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Moroccan-Style Brisket with Dried Fruit & Capers

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By Jenn Segal
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Tested & Perfected Recipes Cookbook Recipe

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This Moroccan-style brisket is so abundant and impressive looking, you can keep the sides super simple.

Moroccan Brisket on a large plate.

As a special treat for Passover, I’m delighted to give you a sneak peek of one of my favorite recipes from my new cookbook, Once Upon a Chef, The Cookbook: 100 Tested, Perfected, and Family-Approved Recipes. Perfect for the Jewish holiday or any special family dinner, this Moroccan-style brisket recipe is a wonderful twist on Nach Waxman’s “most-Googled brisket recipe” that I’ve been making for years. The ingredient list looks long but don’t let that scare you off; it’s really just a lot of spices. Plus, you can make it days ahead of time — in fact, you should because the flavor improves the longer it sits.

This dish is so abundant and impressive looking, you can keep the sides simple: some cauliflower purée and a green vegetable and your holiday dinner is done.

Moroccan Brisket in a baking dish.

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Moroccan-Style Brisket with Dried Fruit & Capers

Metric Cup Measures
By Jenn Segal
Once Upon a Chef, The Cookbook: 100 Tested, Perfected, and Family-Approved Recipes

This Moroccan-style brisket is so abundant and impressive looking, you can keep the sides super simple.

Servings: 8
Prep Time: 30 Minutes
Cook Time: 3 Hours 30 Minutes
Total Time: 4 Hours

Ingredients

  • One (4- to 6-lb) flat-cut brisket
  • 1 heaping Tbsp kosher salt
  • 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 1½ Tbsp all-purpose flour (okay to substitute matzo cake meal)
  • 3 Tbsp vegetable oil
  • 5 medium yellow onions, cut into slices ½ in thick
  • 2 tsp packed light brown sugar
  • 2 tsp paprika
  • 1½ tsp ground cumin
  • 1¼ tsp ground ginger
  • ¾ tsp ground coriander
  • ¾ tsp ground cinnamon
  • ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
  • 2 Tbsp tomato paste
  • 5 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
  • 6 carrots, peeled and quartered on the diagonal
  • 14 dried apricots
  • 12 pitted prunes
  • 2 Tbsp capers, drained
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh Italian parsley

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and set an oven rack in the middle position.
  2. Season the brisket on both sides with the salt and pepper. Lightly dust with the flour, turning to coat both sides evenly.
  3. In a heavy flameproof roasting pan or ovenproof enameled cast-iron pot just large enough to hold the brisket, carrots, and dried fruits snugly, heat the oil over medium‑high heat. Add the brisket to the pan, fatty-side down, and sear until browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Using a pair of tongs and a large fork, flip the brisket over and sear the other side in the same manner.
  4. Transfer the brisket to a platter, and then add the onions to the pan. (If the pan seems dry, add a few tablespoons of water.) Cook, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon and scraping up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pan, until the onions are softened and golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes.
  5. Add the brown sugar, paprika, cumin, ginger, coriander, cinnamon, and cayenne to the onions and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute more. Add 1 cup water and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
  6. Remove from the heat and place the brisket, fatty‑side up, and any accumulated juices from the platter on top of the onions. Spread the tomato paste evenly over the brisket, and then scatter the garlic around it. Cover the pan very tightly with heavy‑duty aluminum foil or a lid, transfer to the oven, and cook for 1½ hours.
  7. Carefully transfer the brisket to a cutting board (leave the oven on). Using an electric or very sharp knife, cut the meat across the grain on a diagonal into thin slices (aim for 1⁄8 to ¼ in thick). Return the slices to the pot, overlapping them at an angle so that you can see a bit of the top edge of each slice. The end result should resemble the original unsliced brisket leaning slightly backward. Scatter the carrots, apricots, prunes, and capers around the edges of the pot and baste with the sauce; cover tightly with the foil or lid and return to the oven.
  8. Lower the heat to 325°F and cook the brisket until it is fork‑tender, 1¾ to 2½ hours. Transfer the brisket to a serving platter, and then sprinkle with parsley. If you’re not planning to serve the brisket right away, let it cool to room temperature and then cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
  9. Note: If the sauce seems greasy, transfer the meat and vegetables to a platter and cover with foil to keep warm. Pour the sauce into a bowl and let sit until the fat rises to the top. Using a small ladle, spoon out the fat. Pour the skimmed gravy back over the meat.
  10. Make-Ahead Instructions: The brisket can be made up to 3 days ahead of time and refrigerated. Reheat the brisket in a 300°F oven until hot, about 45 minutes. Brisket also freezes well for up to 2 months; just be sure to defrost in the refrigerator 2 days ahead of time.

