Brisket Cooking Time

A beef brisket is meat that belongs to the muscles just above the front legs of a cow. It is tough because of the high amounts of collagen in it. Breaking down this collagen is achieved by a slow and long process of cooking the meat. The result, of course, is meat that is highly tender and rich in flavors. If a brisket is cooked without the fat, its cooking time is shortened, but the meat, in such a case, tends to become dry. On the other hand, the cooking time increases if it is cooked with the fat. This brisket will, however, make the meat tender, and is sure to taste much better.

Many people refrain from cooking brisket simply because of the long cooking hours. However, it is important to remember that after the long cooking hours comes a sumptuous meal.

The average time to cook brisket is one hour per pound of the brisket.

Time Taken to Cook Brisket in the Oven
Brisket in an oven is cooked in a covered roasting pan with a small amount of water. The temperature required to cook a brisket in the oven is between 250°F to 325°F. The cooking time will depend on the weight of the brisket.

• 4-5 pounds: 5-6 hours
• 7-8 pounds: 6-7 hours
• 10-12 pounds: 7-8 hours

The brisket is ready when it reaches an internal temperature of 160ºF. This can be checked using a meat thermometer. If it is easily breakable with a fork, the brisket is ready.

Time Taken to Cook Brisket on a Stove-top
On a stove-top, a brisket is cooked by first completely submerging and boiling it in water, and then lowering it to a simmer. The cooking time of brisket on low heat, on a stove-top is:

• 4-5 pounds: 2½-3 hours
• 7-8 pounds: 3-4 hours
• 10-12 pounds: 4½-5 hours

Again, when the internal temperature reaches 160°F, the brisket is ready to serve.

Time Taken to Cook Brisket on a Grill
Brisket is cooked on a grill by first placing it on heavy-duty aluminum foil. The sides of the foil are then pulled up to create a pot, to which 1 cup water is added. The rest of the brisket is wrapped with another piece of aluminum foil and left to cook. This provides indirect heat to the brisket. The time required to cook brisket on the grill is:

• 4-5 pounds: 3-4 hours
• 7-8 pounds: 5-5½ hours
• 10-12 pounds: 7-9 hours
• 13-15 pounds: 8-10 hours

In any form of cooking, once the brisket has attained an internal temperature of 160°F, and once it breaks easily with a fork, you can be assured that it is ready to eat.

With this information, you can prepare yourself in advance to make and thoroughly enjoy a juicy, tender and delicious brisket meal along with your friends and family.