11 Brisket Recipes Guaranteed To Impress Any Dinner Guest

Fear the brisket no more.

Brisket, in all its tender glory, is an intimidating dish.

The methods of cooking a brisket -- in the oven, over a grill, in a smoker -- can be overwhelming, never mind the hours it takes to make one just right.

But if intimidation is the reason you've never attempted to whip up your own brisket, you're making a huge mistake. This meat, which can be savory, sometimes sweet, and fall-off-the-fork tender, is sure to impress any dinner guest. And the effort is definitely worth it since the leftovers can be even better on day two.

We've gathered a variety of the best homemade brisket recipes -- some deliciously traditional, while others take a new spin on the delectable cut -- and added them to our entertaining arsenal. 

So fear the brisket no more and try the 11 recipes below that'll make any dinner feel like a grand holiday.

1
Slow Smoked Pepper-Crusted BBQ Brisket
2
Sweet and Savory Braised Brisket
Get the Sweet and Savory Braised Brisket recipe from Lemons for Lulu.
3
Smoky Texas Style Oven Brisket
A Spicy Perspective
Get the Smoky Texas Style Oven Brisket recipe from A Spicy Perspective.
4
Smoked Beef Brisket Nachos
Get the Smoked Beef Brisket recipe and Brisket Nachos recipe from Add a Pinch.
5
Robbie's Brisket
Get the recipe for Robbie's Brisket from The Girl Who Ate Everything.
6
Slow-Cooked Beef Brisket
Paleo Leap
Get the Slow-Cooked Beef Brisket recipe from Paleo Leap.
7
Grass Fed Sous Vide Beef Brisket
Get the Grass Fed Sous Vide Beef Brisket recipe from Pineapple and Coconut.
8
Slow Cooker Mexican Brisket
Get the Slow Cooker Mexican Brisket recipe from the House of Yumm.
9
Beer Brisket Sandwiches with Horseradish Sour Cream
10
Oven-Barbecued Beef Brisket
Get the Oven-Barbecued Beef Brisket recipe from Spicy Southern Kitchen.
11
Brisket Grilled Cheese
Spicy Southern Kitchen
Get the Brisket Grilled Cheese recipe from Spicy Southern Kitchen.

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Before You Go

Worst Dinner Party Guests
The Lush(01 of09)
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We love the lush for getting the party started. They tend to get people talking and make everyone feel more comfortable. That is until they've had that one drink too many; the one that takes them from charmingly buzzed to embarrassingly drunk. Not worth the gamble guys. (credit:Flickr: Leonid Mamchenkov)
The Person Who Eats WAY TOO SLOWLY(02 of09)
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Some people want to savor their food, we get that. But please don't make everyone wait 30 minutes for you to finish three asparagus spears. Try and keep up. (credit:Flickr: alaina buzas)
The Paleo Dieter(03 of09)
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Just look at that chart! How are we non-Paleo dieters suppose to get this straight in time to have people over for dinner? Don't even try. Repeat after us: "No, we will not make your pizza with a cauliflower crust or even a bacon crust. Please just stop ruining everything that is good about food." (credit:Flickr: Next TwentyEight)
The Wine Snob(04 of09)
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Dear oenophile: we love that you love wine, because we love wine too. But your wine nerdery makes us feel insecure about the merlot we're pairing with our rack of lamb. (Is it okay?? Can you tell that it only costs $12???) Also, the way you aggressively swivel your glass makes us nervous that you're going to drench the person sitting to your left in red wine -- and we don't have any clean shirts to spare. (credit:Flickr: Beraldo Leal)
The Gluten-Free Dieter(05 of09)
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As hard as you try to be careful when preparing a meal for someone who follows a gluten-free diet, there will almost always be one small detail where you will slip and accidentally sneak in gluten -- like with the splash of soy sauce you added to your salad dressing. SURPRISE! Soy sauce is loaded with gluten. If your gluten-free guest has serious allergies, this could make for a very scary night. (Maybe have them over for drinks instead, where you have less chances of doing them harm.) (credit:Flickr: Czarina Alegre)
The Person Who Eats Like A Bird(06 of09)
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If you don't like to eat, please stop accepting invitations to dinner parties. When people cook for you, it's because it gives them pleasure to feed you. Please, eat with gusto. We don't want to see even one strand of pasta left behind. (credit:Flickr: Benny Mazur)
The Cheese Snob(07 of09)
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Look, we're just going to come right out and say it: we bought our cheese at Costco. And we want to serve it as an appetizer, not as an after-dinner course. (credit:Flickr: Dan)
The Vegan(08 of09)
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They present all the same challenges as the gluten-free diner, only with a side of judgement. Because, the animals. (credit:Flickr: torbakhopper)
The 'White Foods Only' Eater(09 of09)
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Unless your guest is five years old, or has allergies, they have to eat the foods served to them at a dinner party. We don't care how much they hate lettuce, there will be no Kraft mac and cheese to replace it (no matter how much we secretly love the stuff ourselves). (credit:Flickr: 世書 名付)

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