We strive to provide you with authoritative, trustworthy, and expert advice. In doing so, the staff at bbqdropout.com performs extensive research, editing, and fact checking to every post on this webiste. If you feel that this article can improve, please feel free to reach us at staff@bbqdropout.com
Before continuing this article, I wanted to let you know that I have a YouTube channel where I showcase all sorts of video content related to BBQ. Subscribing would mean a lot to me, and I very much appreicate all the support!
Everyone thinks of brisket as coming off a smoker after cooking low and slow for half a day or longer, but that isn’t the only way to cook brisket, is it?
Can you cook a brisket hot and fast at 350 degrees?
Can you cook it in an oven?
What about pulling the brisket off the smoker and finishing it in the oven?
Should it be wrapped in butcher paper or not?
How long does a brisket take to cook at 350?
Whenever it comes to cooking meat, especially brisket, you aren’t cooking for time, you are cooking to temperature and feel.
You know your brisket is done when the probe slides in like the brisket is butter.
The temperature should be somewhere around 210 degrees.
Compared to a full day cook low and slow, you should be able to do a hot and fast brisket in about five hours.
Just remember that you are concerned about temperature and feel more than the length of time.
Can I cook brisket at 350 degrees?
Yes, you can cook brisket at 350 degrees.
You want to make sure you do not dry your brisket out doing this, so if you are smoking a brisket at 350 degrees, you absolutely need to make sure you have a water pan and are cooking your brisket fat cap down and the thickest, fattiest part of the brisket towards the heat source to prevent burning and overcooking.
How long do you cook a brisket in the oven per pound?
When cooking brisket in the oven, you want to plan for around an hour to an hour and 15 minutes per pound.
This should give you a ballpark estimate of the length of the cook.
However, you need to remember that temperature and feel are more important than time.
If you are planning on setting a timer and pulling your brisket as soon as the timer goes off, you are cooking wrong.
You need to make sure the meat is tender and the fat renders out properly, otherwise, you will have terrible brisket that could be too tough or dry as overcooked boneless skinless chicken breasts.
Is 350 too hot for brisket?
Many traditionalists may scoff at the notion of cooking brisket at 350 degrees but it is well within the range of a hot and fast cook.
Being able to get a tender brisket in less than half the time traditionally associated with smoking a brisket can make it seem less intimidating.
If you are new to smoking or cooking brisket, five hours seems more approachable than 12-14 hours.
Finishing brisket in the oven with butcher paper
One way to cut down on the length of a brisket cook is to start the brisket on a smoker and finish it in the oven.
Sometimes you run low on time before the brisket needs to be served.
Also, you never want to put too much smoke on a brisket, otherwise, you lose the great taste you set out to get.
Whatever the reason, you may want to put that brisket in the oven.
Can you put a brisket wrapped in butcher paper in the oven?
Yes, you can.
Pink butcher paper is food-safe and will not burn or smolder at the temperatures you would have your oven at to finish the brisket.
Can you finish off a brisket in the oven?
Absolutely, finishing a brisket in the oven is a great way to speed up the process.
It can free up your smoker for another use, as well.
Will butcher paper catch on fire in the oven?
Only if you crank the heat on your oven to 450+ degrees.
If you are finishing your brisket at 300 degrees or so, the butcher paper will be just fine.
Do you wrap a brisket in the oven?
Yes, you will want to wrap a brisket in the oven, unless you are simmering it in liquid.
You need to maintain moisture otherwise the brisket will dry out. Keeping the brisket wrapped will do so.
Final Thoughts
Brisket does not have to be cooked in the traditional way to turn out tender and juicy.
You can do a hot and fast cook at 350 degrees.
You can finish the brisket in an oven wrapped in butcher paper because butcher paper can handle the necessary temperatures.
Just remember that time is a range when it comes to cooking brisket and that temperature and feel is how you will know when your brisket is ready.
Robert is a certified Pitmaster, with over a decade of experience in smoking the best meats you’ll ever feast upon. He also has a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Texas at San Antonio. When he’s not researching technical topics, he’s most likely barbecuing in his backyard.