Braised Brisket with Bourbon Peach Glaze. Sweet and succulent with a crisped dark crust and juicy inside. The perfect bite that melts in your mouth and on your hands.
An overnight dry rub imparts a subtle flavor and begins to tenderize this versatile cut. And then a long braise in a beer and bourbon bath in a low oven with herbs and spices, finished with a peach glaze under a hot broiler. Slice and eat!
When selecting the best brisket for your cooking endeavors, there are several factors to consider to ensure you end up with a flavorful and tender final product. Here’s what to look for:
Marbling: Look for briskets with a good amount of marbling, which refers to the intramuscular fat distributed throughout the meat. Marbling not only adds flavor but also helps keep the brisket moist during the cooking process.
Thickness: Opt for a brisket that is evenly thick throughout. This ensures more consistent cooking and prevents uneven cooking or drying out of certain parts of the meat.
Flexibility: A good brisket should have some flexibility when you pick it up. It shouldn’t feel stiff or rigid. This flexibility indicates that the meat is well-aged and will likely be more tender after cooking.
Weight: Consider the weight of the brisket in relation to your cooking needs. Briskets are typically sold as whole cuts or in halves. Choose a size that suits the number of servings you require and the capacity of your cooking equipment.
Color: Look for briskets with a bright red color, indicating freshness. Avoid briskets with a dull or grayish hue, as this could indicate that the meat is past its prime.
Certification: If possible, choose briskets that are USDA Choice or Prime graded. These grades indicate higher quality meat with better marbling and tenderness.
By considering these factors when selecting your brisket, you can ensure that you’re starting with the best possible cut of meat for your cooking endeavors, setting yourself up for a delicious and satisfying meal.
- Point Cut: Triangular in shape, has the most flavor and a larger composition of fat running through it than the flat cut.
- Flat Cut: More rectangular in shape, fat layer runs predominantly along the underside.
A modestly priced cut of beef, that responds well to long, slow cooking, which makes it perfect for braising. Of course, it‘s also perfect, for grilling, smoking, and the slow cooker. But here we focus on the oven and how to braise this cut properly.
Be sure to pick a well-marbled brisket, preferably a cut where the fat is equally distributed in and on the meat. Also, allow the brisket plenty of time to sear on each side.
Why is My Brisket Tough?
If your brisket turns out tough, it’s likely because it requires additional cooking time to fully break down the connective tissues and achieve that desired tenderness. This process involves the collagen in the meat gradually melting into gelatin, resulting in a more succulent texture. So, patience is key to transforming a tough brisket into a melt-in-your-mouth delicacy.
Perfectly Cooked Brisket: Temperature and Process
Perfectly Cooked Brisket: Temperature and Process
Selecting the Brisket: Choose a brisket with a good balance of fat, known as marbling, which will keep it moist during cooking.
Preparation: Trim excess fat from the brisket, leaving about 1/4 inch to ensure flavor and moisture. Apply your favorite dry rub or marinade generously, covering all sides of the brisket. Let it rest at room temperature for about an hour before cooking.
Setting up the Smoker or Oven: Preheat your smoker or oven to a temperature between 225°F and 250°F (107°C to 121°C). This low and slow cooking method allows the collagen in the brisket to break down slowly, resulting in a tender texture.
Cooking the Brisket: Place the brisket on the smoker rack or in a roasting pan, fat side up, to allow the fat to render down and baste the meat as it cooks. Maintain a consistent temperature throughout the cooking process, adding wood chips or chunks to the smoker as needed for a smoky flavor. Plan for about 1 to 1.5 hours of cooking time per pound of brisket, but remember, it’s the internal temperature that determines doneness.
Monitoring Temperature: Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the brisket without touching bone or fat. The brisket is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 195°F to 205°F (90°C to 96°C). Keep in mind that every brisket is different, so use the temperature as your guide rather than strict cooking times.
Resting and Slicing: Once the brisket reaches the desired temperature, remove it from the smoker or oven and tent it loosely with aluminum foil. Let it rest for at least 30 minutes to allow the juices to redistribute. When slicing, cut against the grain to ensure tender, easy-to-eat pieces.
By following these steps and monitoring the internal temperature of your brisket, you’ll achieve that mouthwatering, fall-apart tenderness that’s the hallmark of perfectly cooked brisket.
Interesting Fact: Cattle don’t have a collar bone, so these muscles support nearly 60% of their body weight. Requiring a significant amount of connective tissue which is why these cuts of meat require a lengthy cooking time
Please Pin to Make & Share!📌
How to Make Braised Brisket with Bourbon Peach Glaze
Chef’s Tip: This recipe is designed for an 8 lb Brisket, but you can effortlessly halve it for a 4-pound cut of meat.
