Baking Brisket: Granite Pan Perfection

How to Bake a Brisket in a Granite Roasting Pan

Baking a brisket in a granite roasting pan is a great way to achieve a juicy, tender, and flavourful dish. Here's a step-by-step guide to help you create a delicious brisket meal.

Step 1: Prepare the Brisket

Start by choosing the right cut of meat. Brisket comes from the lower chest or breast region of the cow and is a tough cut with lots of connective tissues. Look for a brisket with a good amount of fat, as this will help keep the meat moist and flavourful. You can trim any excess fat, leaving about a 1/4-inch layer.

Step 2: Dry Brine (Optional)

Dry brining is a great way to tenderise and season the meat. Sprinkle the brisket liberally with coarse sea salt, making sure to cover all sides. Place the brisket in a granite roasting pan and let it sit uncovered in the refrigerator for 24 hours. If you're short on time, you can dry brine for a minimum of 1 hour.

Step 3: Apply a Dry Rub

Take the brisket out of the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking to bring it closer to room temperature. Apply a dry rub of your choice—a simple mixture of garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika works well. You can also use a store-bought brisket rub. Massage the rub into the meat, ensuring it's coated evenly.

Step 4: Wrap and Roast the Brisket

Wrap the brisket in a couple of layers of aluminium foil, covering it tightly. Place the wrapped brisket back in the granite roasting pan. Preheat your oven to 250-300°F (120-150°C). Place the pan in the oven and roast for about 1 hour and 15 minutes per pound of meat, or until the internal temperature reaches 180-200°F.

Step 5: Uncover and Finish Cooking

Once the brisket reaches an internal temperature of around 145°F, uncover the foil and increase the oven temperature to 300-350°F. Continue cooking for another 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the brisket's internal temperature reaches 200-205°F. The higher temperature will help create a crispy, golden crust on the fat cap.

Step 6: Rest and Slice the Brisket

Remove the brisket from the oven and let it rest for at least 20 minutes. This allows the juices to redistribute, ensuring tender and juicy slices. Slice the brisket against the grain and serve with your favourite sides. Enjoy!

Dry brine the brisket

Dry brining a brisket is a great way to ensure the meat is tender and moist. Here is a step-by-step guide to dry brine your brisket before baking it in a granite roasting pan:

Step 1: Prepare the Brisket

Take the brisket out of its packaging and lay it on a clean cutting board. Use a paper towel to pat it dry. It is important to remove any excess moisture from the surface of the meat before applying the dry brine.

Step 2: Apply the Dry Brine

Generously apply your chosen dry rub or brine all over the brisket. You can make your own dry rub with a combination of spices such as salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and chilli powder. Make sure to get into every nook and cranny of the meat and rub the spices in well. You can also add a binder like oil or mustard to help keep the moisture in.

Step 3: Wrap and Refrigerate

Once the brisket is covered in the dry brine, wrap it tightly in a couple of layers of plastic wrap or foil. This will help prevent any leakage in your refrigerator. Place the wrapped brisket in a dish or pan to catch any juices that may leak out. Refrigerate the brisket for at least 4 hours but preferably overnight or up to 12 hours. This step allows the dry brine to work its magic, tenderising and seasoning the meat.

Step 4: Bring to Room Temperature

Take the brisket out of the refrigerator about an hour before you're ready to bake it. Unwrap it and let it sit at room temperature for a while. This step helps the meat cook more evenly.

Step 5: Prepare the Granite Roasting Pan

Preheat your oven to 300°F. Place a rack inside your granite roasting pan and lay a couple of sheets of foil on top of the rack, crisscrossing them so they are long enough to loosely cover the brisket. You can also line the bottom of the roasting pan with foil to catch any drippings.

Step 6: Place the Brisket in the Pan

Place the brisket in the middle of the prepared granite roasting pan, with the fat cap side facing up. Bring the foil together and loosely cover the brisket, leaving a little space between the meat and the foil.

Step 7: Bake the Brisket

Place the granite roasting pan with the brisket in the preheated oven. Bake for about 1 hour and 15 minutes per pound, or until the internal temperature of the brisket reaches 180-185°F. Use a meat thermometer to check the temperature in the thickest part of the meat.

Step 8: Uncover and Continue Baking

Once the brisket reaches the desired temperature, open the foil and place the brisket back in the oven, uncovered. Bake for another 45 minutes to an hour, or until the internal temperature reaches 200-203°F.

Step 9: Rest and Slice

Remove the brisket from the oven and transfer it to a cutting board. Tent it loosely with foil and let it rest for about 30 minutes. This step allows the juices to redistribute, ensuring a moist and tender brisket. Finally, slice the brisket against the grain and serve!

Use a roasting pan that can go from stove to oven

When preparing to bake a brisket, it is important to consider the type of roasting pan you will use. If you want to sear the brisket before baking it in the oven, you will need a roasting pan that can be used on both the stove and in the oven.

