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You are here: Home / Recipes / Sous Vide / How To Sous Vide Brisket [RECIPE + VIDEO]

How To Sous Vide Brisket [RECIPE + VIDEO]

Mar 8, 2020 · 10 Comments

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Have you wondered how to sous vide brisket? There’s nothing quick about this delicious sous vide recipe, but it’s super easy: a great make ahead dish for parties and entertaining, easy for weeknights, and an easy work lunch.

This guide is perfect for a 3-5 LB brisket.

Do not miss the step by step sous vide beef brisket recipe video at the end of the post!

In celebration of the launch of my new book this week, I’m sharing this brisket sous vide recipe from The Home Chef’s Sous Vide Cookbook. 

I love to make sous vide beef for a family dinner one evening and then reheat the leftovers next day for lunch: think barbecue brisket sandwiches or quesadillas. 

This sous vide brisket recipe is featured in my 2020 sous vide cookbook

This beef sous vide recipe with a long cook time is an ideal sous vide recipe for a crowd. But it’s simple enough to put together; you’ll want to make it just for yourself sometimes too.

New to sous vide techniques? Learn why is sous vide so popular.

Just because you’re busy doesn’t mean you shouldn’t enjoy good cuisine.

 

Bake a few potatoes, pour yourself a glass of something yummy, and sit down to this 24 hour brisket sous vide style: smokey, juicy, and mouthwatering.

If you’re looking for something else delicious and easy to sous vide, see my favorite sous vide beef recipes.

What is sous vide brisket like? 

Think: delicious! After cooking, sous vide cooked brisket is extremely soft – your teeth should slide right through it, although it will still hold its shape.

Ingredients for sous vide style brisket

To make this sous vide brisket you’ll want 3-5 pounds of beef brisket, depending on how many people you anticipate serving.

Check your cupboard to make sure you have smoked salt, pepper, cumin and olive oil, and if you don’t put them on the shopping list too.

 

Not only will you use them for the brisket, you’ll want them for other sous vide main dishes later.

Will it fit?

We had to cut down this 5+ LB brisket because it wouldn’t fit in the sous vide bath container. 

If you run into this same issue and have to cut your brisket for it to fit, you can sous vide two briskets at once (in separate bags) or save the other piece for another day. 

If you sous vide multiple briskets at once, make sure they are separated in the water bath.

How to make sous vide brisket

Step 1. Fill the water bath. 

Preheat sous vide machine to 135ºF.

Step 2. While the sous vide bath preheats, rub brisket with seasonings. 

Step 3. Heat cast iron pan to medium-high and add olive oil. 

Step 4. When the pan is hot and shiny, add brisket and sear each side for 3 to 5 minutes to create a thick brown bark.

Step 5. Vacuum-seal brisket and add it to the sous vide bath.

See the notes section at the bottom of this post for tips on protecting your counters from the long cook time of this sous vide brisket recipe

Don’t forget to cover the water bath for this 2 day brisket.

Sous vide means “under water” – so you want to cover the sous vide beef to stay fully emerged in water for the 48 hour cook time.

If you don’t have a lid that fits your container, cover the water with foil and a kitchen towel to retain the heat.

Time and temperature for sous vide brisket

Drop the bag in the sous vide bath at 135ºF for 48 hours. 

Stop the heat with an ice bath

Step 6. When done, remove the brisket from the hot water and transfer it to an ice bath to cool down and come to room temperature. 

The easy way to finish brisket after sous vide cooking

To finish brisket, simply pull apart the beef with two forks.

If you prefer sliced brisket, you can also cut it in ¼ inch slices. Then stick your brisket in the broiler or in the smoker– more details on those two options below. 

Finishing sous vide brisket in the oven broiler

Finishing in the oven broiler is a quick way to get a crisp finish, but it works best if you’re starting with a chilled brisket. 

Add a little BBQ sauce (optional, but good!) and stick it in the oven; then turn the broiler on high for about five minutes.  

Warning, though: set a timer and don’t leave the brisket in the oven broiler too long!

If you overdo this step your sous vide brisket will heat up too much and cook beyond what you wanted. 

Finishing sous vide brisket in a smoker

If you prefer some intense smoky taste, try finishing your sous vide brisket in the smoker.

This is not the best way to finish brisket if you’re in a hurry. To get the best flavor you’ll need around three hours in the smoker. 

For this method, pre-chilling is a must, and the smoker will preheat it to 225-250 degrees.

You don’t want the internal temperature to go higher than about 155 F. 

If it fits better into your schedule, you can also smoke your brisket before sous viding it. 

Tips for storing and reheating sous vide brisket

How to refrigerate brisket

If you’d like to store your brisket in the refrigerator, cut it into thin slices first so it can cool within the recommended two hours to store safely. Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

How to freeze it

Freezing allows you to really plan ahead. Slice brisket into slices and store your slices in a sealed plastic bag for up to three months.

