5hr Oven Brisket

A lot of the meals we prepare during the week are controlled by the sales at the grocery store. I’m sure you’re the same way. Meat or produce goes on sale, and, I’m thinking of ways to prepare it. So, this particular week, brisket is on sale. I don’t eat brisket much, red meat, definitely something I eat in moderation. So, now the question is how to cook it? Well, I’m a big fan of a long slow cook, and southwestern style slow cooking. So, I’ll make a 5hr oven brisket, it is good

The brisket

Brisket comes from the lower chest of the animal, and could be classified as a pectoral muscle. It is one of the “primal” cuts of meat. This means it’s one of the initial cuts separated from the carcass during butchering. Because of it’s location, it supports about 60% of the animals weight during standing. It is actually two muscles, that are usually separated by the butcher. The Flat cut, which usually has a fat cap on on top, and little marbling. This is ideal for most home cooking, such as braising and slow cooking. This is what you’ll find at most grocery stores. The Point cut, is a rougher cut with lots of marbling, great for shredding.

Either way, brisket is a tough meat with a lot of connective tissue. Because of this it requires a long, slow cooking process to break all that down. As the meat cooks, the connective tissues turn to gelatin like substance. The key to achieving this is to reach an internal temp of at least 190 degrees. This is the same thing we deal with when cooking a Boston Butt, check out the recipe here

There are many ways to achieve this long slow cook. Brisket is a popular cut of meat and brisket dishes can be found all over the world. And this geographic diversity shows up in the different cooking styles, from stews to roasts. In Texas, it is the most popular smoked meat, which I love. But I live in an apartment, so smoking is out of the question. However, there are some elements that can be recreated in the oven. Specifically the flavor of the rub and the long slow cooking process. And that’s why I cook 5hr oven brisket.

The Rub

As with any recipe that involves a rub, be it the oven or the grill, it starts the night before. The flavors of the rub require time to permeate into the meat. I do have a couple of rubs that I use, Mocha barbecue rub, is really good on ribs. I’m going to use another one this time. My Brown sugar paprika rub is delicious. The caramel flavor from brown sugar and the smokiness of the paprika with a little heat from ground red pepper flakes to finish the flavoring.

The rub is easy. 1/2 cup brown sugar, darker brown sugar will give you a bit more caramel flavor. 1/4 cup of paprika, this forms the base of the rub, the sweet and the smoky. To that we’ll add 1 tablespoon of; pepper, salt, chili powder, garlic powder and onion powder. And now for the good part, 1 teaspoon ground red pepper flakes. This will add the warmth that will stay on your tongue. I put everything in a cup and break it all up with a fork, the brown sugar tends to clump.

Now to prep the counter to apply the rub. Food safety is very important, please read this post. I usually take some parchment paper and lay it on the counter. Lay the brisket on the parchment paper. Using a teaspoon, sprinkle the rub mixture over the the brisket and rub it in really well. Use the spoon to sprinkle more as needed. Keep your fingers out of the cup, that way you can save any unused rub. Wrap the brisket in saran wrap, put on a plate, and, refrigerate overnight.

Cooking

Now to cook it. As I had mentioned, this will be a slow cook at 225 degrees for 5hrs. The brisket has been resting in the fridge overnight, so, first, take it out to rest on the counter at room temp before cooking. I’m sure I need to clarify a few things here. There are a lot of articles about resting meat before cooking, both, for and against it. We’re talking on a kitchen counter, with ambient temp of about 70-75 degrees. Not, beside the smoker in the back yard in the sunlight. By allowing it to rest on the counter for a 1/2 hour or so, the cook will be more even. It won’t be as much of a shock to go straight from 40 degrees to 225 degrees. There’s no scientific data to back this up, it’s just how I do it, and I’m not saying you have to.

Wrap the brisket with the fat side up tightly in foil, lay it in an oven dish and place it in a 225 degree preheated oven. Now, wait for the aromas of the cooking to permeate the house, and be patient, for 5hrs, hence the name 5hr oven brisket. 5hrs is not just a random number, brisket takes approximately 1:15-1:30hrs per pound to cook at 225 degrees, we have a 3lb brisket, so 5hrs gives it a little extra. During that time, the connective tissue in the brisket will break down, and the meat will become tender. To ensure this happens make sure the meat gets to at least 190-200 degrees. I use a thermometer with a remote probe, that way I can monitor the temp without opening the oven. Just insert the probe at the beginning of the cooking process and watch the temp.

Serving

After 5hrs, take the dish out, carefully peel back the foil, there’ll be about a cup of fluid in there. Now to rest the meat. Put the foil back over it and set a towel over the whole dish. Let it sit for at least 1/2hr.

After it has rested, remove the meat to a carving board, and gently pour all the juice into an appropriate size vessel. There are options with the juice. You can turn it into a thick gravy with a roux, or leave it as is to pour over the brisket. I, personally leave it as is. Carve the brisket, and serve with your choice of sides. And there you have it, 5hr oven brisket, as always, thank you and enjoy