Baked Corned Beef Brisket

Last Updated March 16th, 2022 at 09:03 pm by Lisa

Baked Corned Beef Brisket has a delicious spice crust and juicy fork-tender slices. You will crave this easy recipe every St. Patrick's Day!

This will be the best corned brisket you ever make. Pair it with classic sides like roasted cabbage, glazed carrots, rosemary baby gold potatoes, and horseradish cream sauce.

We usually make this dish one time of year. Let's make this a great dinner to enjoy all through the year, anytime...

Jump to:

• How To Select A Traditional Cut?
• What Is The Best Cut?
• How To Make Corned Beef Brisket
• Point Cut VS. Flat Cut - Which Is Better?
• Why Is The Beef Pink?
• Why Oven Bake Corned Beef Brisket?
• When Is It Cooked?
• How To Make Spice Packet?
• Make It Ahead
• Corned Beef FAQ
• More St Patrick's Day Recipes
• Baked Corned Beef Brisket Recipe

How To Select A Traditional Cut?

Let's be honest. Many people are not corned beef fans. Why? I think it's because we buy the wrong cuts of meat!

There are two different brisket cuts:

• flat cut
• point cut

What Is The Best Cut?

At stores, you will see packages labeled corned beef brisket, but here is the deal, in my opinion, a flat cut is the only way to go.

PRO TIP: There are lots of recipes that say you can use either one. But I actually tested both cuts at the same time using this oven-baked recipe, and the choice was clear. THE FLAT CUT WINS hands down as the best cut, the best choice of brisket, and is the preferred cut for baking.

How To Make Corned Beef Brisket

• 1 3-5 lb flat-cut corned beef brisket
• 1 12 oz Guinness dark beer (or 16 ounce pint)
• 1-2 cups water
• ¼ cup Dijon mustard
• 3 tablespoons pickling spice (beef seasoning)

1. Make homemade pickling spice. Set aside.
2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
3. Unwrap the beef, and rinse under cool water to remove the extra salty brine taste. Pat dry. Discard spice packet if using homemade.
4. Place the whole brisket in a large roasting pan or baking dish fat cap side up.
5. Brush ¼ Dijon mustard on top of the beef, and sprinkle 3 tablespoons spice mix (or seasoning packet) over the entire brisket.
6. Pour the dark stout beer around the meat (or swap in beef stock or beef broth). Add enough water so the cooking liquid comes up around to 1 inch high on the side of the meat.
7. Bake in preheated oven 45 minutes per pound or about 3 hours. Check a small piece and ensure it is fork-tender. Internal temperature should be 145 degrees farenheight. Discard the contents of the pan.
8. Check at 1 ½ hours and add another cup of water to the roasting pan if getting low.
9. Carefully move the cooked beef on a cutting board when cool enough to handle.
10. Slice at a 90 degree angle against the grain of the meat (or perpendicular) into ¼ inch slices.
11. Arrange the cooked beef on a warm platter with root vegetables like roasted cabbage steaks, glazed carrots, and roasted potatoes. And serve with horseradish cream sauce, butter, and a Guiness stout beer!

Point Cut VS. Flat Cut - Which Is Better?

Corned beef comes from a less tender beef cut called the brisket. It is a tough cut of meat located in the chest muscle just above the front legs.

Therefore, these types of brisket require a long, braised moist cooking method. It can be cooked on top of the stove in a dutch oven, in a large pan in the oven, in a slow cooker, or pressure cooker instant pot on high pressure. But this recipe is a oven baked recipe and really only works with a flat cut brisket.

Point Cut: Has a pointed shape, you can see the meat fibers and lines of visible muscles. You will see a wideband or two of a fat layer on the surface area and top of the brisket. It has a higher fat content and more connective tissue which makes for a very chewy bite when baked. It might work better in a crock pot over a long cooking time, or cooked in an instant pot pressure cooker but I did not test those cooking methods.

• $.20 less expensive per pound than flat cut
• more fat marbling, fat cap all over
• chewy and tough

Flat Cut: Typically, it's a pretty big piece of meat with a thick layer of fat on top of the brisket. It will generally be a rectangular shape, and quite thick.