Most roasting pans are oven-safe, but not all can be used on the stove. Using the wrong type of roasting pan on a stovetop can damage or warp the pan, or leave burn marks. Roasting pans with thin bottoms, non-stick coatings, or made from materials that cannot withstand high temperatures may not be suitable for stovetops.

To avoid this, look for a roasting pan made from a material that can withstand high temperatures and has a thick bottom. Multi-ply stainless steel roasting pans are a good option, as they can be used at hotter temperatures than non-stick pans and hold their heat better. Cast iron pans are another option, as they retain heat well and can be used on both the stove and in the oven. However, cast iron pans can be heavy, so if weight is a concern, consider a different material.

When searing your brisket, remember to use a high smoke point oil like canola or vegetable oil, and season generously with salt and pepper. Sear the brisket for about 7-10 minutes on each side, or until you have achieved a good amount of browning.

After searing, you can follow your chosen brisket recipe and finish cooking the meat in the oven.

Sear the brisket to caramelise the meat

Searing your brisket is an important step in the cooking process. It not only adds flavour to your meat but also helps to tenderise it. Here's a detailed guide on how to sear your brisket to achieve that perfect caramelisation:

• Prepare your brisket: Before searing, ensure your brisket is dry. Remove it from its packaging, lay it on a cutting board, and pat it dry with paper towels.
• Seasoning: Next, it's time to season your meat generously. You can use a dry rub or simply salt it heavily. A dry rub can be made with spices like chilli powder, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, dry mustard, and paprika. Massage the rub or salt into all sides of the brisket, making sure to get into every nook and cranny.
• Heat your pan: Place a granite roasting pan on the stovetop and heat it to a medium-high temperature. Add some oil to the pan—a neutral oil like vegetable, canola, or olive oil works well. You want enough oil to coat the surface of the pan.
• Sear the brisket: Once the pan is hot, carefully place the brisket in the pan. Sear for about 7-10 minutes on each side, or until you achieve a nice, even browning. Use tongs or spatulas to carefully flip the brisket, as it can be challenging to handle due to its size. Don't rush this step, as proper caramelisation takes time. You may need to sear in batches if your pan is not large enough to fit the entire brisket.
• Caramelisation: Look for a deep caramelisation of the meat's surface. You want to see a rich, brown colour all over the brisket, with no grey spots remaining. This step is crucial, as it locks in the juices and creates a flavourful crust.
• Rest and continue cooking: After searing, transfer the brisket to a large plate or a roasting rack to rest. You can then proceed with the next steps in your recipe, such as adding liquid to the pan, covering it, and placing it in the oven for slow cooking.

Remember, searing your brisket is a crucial step in developing flavour and texture, so take your time and ensure your meat is nicely caramelised before continuing with the rest of your recipe.

Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature

Using a meat thermometer is the best way to check the internal temperature of your brisket. Insert the thermometer into the thickest part of the brisket, ensuring it goes all the way to the centre point. This is where the meat will be the coldest and will give you the most accurate reading.

The thickest part of the brisket may not always be in the centre, so take a moment to identify where this is before inserting the thermometer. You want to measure the temperature of both the point and the flat, so the best place to insert the thermometer is at the section of the flat that is closest to the point. Insert the thermometer from the side, going across the grain, and ensure it is deep in the meat.

Wait at least ten seconds before reading the temperature, and if there are no shifts in the temperature, you can remove the thermometer. The minimum internal temperature for a well-cooked brisket is 180°F, but an optimal temperature is 203°F.

Let the brisket rest after cooking

Allowing your brisket to rest after cooking is a crucial step in the cooking process. It is important to let the brisket rest for at least an hour before serving or slicing. This gives the juices a chance to redistribute, ensuring the meat is tender and juicy. If you slice into the brisket too soon, the juices will run out onto the cutting board, leaving you with a dry and tough piece of meat.

The ideal internal temperature for brisket is 202 degrees Fahrenheit. However, the temperature will continue to rise by about 5-10 degrees after removing it from the heat, a phenomenon known as "carry-over cooking". This means that you should remove the brisket from the heat when it reaches around 195 degrees Fahrenheit.

The resting process is especially important for brisket as it is a less tender cut of meat with a lot of connective tissue. During cooking, the muscle fibres contract and the moisture is pushed outward. By letting the meat rest, the fibres relax, and the moisture is reabsorbed, resulting in a more succulent and tender brisket.

If you are serving the brisket immediately, it should be allowed to rest for at least an hour. If you plan to eat it later, it is best to wait about two hours before slicing. Tenting the brisket loosely with foil will help retain some heat during the resting period, but be sure not to wrap it too tightly as exposure to air is important.

For longer holding times, you can use a "faux Cambro" technique. This involves wrapping the cooked brisket in foil and placing it in a warmed cooler, where it will stay warm for up to four hours. However, this method does soften the bark of the brisket.

Frequently asked questions