Beef Brisket Cooking Time Calculator
Enter the weight for the low-and-slow roasting time and the resting time.
Use the weight as it goes in the oven, including any stuffing you have added.
Answer
6 hr 30 min at 150°C
What to do
- 1Prepare the beef brisket (slow-roasted)Take the meat out of the fridge, season it and get the tin ready.
- 2Preheat the ovenHeat the oven to 150°C.
- 3Cook at 150°CCook for 390 minutes.
- 4Check whether it is doneCheck the thickest part reads 90°C or more.
- 5Rest the meatCover loosely with foil and rest for 30 minutes. Resting is part of cooking, not dead time.
- 6Carve10 minutes.
How to check it is done
- These times are for slow-roasting brisket in a covered tin with a little liquid. Barbecue smoking, slow cookers and pressure cookers behave differently and are not covered here.
- Brisket is done when it is soft enough to pull apart with two forks, not at a particular clock time.
Next step
Food safety
- Whole cuts of beef and lamb can be served pink in the middle provided the outside is fully cooked, because bacteria sit on the surface. Mince, burgers, sausages, kebabs and rolled joints must be cooked all the way through.
- Cooking times are a guide only. Ovens, joints and starting temperatures vary, so always check the food is cooked before serving rather than relying on the clock.
Source: Food Standards Agency, Cooking your food: whole cuts of meat (GOV.UK) · Reviewed 2026-09-11 · Guidance version 2.0.0
Source: Standard UK roasting guidance (Food Standards Agency doneness advice, common UK joint timings) · Reviewed 2026-09-10 · Guidance version 1.1.0
Reference and detail
Brisket is not a roasting joint you can rush
It is full of connective tissue, which only turns to gelatine after hours at a low temperature. Cooked quickly it is simply tough, no matter how good the beef is.
Cover it, then uncover it
Cook it covered so it steams gently in its own juices, and take the foil off at the end if you want a darker crust.
It is done when it gives, not at a set time
A skewer should slide in with almost no resistance. If it still fights you, it needs longer, brisket forgives extra time far more readily than it forgives too little.
Questions and answers
Questions about cooking beef brisket
Why does brisket need so much longer than other beef joints?
Brisket is full of connective tissue, and that only turns to soft gelatine after hours at a low oven temperature. Cooked quickly, in the way you would roast a leaner joint, it stays tough no matter how good the meat is.
Should I cook brisket covered or uncovered?
Covered for most of the cooking time, so it steams gently in its own juices, then uncover it for the last part if you want a darker crust on top.
How do I know when brisket is done, rather than just going by time?
A skewer pushed into the thickest part should slide in with almost no resistance. If it still meets resistance, give it longer, brisket forgives extra time far more than it forgives too little.
Can brisket be served pink like other beef joints?
In practice no, because brisket is cooked well past that point to break down its connective tissue. Whole cuts of beef can safely be served pink, but this cut is not treated that way.
Food safety
Whole cuts of beef and lamb can be served pink in the middle provided the outside is fully cooked, because bacteria sit on the surface. Mince, burgers, sausages, kebabs and rolled joints must be cooked all the way through.
Source: Food Standards Agency, Cooking your food: whole cuts of meat (GOV.UK) · Reviewed 2026-09-11 · Guidance version 2.0.0
How long does brisket need to rest?
Around 20 to 30 minutes, loosely covered. A long-cooked joint like this holds its heat well, so it copes with a longer rest than a quick-roast cut.
Safety guidance reviewed against Food Standards Agency sources on 11 September 2026. How we calculate cooking times and safety guidance.