Ingredients
Rub
- 2 Tablespoons Kosher sea salt
- 2 teaspoons fresh cracked black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
Brisket and Braise
- 1 8 lb. flat-cut trimmed brisket with about 1/3” top layer of fat
- 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 large white onion peeled and roughly chopped
- 6 stalks celery roughly chopped
- 2 large carrots roughly chopped
- 2 large bay leaves
- 6 sprigs fresh thyme
- 6 cloves garlic smashed
- 4 Roma tomatoes roughly chopped
- 4 cups beef stock
- 1 22 oz. bottle Extra Stout Guinness or other
- 3/4 cup bourbon
- 1/2 cup (90 grams) light brown packed sugar
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) soy sauce
Glaze
- 1 cup peach preserves or jam
- 1 1/2 tablespoons bourbon
- Kosher sea salt to taste
- fresh cracked black pepper to taste
Instructions
Rub
- Mix all ingredients in a small bowl, rub brisket all over with spice rub, being sure to rub it in thoroughly. Place on a platter, wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
Brisket and Braise
- Remove brisket from the fridge and allow to come to come to room temperature, about 1 1/2 hours for 8lbs. (1 hour for 4).
- Preheat oven to 325°
- Heat 1 tablespoon Vegetable oil in a large heavy bottomed pot or dutch oven (that has a tight-fitting lid) over medium-high heat.
- Add brisket fat side down, and allow to brown undisturbed for 6-8 minutes. Turn brisket over and allow to brown on the opposite side for 5 minutes. Using tongs transfer to a serving platter.
- Reduce heat to medium, add remaining 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil.
- Add onion, celery, carrots, bay leaves, and thyme sprigs, cook stirring frequently for 10 minutes to allow the flavors of the aromatics to begin to release and the tough exteriors to soften.
- Toss in the crushed garlic and chopped plum tomatoes, cook for an additional 2 minutes.
- Add the stock, stout, bourbon, light brown sugar, and soy sauce. Stir and bring to a simmer.
- Place Brisket, fat side up back into the pot.
- Cover the top of the pot with heavy-duty aluminum foil and then with a tight fitting lid.
- Transfer to the preheated oven and cook for about 4-5 hours with an internal temperature reading of 165°-175°F/74°-79°C. Brisket should be tender and still maintain its shape.
- Remove for the pot with a large spatula, set aside on a roasting pan fat side up.
- Strain the braising liquid into a large bowl. Return the liquid to the pot and bring to a simmer, until reduced to about 3 cups (about 15-20 minutes). Preheat the broiler.
Glaze
- Transfer 1/2 cup of reduced braising liquid to food processor or blender, add preserves and bourbon and blend till smooth, season to taste with Kosher sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper.
- Spoon glaze over the top of the brisket, spreading out evenly. Place the glazed brisket under the broiler, allowing the glaze and fat to darken and crisp about 4-6 minutes. Watching carefully to avoid burning.
- Remove from oven and allow to rest for at least 15 minutes. Transfer the brisket to a cutting board and slice against the grain, transferring to a platter. Ladle some of the braising liquid over the top along with the remaining preserves.
Notes
- Prep times are approximate.
Creative Recipe Ideas
Whip up a batch of our Restaurant Style Mashed Potatoes to go with this roast. They’re the perfect accompaniment!
For an All American Dinner finish with our Popular Caramel Apple Pie, straight from our family kitchen to yours.
Step Into My Kitchen!
Hey there, fellow food enthusiast! Welcome to Mean Green Chef, where every dish tells a story and every recipe is a labor of love. I’m thrilled to share a bit about myself and the journey that led me here, stirring pots and sprinkling spices for over three decades!
That bourbon peach glaze sounds incredible! I’d love to slap it on some chicken and some pork too 🙂
Would defiantly be good on chicken and pork too, Colleen! 🙂
This brisket looks incredible! The rub looks so simple to make and I bet adds so much flavor to the meat!
Thank you, Morgan, the rub is easy and packs a ton of flavor!
This looks so good. I love that peach glaze!
Peach and bourbon are a natural together, Erika, and make an awesome glaze! 🙂
This is THE BEST brisket I have ever had. And we have had a lot over the last 10 years. Thank you for this amazing recipe!
Thrilled to hear this, Tricia! So glad that you and your family loved our recipe. Thank you for taking the time to leave a review and 5-star rating! 🙂
My mouth waters every time I see this post!
Lol, Tricia, I’m so happy that you all enjoyed our brisket!
Amazing brisket. I doubled the amount of rub and marinated for 24 hours. I added 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar to the sauce for a little contrast with all the sweetness. I did not purée the peach glaze. It was fine as it was.
Thank you, Jane! I love the idea of adding balsamic, and will try it myself!