thin sliced BBQ'd beef brisket on a cutting board

BBQ Brisket Recipe

5 from 1 vote

Juicy, tender, flavorful beef brisket, enough to feed a small crowd.

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Making BBQ Brisket Recipe is easier than you think!

BBQ Beef Brisket sliced thin on a cutting board

 

We love great BBQ; you know the kind that has been massaged with an amazing spice rub and slow-smoked for hours.

There is an art and science to smoking meat. When it comes to babysitting a smoker all day I prefer to leave it to the professionals. However, that doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy a GREAT BBQ Brisket Recipe at home in just a few hours.

If you want to make delicious, tender and juicy beef brisket at home, try this recipe!

BBQ sauce with thin sliced beef brisket

This easy, fool-proof cooking method is a wonderful way to get exceptional results with very little effort.

All you need is a grill and an oven, a good spicy dry rub and some seriously delicious sauce. And, I can help you with the rub and sauce!

The brisket is coated in the dry rub, then grilled briefly over hot charcoal or on a gas grill to char the outside and seal in all those wonderful flavors and juices.

Place the browned brisket, fat side up, in a 13×9 inch ovenproof pan and cover it with a cup of our Easy Honey BBQ Sauce. Wrap the pan tightly in foil and bake in the oven for 3 hours.

That’s it! Sounds pretty easy right?!

Sliced beef brisket, Cole slaw, rolls and BBQ sauce on a tray

Beef brisket usually comes in a very large slab, about 3 to 4 pounds each, and is easily found in most grocery stores.

It can feed a small crowd which makes it great for parties, events and family gatherings. We’re getting ready to head to the beach for a late summer vacation with the whole family, and this Brisket Recipe is absolutely on the menu.

I’ve been tweaking and perfecting this recipe for years to add more flavor and to get consistently wonderful results. This recipe is a winner, grilling friends!

Ingredients needed to make BBQ Brisket:

  • whole beef brisket, about 4 pounds
  • BBQ sauce

For the spice rub:

  • light brown sugar
  • chile powder – we use ancho chili powder but any kind will do
  • ground cumin
  • salt
  • granulated garlic or garlic powder
  • fresh ground black pepper
  • cayenne pepper

For making the brisket:

  • A large oven-proof pan
  • heavy-duty aluminum foil
  • BBQ grill

You’re welcome to buy your favorite spice rub in lieu of making your own. Make sure there’s plenty of sugar in your spice rub because it caramelizes beautifully on the beef.

Finally, you can also buy BBQ sauce instead of making homemade. But, if you have a little time, I highly recommend homemade.

 

A tray filled with sliced beef brisket topped with BBQ sauce and served with rolls and slaw

Our beef brisket recipe yields incredibly tender, juicy results so you don’t even need a knife to cut it.

You can easily pull each piece apart with your fingers and it practically melts in your mouth. Fork tender and very satisfying for those of us that love a good piece of beef.

We cut our brisket with an electric knife for perfect, thin slices.

Sliced beef brisket with BBQ sauce on top with cole slaw, rolls and BBQ sauce on a tray

What kind of sides do you serve with BBQ Beef Brisket?

I recommend serving the brisket with an extra helping of our Easy Honey BBQ Sauce and a pile of our mayonnaise-free Super Coleslaw Recipe.

If you’re looking for more summer sides, you might want to check out this classic Creamy Potato Salad and our traditional Coleslaw (better than KFC!)

Also, a party’s not a party without a plate of great Deviled Eggs. We have tons of great tips for making the best Deviled Eggs.

Wrap up this amazing feast with a tangy tart creamy Lemon Bars. These easy make-ahead treats feed a crowd, travel well and are loved by all!

This is summer BBQ at it’s best folks!

Toasted rolls with sliced beef brisket, Cole slaw and BBQ sauce - sliders!

Leftovers make the best sandwiches.

Guess what you can do with leftovers, if you’re lucky enough to have some?! Brisket sliders of course 😉

Toasty little buns, plenty of tender brisket, crunchy slaw and sweet honey BBQ sauce.

Toasted rolls with sliced beef brisket, Cole slaw and BBQ sauce on a plate

The perfect party food!

Keep this in mind for your fall events too, since football and tailgating seasons are just around the corner.

 

Thanks for PINNING!

Sliced BBQ Beef brisket on a try served with rolls and cole slaw

Thin sliced BBQ'd beef brisket on a cutting board

BBQ Brisket Recipe

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 3 hours
Total Time: 3 hours 10 minutes
Yield: 16 servings
Course: Main Course
Author: Tricia
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5 from 1 vote
Juicy, tender, flavorful beef brisket, enough to feed a small crowd.