Reheating brisket in the sous vide bath

The best way to reheat brisket with the sous vide technique is to steam the moisture back in it – in the sous vide bath. Use the same brisket temperature. 

Unsliced brisket will take 20-30 minutes to reheat, while sliced pieces will reheat quicker.

Of coarse, you can always reheat brisket a million other ways.

I often reheat it in BBQ sauce with a tablespoon of water, in a pan on the stove. 

What to serve with brisket

I like to serve this sous vide main dish with potato salad, beans, or in tacos. Leftovers usually become brisket scrambles or breakfast tacos.

Brisket is an easy sous vide beef recipe to feed a crowd. It makes my list of top sous vide dishes for entertaining. 

Turn this recipe into tacos or brisket sandwiches. 

Wine pairing for brisket 

Try a strong and spicy red that can stand up to the smokey flavor of this sous vide brisket, like an Australian Shiraz.

Plating tips for brisket

I like to either pull apart or thinly slice brisket for serving.

Final tips for making brisket sous vide style

  • With a long cook like this one, check the water level and make sure the beef remains fully submerged during the cook. I use something to block the heat from escaping the water – like tin foil or a sous vide bath lid to keep the water contained. 
  • For a stronger flavor to your brisket, cool it in its cooking liquid to give it even more time to soak in the flavors. Then reheat the following day for an even stronger flavor.
  • Finishing tip. If you finish it your brisket in the oven, be careful not to leave it under the broiler too longer. You want a crispy bark, but you don’t want the meat to overheat and start cooking again. 

The sky’s the limit when it comes to sous vide beef.

There are many ways you can vary my core recipe, and all the results vary slightly. Experiment to find what you like best.

Tools for sous vide cooking

  • A big sous vide bucket to hold the water – aka the “sous vide bath” – which is where the food cooks.
  • Vacuum sealer and bags or plastic gallon bags to cook food. 
  • A sous vide machine like the Anova, Joule, Instant Pot Slim
  • A big sous vide bucket or stock pot to hold the water the food cooks in during the sous vide water bath
  • Egg bites and desserts need small mason jars to cook in and the kind that does *not* curve (like this particular mason jar) – is my favorite because it makes it easier for the egg bites to pop out.
  • Metal tongs to remove food from the sous vide bath.
  • Protect natural stone countertops from the heat of the water bath with a cutting board.
  • Quality ingredients like meat from Crowd Cow, an online craft butcher.
  • For more sous vide inspiration, see the sous vide cookbook by Jenna from Sip Bite Go

Credits

This sous vide beef recipe is a preview from The Home Chef’s Sous Vide Cookbook. 

The brisket pictured in this recipe is from Crowd Cow, an online butcher that delivers right to your door. 

The spatula in this recipe is from MannKitchen.

Other recipes readers like…

Readers love these sous vide recipes

  • Sous Vide Bacon
  • Sous Vide T Bone Steak
  • Sous Vide Wings
  • Sous Vide Onions in Beer
  • Sous Vide Pork Chops
  • Sous Vide Egg Bites
  • The Best Sous Vide Breakfast Recipes
  • How to Sous Vide Frozen Steak

Share your brisket 

If you’ve tried this recipe, don’t eat it it till it’s photographed– you need to share that beauty with the world! Include #sipbitego and tag @sipbitego on Instagram – I’d love to see your pic.

Print
sliced sous vide brisket after the smoker

Sous Vide Brisket Recipe [Sip Bite Go]

Learn how to sous vide brisket with just a few ingredients in this 24 hour recipe. This is an easy sous vide beef recipe to feed a crowd. Finish in the smoker or oven broiler. Turn the brisket into tacos or sandwiches.

For this recipe, use either a smoker for 3 hours or a grill for a quick sear. Either method will infuse flavor into brisket before the sous vide bath. When it’s done, the meat will be tender and ready for a slather of barbecue sauce. This meat is perfect for barbecue brisket sandwiches or quesadillas.

Course Dinner, Game Day, Main Course, Main Dish
Cuisine American, BBQ
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 2 days
Finishing Time 30 minutes
Total Time 2 days 45 minutes
Servings 6 people
Calories 395 kcal
Author Jenna Passaro

Ingredients

  • 3-5 pounds beef brisket
  • 2 teaspoons smoked salt
  • 1 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 teaspoon cumin powder
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

Instructions

  1. Preheat sous vide machine to 135ºF.
  2. While the sous vide bath preheats, rub brisket with seasonings.
  3. Heat cast iron pan to medium-high and add olive oil.
  4. When the pan is hot and shiny, add brisket and sear each side for 3 to 5 minutes to create a thick brown bark.
  5. Vacuum-seal brisket and drop the bag in the sous vide bath at 135ºF for 48 hours.
  6. When done, remove the brisket from the hot water and transfer it to an ice bath to cool down and come to room temperature. Once cooled, transfer brisket to a cutting board and pat dry to remove moisture which will make it easier to finish.
  7. To finish sous vide brisket, pull apart beef with two forks or cut it in slices. You can also broil it in the oven on high for 5 minutes with BBQ sauce on top. Or smoke it at 225 - 250 degrees F for up to 3 hours.

