Cooking A Corned Beef Brisket

Two photos for Pinterest. The top photo is a front view of a sliced corned beef brisket. The bottom photo is of an uncut baked brisket topped with seasonings.

Baked Corned Beef has a delicious crispy crust with a rich, tender, and juicy center. You'll love how easy oven baking a delicious corned beef brisket is!

3/4 side view of a baked corned beef brisket that's been sliced and sitting on a white platter.

Baked Corned Beef Brisket has a delicious crust an absolutely delicious flavor.

We will show you how easy it is to bake a fork-tender corned beef brisket in the oven.

No St. Patrick's Day dinner would be complete without Corned Beef!

We always kick ourselves and wonder why we don't eat it all year long. It's that good!

Why oven-baked corned beef?

For years we cooked our beef brisket under liquid either in a dutch oven, on top of the stove, or in a slow cooker. Both ways were pretty much just boiling it.

It's a super easy way to make a fall-apart corned beef.

However, the entire texture and flavor was the same inside as it was on the outside.

Once we tried baking our brisket we never went back to boiling it.

The roasted brined exterior is crispy delicious and the meat is tender and juicy.

It also slices up beautifully for a show-stopper presentation.

What is Corned Beef?

Have you ever wondered how this brisket got known as Corned Beef?

"Corning" is a form of curing and has nothing to do with corn. In times before refrigeration, meat was dry-cured in coarse "corns" of salt. I'm a foodie geek because I just love these little history tidbits.

The Corned Beef we buy today is a beef brisket that has been brine-cured in spices and curing salt which gives the corned beef brisket that deep pink hue.

How to pick out the perfect Corned Beef Brisket

Beef Briskets can vary from about three pounds up to a very large brisket. The size will not determine the quality of the outcome.

A whole brisket is cut into either a "Flat" or Point". Both bake beautifully but here's the difference.

Point is a rounder thicker piece of meat. It generally has more fat marbling so is very flavorful.
Flat can also be referred to as round and is a thinner piece of meat and it's a little leaner. It's easier to slice so it makes a nice presentation.

They're both delicious so don't stress if you don't know the difference or don't have the option of one versus the other.

Also, briskets aren't delicate pieces of meat so don't overstress ruining it.

When you're planning on the size of brisket you want to serve, it's helpful to know that a traditional serving is considered about 3/4 pound per person.

Front view of a baked corned beef brisket with 4 slices cut from the front showing the dark pink interior sitting on a white platter over a blue patterned napkin.

Baked Corned Beef FAQ's

Do you have to rinse off the brining liquid before cooking?

We always rinse the brining fluid off of the meat. This removes extra salt.

Rinsing will not change the flavor of the meat since the whole piece has been brined.

Do you cut the fat off of the Brisket?

The fat cap can be very thick. We trim the fat within one inch of the meat. Leaving some fat adds flavor.

How to bake Corned Beef in the oven

Rinse the brining fluid off and pat the brisket dry.
Trim the fat cap within 1 inch of the meat.
Place a grate in the bottom of a roaster or baking dish.

Grates sitting in the bottom of a roasting pan

Place the meat on top of the grate fat side up and sprinkle it with the seasoning packet if desired. We generally do. However, you can make your own brine and seasoning too.

Uncooked corned beef brisket sitting on grates inside a roasting pan.

Fill the bottom of the roasting pan with water level with the bottom of the grate (directly under the brisket).
Cover the pan with the lid or aluminum foil for two-thirds of the baking time.
Remove the lid or foil. Add vegetables if desired and continue baking.

How long to bake

Briskets like a longer cooking time. We cook our brisket for 1 hour per pound for a 2 to 3-pound brisket. A larger brisket (4 to 6 pounds) will take 3 to 3 1/2 hours. Cook it until it reads 145°F when tested with an instant-read thermometer.

Tips:

Make sure you let the brisket rest after removing it from the oven so the juices are redistributed and don't just run out of the meat.
If you want shredded corned beef instead of sliced, you can cook it up to an internal temperature of 180°F to 190°F.
You can up your temperature to make it bake a little quicker but don't bake it below 325°F for food safety concerns.

3/4 view of a baked corned beef brisket covered with spices sitting on a white platter with a serving fork in the background.

Slicing tips

Let the brisket rest before slicing. It will hold the juices if you let it sit 15 to 20 minutes.

Make 1/8 to 1/4 inch slices across the grain. If you cut the meat with the grain it will shread.

Storing tips

According to the USDA corned beef should be refrigerated within 2 hours of cooking and used within 3 to 4 days. Brisket can be frozen and should be used within 2 to 3 months.

Our favorite gadgets

Oven-Baked Corned Beef doesn't require much equipment. Here are a few of our recommendations.

Roaster with rack – did you see my grates? They're a billion years old!
Instant-read thermometer – a must-have for cooking meat or even baking bread!

Recipes for the perfect St. Patrick's Day Dinner

Roasted Cabbage and Carrots
Brown Bread Rolls
Mini Bailey's Cheesecakes
Pistachio Pudding Trifle
Roasted Carrots with Orange Glaze
Parmesan Roasted Potatoes

Pin it!

Two photos for Pinterest. The top photo is a front view of a sliced corned beef brisket. The bottom photo is of an uncut baked brisket topped with seasonings.

We buy just as big a beef brisket as we can find so we can make these amazing leftovers:

Corned Beef Sandwich
Corned Beef & Cabbage Soup

How to Bake a Corned Beef Brisket

Baked Corned Beef has a delicious crispy crust with a rich, tender, and juicy center. You'll love how easy oven baking a delicious corned beef brisket is!

Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 3 hrs

Resting Time 15 mins

Servings 8

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

6 lbs Corned Beef Brisket with seasoning packet

Preheat the oven to 325°F, and put a grate (roasting rack) in the bottom of a roasting pan or baking dish large enough to hold the meat.
Rinse the corned beef to remove packing liquid and additional salt. Pat it dry with a paper towel.
Trim the fat cap within 1-inch of the meat and put it fat-side up on the grate. Fill the bottom of the pan with water up to the edge of the grate. Place the meat on the grate and sprinkle it with the seasoning packet.
Cover the pan with a lid or foil. Bake the meat covered for 2 hours. Remove the lid and roast for an additional 1 hour or until an instant-read thermometer reads 145°. Vegetables such as potatoes, carrots, and cabbage can be added the last hour.
Allow the meat to rest for 15 minutes and then cut across the grain.

This recipe was calculated using the exact brands and measurements I used to make this recipe. If you are following a strict diet please note changing anything will cause the nutritional info to change. My calculations are intended as a guide only.