Ingredients

  • 1 whole beef brisket about 4 pounds
  • 1 cup BBQ sauce plus more for serving

For the spice rub:

  • 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
  • 1 ½ tablespoons ancho chile powder or any kind of chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 ½ teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
  • 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 325°F.
  • Mix together the brown sugar, chile powder, cumin, salt, garlic, pepper and cayenne.
  • If desired, trim the fat cap on the beef brisket to about ½-inch thick. Dry the brisket with paper towels then rub the spice mixture all over the beef, on both sides. Set aside while heating the grill.
  • Preheat gas grill on high for 10-minutes. Turn the heat down to medium-high. Place the brisket on the grill and cook until it is charred and crusted, but not burnt. Turn and continue grilling on the other side until well marked. The fatty side of the brisket will cause flare-ups as the fat renders and drips. Watch the beef carefully so it does not burn.
  • Once browned on both sides, place the brisket, fat side up, in an oven-proof 13x9-inch baking pan. Pour 1-cup of BBQ sauce over the top and spread to cover. Seal the pan with two layers of heavy duty aluminum foil. Bake at 325°F for 3 hours. Remove from the oven and allow the meat to rest for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and place the brisket on a cutting board. Discard the juices or see notes below. Slice thin and serve with additional sauce if desired.
  • Serves 8-10 depending on how hungry you are!

Recipe Notes

  • Substitute your favorite smoked chili powder for the ancho.
  • If you don’t have a grill, you can cut the brisket in half and brown in a very large skillet on the stove-top for similar results. Grilling adds a lot of flavor so it will not be exactly the same.
  • I recommend using an electric knife for easy slicing.
  • If you prefer to save the drippings after baking, first skim off all the fat. Add a cup of BBQ sauce to the drippings and heat the mixture in a saucepan until simmering. Serve with the beef if desired, or dip each slice in the mixture before serving. We prefer to serve with thick sauce on the side as shown in the photos and discard the drippings.
  • We use our Easy Honey BBQ Sauce Recipe for basting and serving. 
Spice rub adapted from Southern Livin
Nutritional information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered as an estimate. When multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.
 

Nutrition

Calories: 216kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 70mg | Sodium: 504mg | Potassium: 439mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 278IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 17mg | Iron: 3mg

 

Homemade Honey BBQ Sauce in a jar with a brush for slathering

For this delicious BBQ Brisket Recipe we used our Easy Honey BBQ Sauce for both cooking and serving.

 

A bowl of vinegar based Cole slaw with cabbage, pimentos and green peppers

We’ve been living on this Super Coleslaw Recipe (no mayo) all summer. It’s crunchy, healthy, and goes great with this BBQ Beef Brisket Recipe.

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30 Comments

    • Tricia Buice

      HI Catherine. Yes you can brown the brisket on the stove top. You can cut it in half and do it in two batches or if you have a big grill pan then that will work too. Enjoy!

      Reply

  2. Mark Bergman

    Smoked brisket receipts often suggest a cooking temp closer to 225 degrees. Any thoughts on the impacts of lowering the oven temp for a longer cooking time?

    Reply

    • Tricia Buice

      Hi Mark. Yes I think it will be fine to try cooking at 225F. I’m not sure on the time as I haven’t tested it. Let us know if you do and how it turns out for you! Thanks

      Reply

  3. Jennie Martin

    Just had family get together and wanted to thank you for providing great recipes that I followed exactly and that were delicious. We had the bq brisket with your wonderful rub and honey bq sauce. Also made the super (mayo free) cole slaw. Everything was a family hit and my daughters called to say that the leftovers are just as good. I added other sides, like roasted Yukon potato bites and pintos. I am so happy to have found your site. Your photography is what caught my eye but now I know your recipes are just as appealing.

    Reply

    • Tricia Buice

      Hi Jennie – I just finished doing a happy dance all over the house! Thank you so much for trying our recipes and most of all, thanks for taking the time to let us know how it worked out for you. I LOVE these recipes and that brisket is so tender and delicious, I could eat it once a week! You made my day 🙂 Woohoo!!!

      Reply

  4. Lillian

    The total cooking time says 2 hours 20 mins but the instructions say 3 hours in the oven and 20 minutes rest. Which is correct?

    Reply

  6. Chris Scheuer

    Wow, what a wonderful feast this is! We fell in love with brisket in Austin this spring and now I’ve been buying one regularly and trying different techniques. Can’t wait to try yours, Tricia!

    Reply

    • Tricia Buice

      We don’t eat it often enough, that’s for sure. It’s so expensive in the restaurants, and I always want more – problem solved! We just make it ourselves 🙂

      Reply

  12. Monica

    We are on the same page, Tricia. I have a brisket recipe pinned and I was just watching a show yesterday featuring brisket. Not sure why I keep seeing/craving brisket! And now yours looks so mouthwatering. Gotta admit the idea of making brisket is intimidating…but look at the rewards! : )

    Reply

  13. Liz

    Oh, gosh, does this sound amazing! I seem to save brisket for the winter, but this is a must try recipe. Time to add brisket to my shopping list!

    Reply