Beef Brisket Barbecue Sauce (Printable version)

Slow-roasted beef brisket paired with a smoky, tangy barbecue sauce for a flavorful main dish.

# Ingredient List:

→ Beef

01 - 1 (4.5 lb) beef brisket, trimmed
02 - 1 tablespoon kosher salt
03 - 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
04 - 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
05 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
06 - 1 teaspoon onion powder

→ Barbecue Sauce

07 - 1 1/2 cups ketchup
08 - 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
09 - 1/4 cup brown sugar
10 - 2 tablespoons molasses
11 - 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce (gluten-free if needed)
12 - 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
13 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
14 - 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
15 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
16 - 1 teaspoon onion powder
17 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
18 - 1/2 teaspoon salt

→ Roasting

19 - 2 cups beef broth
20 - 2 large onions, sliced

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 300°F.
02 - Mix kosher salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder; rub evenly over brisket.
03 - Arrange sliced onions in bottom of a large roasting pan; place brisket on top, fat side up.
04 - Pour beef broth around brisket without washing seasoning off; cover tightly with aluminum foil.
05 - Cook in oven for 4 hours until brisket is tender.
06 - Combine all sauce ingredients in saucepan; simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 15 to 20 minutes until thickened; set aside.
07 - Remove brisket from oven and raise oven temperature to 400°F.
08 - Drain excess liquid from pan and brush brisket generously with barbecue sauce.
09 - Return brisket, uncovered, to oven for 20 to 30 minutes until sauce is sticky and caramelized.
10 - Allow brisket to rest 15 minutes before slicing against the grain; serve with extra barbecue sauce and reserved onions.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The oven does most of the work while you relax—four hours of hands-off cooking that transforms tough meat into fall-apart tenderness
  • Homemade sauce tastes infinitely better than anything from a bottle, with layers of sweet, tangy, and smoky flavors that deepen as you make it
  • This recipe scales beautifully for feeding a crowd, and it actually tastes even better the next day
  • Once you master this technique, you'll find yourself making it for every special occasion because it never disappoints
02 -
  • Slicing against the grain is absolutely essential—it's the difference between tender bites and chewy meat. Look at the muscle fibers running through the brisket and slice perpendicular to them, not parallel.
  • Don't skip the resting period after cooking. I learned this the hard way when I carved too early and the juices ran all over the cutting board instead of staying in the meat.
  • The fat cap is your friend, not something to trim away. It renders during cooking and basts the meat from above, keeping it incredibly moist.
  • If your sauce seems thin after simmering, let it continue for a few more minutes. It thickens more as it cools, but you want it to coat the back of a spoon before you brush it on.
03 -
  • Use a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the brisket—it should read around 195–203°F when the meat is done. This is more reliable than guessing by texture.
  • If you have access to a smoker, you can smoke the brisket at 225°F for 5–6 hours instead of braising it. Either way works beautifully, but the oven method gives you perfectly consistent results.
  • For extra smokiness without a smoker, add a teaspoon of liquid smoke to the barbecue sauce. Start with less; you can always add more but you can't take it out.

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