Onion-Braised Beef Brisket
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Prepare a memorable dinner with this incredibly simple, make-ahead beef brisket recipe. It’s a foolproof crowd-pleaser, complete with a French onion soup-like gravy.
This celebrated beef brisket recipe comes from the late Nach Waxman, owner of the beloved New York City cookbook shop Kitchen Arts & Letters. First published in The Silver Palette New Basics Cookbook in 1989, it is apparently the world’s most Googled brisket recipe. The recipe is surprisingly simple. Unlike all other briskets I’ve made, there’s no wine, stock, or bottled sauces added. Instead, the brisket is cooked on top of a massive heap of onions, which slowly caramelize and release their natural juices, making a rich French onion soup-like braising liquid and gravy.
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“This brisket is AMAZING! It turns out perfect each time. Cutting it, then rearranging the slices back in the pan works great! Such beautiful flavor, delicious gravy, and juicy tender meat. Highly recommended!”
I have made some modifications to the recipe over the years, though the original can still be found here. This dish is ideal for preparing ahead of time, as the flavors deepen when served the following day. For me, it’s a Jewish holiday staple, alongside classics like matzo ball soup, challah, latkes and more. For those observing Passover, the flour in this recipe can easily be substituted with matzo meal to keep it compliant with Passover dietary guidelines.
What You’ll Need To Make Onion-Braised Beef Brisket
Butchers typically sell two types of brisket: flat cut and point cut. These two pieces together make up a full brisket, a large slab of muscle from the cow’s chest. The point cut has more marbling, while the flat cut (also called first cut or center cut) is lean but topped with a thick fat cap. This recipe calls for a first-cut/flat-cut brisket. Don’t let your butcher trim all the fat off! A small fat cap bastes the meat, adding flavor and keeping it from getting dry and tough.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Begin by seasoning the meat with lots of kosher salt and pepper.
Dust both sides with flour.
Heat the oil in a heavy flameproof roasting pan or ovenproof enameled cast iron pot until shimmering, then sear the brisket on both sides until brown and crusty in spots.
Transfer the meat to a platter, then add the onions to the pan.
Cook, stirring and scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan, until softened and golden brown, about 15 minutes.
Place the brisket back in the pan on top of the onions and spread the tomato paste on top. Scatter the carrots and garlic around the edges.
Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil or a lid, and bake for 1-1/2 hours.
Remove the pan from the oven and transfer the brisket to a cutting board. Using an electric or sharp knife, slice the beef into 1/8 to 1/4-inch thick slices against the grain. It’s much easier to cut at this point than it is at the end.
Place the slices back in the pan on an angle, so that the top edge of each slice is showing. Baste the meat with the pan juices.
Cook for a few more hours, until the meat is tender.
You can serve it right away, but it’s better to refrigerate it overnight and reheat it the next day. It also freezes well.
“This is a 5-star, easily repeatable main dish that is now my go-to special occasion meal for larger groups. Do yourself a favor and make it ahead of time as suggested; enjoy that the cooking is already DONE the day of your dinner, and impress yourself with how truly flavorful and delicious this meal is.”
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Onion-Braised Beef Brisket
Prepare a memorable dinner with this incredibly simple, make-ahead beef brisket recipe. It’s a foolproof crowd-pleaser, complete with a French onion soup-like gravy.
Ingredients
- 1 5 to 6 pound first-cut (or flat-cut) beef brisket, trimmed so a thin layer of fat remains in some spots (do not over trim!)
- 1½ tablespoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (okay to substitute matzo cake meal for Passover)
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 8 medium yellow onions, peeled and sliced ½-inch thick
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
- 6 carrots, peeled and sliced into large chunks on a diagonal
- Handful fresh chopped parsley, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Set an oven rack in the middle position and preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Season the brisket on both sides with the salt and pepper. Lightly dust the brisket with the flour, then shake and turn to coat evenly. Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a heavy flameproof roasting pan or ovenproof enameled cast-iron pot just large enough to hold the brisket and carrots snugly. Add the brisket to the pan and sear on both sides until crusty brown areas appear on the surface, 5 to 7 minutes per side.
- Transfer the brisket to a platter, then add the onions to the pan and stir constantly with a wooden spoon, scraping up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pan. Cook until the onions are softened and golden brown, about 15 minutes. (If browned bits stick to the bottom of the pan and start to burn, add a few tablespoons of water and scrape with a wooden spoon to release them.)
- Turn off the heat and place the brisket, fatty side up, and any accumulated juices on top of the onions. Spread the tomato paste evenly over the brisket, then scatter the garlic and carrots around the edges of the pan. Cover the pan very tightly with aluminum foil (preferably heavy-duty or two layers) or a lid, then transfer to the oven and cook for 1½ hours.