• so tender, shreds with a fork
• less fat
• easy to slice
• better presentation

Why Is The Beef Pink?

Commerical corned beef starts out as beef brisket and is brine-cured. The salt brine solution is what makes it "corned". That curing process is where it gets its pink color from due to the sodium nitrite additive. It contributes to the sodium content but mainly functions as a preservative for processed meats.

Do not add any additional salt like pink salt, kosher salt, or table salt. The brine adds quite enough saltiness!

Why Oven Bake Corned Beef Brisket?

Most traditional recipes call for boiled corn beef and cabbage. But once you oven bake it, and pair it with some horseradish sauce, you will never boil again.

There are advantages to each different method. Some require many hours of cooking at a low simmer in a crock pot. Some recipes are done in the instant pot, but with that, you don't get the nice crust and the fat side doesn't cook down, and you have to cut it off.

• Oven baking is the easiest way to cook this cut.
• Baking reduces the fat layer, gives a nice exterior crust.
• Baking packs in the beef flavor, and still keeps it tender as can be.
• With just a little bit of time you can put together a dry rub mixture of whole pickling spices
• The spices on on top of the meat add flavor and color.
• Oven cooking is easy and the most delicious way to present the dish.
• The next day I made a "New York style deli sandwich" complete with toasted bread, sauerkraut, thousand island dressing, and melted swiss cheese!! It was incredible.

When Is It Cooked?

The best way to know if your brisket is cooked is to slice off a small piece and make sure it is tender to chew. It may still be pink in color after cooking, due to nitrite in the curing process.

Allow the brisket to stand for about 20 minutes after removing it from the heat. This makes it easier to slice, and it is best sliced across the grain of the meat.

The cooking times in this recipe are based on beef that is not frozen at the time of cooking.

Cook to a minimum internal temperature of 145 °F as measured with a meat thermometer before removing meat from the oven.

How To Make Spice Packet?

The best way to get amazing flavor in your homemade corned beef recipe is to make your own pickling spice blend. It is worth the time and takes just minutes.

This seasoning packet recipe will take the place of the one that comes in a typical corned beef cut of meat. Toss out those dull little packets, and make your own spice recipe!

You will need 2-3 tablespoons for a 3-4 lb brisket. The packets that come with the meat can wildly vary in size from 1 tablespoon to 4, and might not be as fresh as what home cooks can put together.

Pickling Spice (seasoning mix ingredients)
1 tablespoon coriander seed
½ cinnamon stick
1 tablespoon dill seed
1 tablespoon whole allspice berries
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
5 dry bay leaves
1 teaspoon black peppercorns (pink, white, or mixed whole peppercorns all work!)
2 teaspoons yellow mustard seeds

Mix in a small bowl. It will store at room temperature in small glass jar or airtight container for 3-4 months.

Optional Variations & Additions
2 star anise, 8 whole cloves, 4 juniper berries, 1 teaspoon ground ginger
or 2 cardamon pods.

Homemade Pickling Spice is an excellent general seasoning. They can also be used in Pickled Eggs, and to make Quick Dill Pickles. This spice mix not only adds characteristic flavor to pickles, but also adds complex flavor to braised stews, beans, and rice dishes.

For meat stews, you can tie the pickling spices into a piece of cheesecloth tied with a long piece of butcher string and braise in the pot or slow cooker until the meat is deliciously tender.

Make It Ahead

Cook in advance, and chill the day before serving. Chilled beef is easier to cut into nice slices and reheat in smaller portions for dinner.

It also allows you to easily prepare thin deli meat slices for use in on Reuben sandwiches with rye bread!

Corned Beef FAQ

More St Patrick's Day Recipes

Serve some lucky Green Cocktails, or cheeky Jello Shots & Jigglers. End the day with a delicious Irish Coffee complete with sprinkles and real edible gold flakes.

Pair your cooked brisket on St. Paddy's day with a Cabbage Recipe, and some root vegetables like Glazed Carrots, Mashed Potatoes, Smashed Potatoes, Roasted Rosemary, or Red Potatoes. Cheddar Irish Bread or Brown Soda Bread would be amazing too! Happy St. Patrick's Day.... 🍀🍀🍀