Pair with

Nutrition Information

Powered by Edamam

  • Calories: 820
  • Fat: 56 g
  • Saturated fat: 21 g
  • Carbohydrates: 36 g
  • Sugar: 13 g
  • Fiber: 4 g
  • Protein: 43 g
  • Sodium: 901 mg
  • Cholesterol: 213 mg
Nutritional Data Disclaimer

This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.

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  • I cannot say enough about this recipe. I’ve made it twice and we were so blown away that this was bookmarked for future special occasions in our family. However, it’s been a while since I’ve made it so I am making it again tonight for no special occasion. He-he. The store nearby sells full flat briskets in 8+ lbs, so I cut it in half, one goes in a freezer and one gets made the same day. The flavors are so curated and even carrots become a dessert. Just in general, I’ve become such a fan of this site/this chef that i think anything she puts out here is tried and perfected so if one is up for a good challenge and follows recipes to the T, they will be blown away each time. Just amazing!

  • I was so happy to see a “Moroccan” recipe that actually uses Moroccan spices, prunes and apricots.
    I was leery of slicing the meat before further cooking but since this is your recipe I knew I could trust it 🙂
    The meat is truly “fork tender”, the prunes and apricots melted sweetness, and the amount of onions was spot on.
    I made it the night before for serving and it was still good 2 days later.
    Thank you for developing a brisket that I actually enjoy!

  • Hey Jen,
    Cooking this recipe today for Xmas. What type of container would you recommend for freezing. I’d like to keep the brisket and in tact and present as pictured.
    Thanks

    • Hi Colleen, if you have room in your freezer and can spare the pan, you can freeze it right in the pan that you cooked it. If not, any airtight container will do.

      • It’s the 9 quart oval Le Crueset. Have you ever tried to freezing in one of them? Just curious. I do have space in my freezer but am concerned about it being “air tight”.

        • Hi Colleen, I haven’t and I’d be concerned that there would be too much air in the container. I’d suggest using something that’s smaller and will just fit the brisket.

  • Hi Jenn – Do you use prime or choice cuts of brisket for this recipe? Thanks. Kathy

    • Hi Kathy, It depends on what’s available — often I can only find choice — but I’d go with prime if you can find it.

  • this looks amazing! we have a family member with an allergy to carrots, what would be an acceptable substitute? thanks so much!

    • Hi Lisa, You could use turnips or potatoes in place of the carrots. Hope you enjoy!

  • Thank you for the description of brisket and the types of cuts you can get from the butcher.

    The flavor profile you developed with this dish was amazing. Hove you tried this dish with other cuts of eat? I am considering using this recipe for venison with potentially a small amount of chuck added to increase the fat content.

    • Glad you liked it! I’ve only used brisket for this. If you try it with another cut/type of meat, I’d love to hear how it turns out!

  • Hello, I got a 12 lb brisket with a massive fat cap on it. I cut a portion that was evenly thick. I trimmed off some of the fat cap that was over an inch thick. Generally speaking, how much fat should I leave on top so that I don’t get an overly fatty sauce? I will post a picture later tonight after I prepare it!
    Regards,
    Bryan Cavaliere

    • Hi Bryan, a fat cap between 1/8 and 1/4 inch is ideal. Hope that helps and that you enjoy the brisket! 🙂

  • If I halved the recipe, how long should I cook it for?

    • Hi Chris, If you’re halving the recipe, after the first 90 minutes in the oven and slicing the brisket, it’ll need less time back in the oven, but hard to say how much. I’d start checking it at about 1 hour and 30 minutes. (You’ll know it’s done when it’s fork-tender.) Hope you enjoy!

  • Which of your salad dressings would be good options to go with this brisket to have on a salad with lettuce and veggies for a side? I was wanting to serve it with a creamy one. Also, would your Potatoes Au Gratin recipe go with this as a side?

    • Hi Heather, If you’re okay with a non-creamy option, the dressing from this Moroccan Carrot and Chickpea Salad would be nice. For creamy options, you could consider this Creamy Greek Yogurt Dressing or Creamy Feta Dressing. I do think you could get away with the potatoes au gratin as a side or if you wanted something a little more “Moroccan,” you could go with couscous. Hope that helps!

      • Thank you! That is very helpful. I like the idea of keeping this meal “Moroccan.” Would your Basmati Rice Pilaf with Dried Fruit and Almonds go along with this meat/ theme as a side?

    • Would your Potatoes Au Gratin go better with the Onion-Braised Beef Brisket?

  • Could this be done in a tagine pot instead of in the oven? Thank you.

    • Hi Judy, I do’t have any experience cooking with a tagine, so I can’t say from experience, but I think it should work. Please LMK how it turns out if you try it!

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