- Transfer the brisket to a cutting board and, using an electric or very sharp knife, slice the meat across the grain into approximately ⅛ to ¼-inch-thick slices. Return the slices to the pan, 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. Cover the pan tightly and return to the oven.
- Lower the heat to 325°F and cook the brisket until it is fork-tender, 1¾ to 2½ hours, or longer if necessary. The brisket is ready to serve with its juices, but it is even better the second day. (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.)
- Note: Nutritional information was calculated for a 5-pound brisket.
- Make-Ahead/Freezer-Friendly 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. The brisket also freezes well for up to 2 months; defrost in the refrigerator 2 days ahead of time.
Pair with
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (10 servings)
- Calories: 726
- Fat: 55 g
- Saturated fat: 21 g
- Carbohydrates: 14 g
- Sugar: 6 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 42 g
- Sodium: 844 mg
- Cholesterol: 213 mg
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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Who doesn’t love a good brisket? This one is excellent. I used a whole bag of carrots because they’re delicious cooked with the meat. It was so much nicer to cut the meat before it was finished cooking. A lot easier to serve that way.
I made this over the weekend and now wish I had asked this question first. What size is a medium onion? I ended up with more caramelized onion than meat which contributed to the dish being too sweet for our liking. I will say this though, I loved the technique of slicing long before the meat is finished. It made things so much easier.
Hi Suzon, I consider a medium onion to be about 2 1/2 – 3 inches in diameter. Sorry that the dish was a bit of a disappointment to you!
Ah ha! Being I’m Cajun and we use lots of onions in our cooking, I would consider that size as small. No apologies needed for the recipe since it was still one of the better brisket recipes I’ve tried. I will make it again and make my adjustments.
This looks like such a great recipe! Unfortunately I live in Australia and from what I hear it’s hard to get brisket here – any recommendations for another cut that I can use to make this?
Thankyou 🙂
I think boneless beef chuck would also work here. Would love to hear how it turns out!
Thankyou 🙂 I tried it out with boneless beef chuck as you recommended and it turned out perfect!
I reduced the serving size (only made for my boyfriend). Since the cut was smaller I reduced the cooking time, I also sliced some garlic on top of the beef while it was in the oven. Also added a bit of sugar and balsamic vinegar towards the ends for some extra flavour. He kept going back to the fridge to eat more and wants me to make it again, thanks so much for the recipe!!
So glad you (and your boyfriend 🙂 are happy with the way it turned out– thanks for the follow up!
Love your recipes! I am going to try this with eye of round. Even though very lean,
I think it could work. I am going to add some skimmed off fat from my beef marrow bone stock. Will let you know how it turns out.
Hi! I have really been enjoying your recipes and am trying this one tonight 🙂 I am making this with a 2.5 lb brisket so am wondering how much to adjust the cooking time in the oven. Thanks!
Hi Robyn, So glad you’re enjoying the recipes! Be sure to use a smaller pan and the cook time will be about the same.
I am making this in the oven for dinner tomorrow night. Can you tell me what you recommend for reheating? How long and what temp? I was thinking maybe 325 for an hour? I apologize in advance if you covered this in another comment. Thank you!
Hi Lauren, Cover tightly with foil and reheat in 300-degree oven til hot. I’d start checking it about 20 – 30 minutes. Hope everyone enjoys it!
The day before Rosh Hashanah, my adult son groaned when told we were having brisket for our holiday meal. I love my mother’s/grandmother’s recipe, but apparently he doesn’t. Since I have enjoyed all your recipes so much, I decided to make this one. My son said he has changed his mind about brisket. Everyone loved this. It was moist and flavorful. Perfect for a holiday meal, especially because it can be done ahead. ( I also served your challah which is my favorite challah recipe.) Hope you had a wonderful holiday.
Perfect recipe. Clear instructions and wonderful outcome. I mixed some horseradish with the tomato paste and added just a few TBs of chicken broth and red wine so it wouldn’t burn. This is a keeper! Thank you!
when/how do you remove and serve the carrots and onions?
Hi Susan, You remove the carrots and onions when you remove the sliced brisket from the roasting pan, and you can put them in a separate serving dish if you’d like. Hope you enjoy!
I am planning on making this tomorrow, it looks amazing! Can I add potatoes? If so, at what point in the cooking should I do this?
Hi Lu, Yes, you can definitely add potatoes, although they might soak up quite a bit of the sauce. The cook time depends on what type of potatoes and how large you cut them but figure baby potatoes cut in half would take about 40 minutes.