Recipe Video

Recipe Notes

  • With a long cook like this one, check the water level and make sure the beef remains fully submerged during the cook. I use something to block the heat from escaping the water - like tin foil or a sous vide bath lid to keep the water contained. 
  • For a stronger flavor to your brisket, cool it in its cooking liquid to give it even more time to soak in the flavors. Then reheat the following day for an even stronger flavor.
  • Finishing tip. If you finish it your brisket in the oven, be careful not to leave it under the broiler too longer. You want a crispy bark, but you don’t want the meat to overheat and start cooking again. 
Nutrition Facts
Sous Vide Brisket Recipe [Sip Bite Go]
Amount Per Serving
Calories 395 Calories from Fat 189
% Daily Value*
Fat 21g32%
Saturated Fat 7g44%
Cholesterol 141mg47%
Sodium 955mg42%
Potassium 754mg22%
Carbohydrates 1g0%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 1g1%
Protein 47g94%
Calcium 14mg1%
Iron 5mg28%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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Related

Game Day Recipes, Main Dish Recipes, Recipes, Sous Vide Beef, brisket, cumin, olive oil, smoked salt

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Comments

  1. Emily Liao says

    March 10, 2020 at 11:50 am

    This is the first time I cooked brisket this way and I gotta say, the flavors are amazing and the texture is great. Will definitely be trying this again soon 🙂5 stars

    Reply
  2. Denay DeGuzman says

    March 10, 2020 at 11:56 am

    What a delicious brisket recipe! I love all the tips for sous vide. 5 stars

    Reply
  3. Anita says

    March 10, 2020 at 12:15 pm

    I’m still a total newbie when it comes to sous vide. Your super detailed guide is so helpful.5 stars

    Reply
  4. Noelle says

    March 10, 2020 at 12:21 pm

    This was such a fun recipe to make! I had never tried something like this before but it was fun to make and delicious! Highly recommend 🙂5 stars

    Reply
  5. Natalie says

    March 10, 2020 at 12:31 pm

    Meat looks absolutely delicious. I never tried this method to prepare meat but I will definitely give it a try. Just saved the recipe. Thanks!5 stars

    Reply
  6. Pk says

    April 27, 2020 at 5:54 pm

    Sous vide means under pressure, not under water

    Reply
    • Gerd says

      June 29, 2020 at 3:19 pm

      Your French to English translator is broken I think 😉

      Sous= UNDER
      Vide= VACUUM.

      Cheers!

      Reply
  7. Denise says

    June 18, 2020 at 1:25 pm

    Sous vide means “under vacuum” not under water

    Reply
  8. Jody says

    September 19, 2020 at 7:59 pm

    Greetings From the Beautiful Pacific Northwest…..I am fairly new at this…
    Although I love to cook sous vide style…..So far I have cooked 3 full size briskets, 2 pork shoulders, chuck roasts, and London broil….They all turned out FANTASTIC!!……The brisket, I trimmed the fat, put a good amount of kosher salt, granulated garlic and fresh ground pepper all over the brisket…..Then smoked it for 3 hours….I bought 15 inch vacuum bags (rolls) off amazon, so the briskets would fit without cutting the meat….Perfect fit, into the water bath for 44 hours, at 140 degrees….Then put in ice water until cool, then in refrigerator over night still in the bag…..Next day, I heated water bath to 135 degrees put brisket in for about 4 hours to warm it up….Removed bag, patted brisket dry with paper towels…Had BBQ screaming hot….Seared brisket in BBQ until it was perfect color on both sides, turning it over a few times…..It was absolutely fantastic…It was so juicy, tender and very flavorful!!…….Everyone loved it……..Thanks for your views on brisket….Sounds great, I’ll give it a try……5 stars

    Reply
  9. Connor says

    October 26, 2020 at 12:25 pm

    Tomorrow night will be the second time I try this recipe, with wagyu nonetheless! This time I added chipotle spices, it’s sitting in the bath right now. Thank you!5 stars

    Reply

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jenna passaro food blogger

I want to help you cook up your wildest dreams — in and out of the kitchen!

   

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Years ago, I ditched a predictable career path with very few vacation days to pursue a life of fun, food and travel.

Along the way, I moved to Portland, launched this blog, wrote a cookbook, and started a family.

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Now my days are filled with recipe testing, creativity, family time, and chatting with foodie friends on my podcast.

Here at Sip Bite Go, you’ll learn my favorite restaurant style recipes. Get my secrets to making pizza at home and feel like a true home chef with my sous vide recipes.

Love to eat out and travel? I can totally relate. See my guide on where to eat in Portland, OR.

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My new book is out! Take your kitchen skills to the next level with The Home Chef’s Sous Vide Cookbook.

 

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