Updated 30 September 2026
Brisket is the most rewarding cheap cut of beef there is. It starts out tough, but cooked slowly with a little liquid it turns soft, juicy and deeply beefy, and it makes its own gravy as it goes. This beef brisket recipe is our Sunday favourite: a slow-braised brisket with onions and red wine, finished with a rich gravy. Below it you will find times for every method.
Quick answer: brown the brisket, braise it covered with onions and stock at 150°C (130°C fan, gas 2) for about 3–3½ hours for 1kg, or 4–4½ hours for 1.5kg, until a fork slides in easily. Rest it for 20 minutes and slice across the grain.
Brisket cooking times
| Method | Temperature | 1kg joint | 1.5kg joint |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oven braise, covered | 150°C (130°C fan) | 3–3½ hours | 4–4½ hours |
| Slow cooker | Low | 8 hours | 9–10 hours |
| Slow cooker | High | 5 hours | 6 hours |
| Smoker or BBQ, indirect | 110–130°C | 6–8 hours | 8–10 hours |
Brisket is not like a roasting joint: you cannot cook it rare, and it is not ready at a set time. It is ready when it is tender. If it is still firm, give it longer.
Slow-braised beef brisket with onions (serves 4–6)
Ingredients
- 1–1.5kg beef brisket (our Brisket Joint 1kg or Flat Brisket 1.5kg)
- Salt and black pepper
- 2 tbsp oil or beef dripping
- 3 large onions, thickly sliced
- 2 carrots and 2 celery sticks, cut into chunks
- 4 garlic cloves, bruised
- 2 tbsp tomato purée
- 1 tbsp plain flour
- 250ml red wine (or more stock)
- 500ml beef stock
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 bay leaves and a few sprigs of thyme
Method
- Season. Pat the brisket dry and season it well all over. If you can, do this the night before.
- Heat the oven to 150°C (130°C fan, gas 2).
- Brown. Heat the oil in a large casserole with a lid. Brown the brisket well on every side, about 10 minutes in all, fat side first. Lift it out.
- Soften the vegetables. Add the onions, carrots and celery and cook for 10 minutes until soft and golden. Stir in the garlic, tomato purée and flour and cook for a minute.
- Add liquid. Pour in the wine and let it bubble for 2 minutes, scraping the pan. Add the stock, Worcestershire sauce and herbs.
- Braise. Sit the brisket on top of the vegetables, fat side up. The liquid should come about halfway up the meat. Bring to a simmer, cover tightly and put in the oven.
- Cook slowly. Braise for 3–3½ hours for a 1kg joint or 4–4½ hours for 1.5kg, turning the brisket once halfway. It is done when a fork slides in with almost no resistance.
- Rest and make the gravy. Lift the brisket onto a board, cover loosely and rest for 20 minutes. Skim the fat off the cooking liquid, then either strain it or blitz the vegetables into it for a thick gravy. Bubble it to reduce if needed and season.
- Slice. Cut the brisket across the grain into slices about 1cm thick. Slicing with the grain gives long, stringy pieces.
Serve with mash or roast potatoes, greens and plenty of gravy. The Food Standards Agency advises cooking food until it is steaming hot all the way through; a long braise like this does exactly that.
Which brisket should I buy?
Our Brisket Joint 1kg (£19.99) is rolled and tied, which makes it easy to braise evenly and slice neatly; it feeds four. The Flat Brisket 1.5kg (£29.99) is the flat, even-thickness part of the brisket, which is the cut for smoking, slicing and salt beef. For a shortcut sauce, Gordon Rhodes Gluten Free Sticky Brisket of Beef (£3.99) makes a sticky, rich braise with no measuring.
Other ways to cook brisket
- In the oven: our dedicated guide to how to cook brisket in the oven covers a dry-rubbed, foil-wrapped version.
- In the slow cooker: see how to cook brisket in the slow cooker.
- On the BBQ: rub the flat brisket with salt, pepper and paprika and cook it over indirect heat at 110–130°C for 8–10 hours, wrapping it in butcher paper or foil once the bark has formed.
- Pot roast: try our brisket pot roast with gravy.
Tips for tender brisket
- Low and slow is non-negotiable. High heat tightens brisket and makes it tough.
- Keep it covered and moist. A tight lid or double foil stops it drying out.
- Leave the fat on. It bastes the meat as it cooks; trim it after cooking if you prefer.
- Rest it. Twenty minutes lets the juices settle so the slices stay moist.
- Cook it a day ahead. Brisket slices more neatly cold, and you can reheat the slices gently in the gravy until piping hot.
Leftover brisket
Leftover brisket makes excellent sandwiches, hash, chilli, pies and ragù for pasta. Cool it quickly, keep it covered in the fridge for up to two days, or freeze it in its gravy for up to three months.
For more slow-cook cuts, read our guide to cuts of beef, browse our brisket collection, or everything in beef.
Shop the cuts in this guide
How we pack your order
Your order is packed at our butchery at St Stephen, near St Austell, in a double-walled box with a sealed thermal liner and gel ice packs, then delivered by DPD next-day on the day you choose. Free delivery over £85.
Extra strong boxWhite double-walled corrugated cardboard
Thermal linerAir-infused, padded and sealed
Gel ice packsRecyclable film, non-toxic food-grade gel
DPD deliveryOn the day you choose
Beef brisket FAQs
How long does beef brisket take to cook?
About 3–3½ hours for a 1kg joint and 4–4½ hours for 1.5kg, braised covered at 150°C (130°C fan). In a slow cooker, allow around 8 hours on low. It is ready when a fork slides in easily.
What is the best way to cook beef brisket?
Slowly, with moisture. Braise it covered in stock or wine at a low oven temperature, slow cook it, or smoke it low and slow on a barbecue.
Do you cover brisket in the oven?
Yes. Cover it tightly with a lid or foil so it braises in its own steam and does not dry out.
Why is my brisket tough?
It either needs longer, or it was cooked too hot. Put it back, covered, at a low temperature and check every 30 minutes. Also make sure you slice it across the grain.
Can you cook brisket the day before?
Yes, and it often tastes better. Cool it in its gravy, chill it overnight, slice it cold and reheat the slices gently in the gravy until piping hot.
How long does a 1.5kg beef brisket take to cook?
Slow-braised, covered, at around 150°C (fan 130°C), allow roughly 4 to 5 hours until it pulls apart easily with a fork, following the times section above. Our Beef Flat Brisket 1.5kg is the right size for this.
