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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Exceptionally delicious!!!!! Made it for Rosh Hashanah and everyone really liked it. Thanks
I’m making this right now. How do I tell when the brisket is done? I also have A LOT of liquid in my pan…it’s thin, not gravy-like consistency. Why did this happen? Should I thicken it with cornstarch?
Hi Michelle, The brisket is done when it’s fork-tender and it doesn’t thicken up until the very end of the cooking time. You shouldn’t need to thicken it but cornstarch mixed with a little cold water will work for a thicker gravy. How did it turn out?
I had a 2 1/2 lb brisket and it needed to cook much longer than I expected. The liquid did thicken up and I didn’t need to use cornstarch. But – I made a rookie mistake and pureed the liquid, onions, and carrots to make a sauce. It’s orange!! Note to self, don’t do that again. I’m about to reheat it in the oven and have seen a variety of suggested oven temps and time – that’s frustrating. I’m going to start at 300 degrees for 20 min and see how that does.
Yum! Making this now and following exactly including the extra carrots! So worth searing with the flour. I enjoy all your recipes.
I use french dressing instead of tomato paste. And add onion soup mix on top. Also add cut up potatoes half way to the end. DELICIOUS
Hi there, googled best brisket recipe and kept coming back to this one. Just put mine in the oven for Rosh Hashanah tomorrow. I used two LeCrueset roasting pans with their covers; hope it works. Excited for the outcome. Smells great so far!
Made this brisket and loved it Added a bit of vegetable stock to create a bit more gravy.
Made this brisket last Passover and my family loved it and asked me to make it again for Rosh Hashanah. I made it yesterday and plan to freeze it today for the holiday. My concern is that there may not be enough gravy after the reheating. Is there a way that I could make more gravy? I read one could add more water or broth, but it seems to me that would affect the flavor. Thanks for all your wonderful recipes!!!
Hi Beverly, You can absolutely add a little chicken or beef broth when reheating, if necessary. I wouldn’t add too much, as that would dilute the flavor, but 1 to 1-1/2 cups would be fine. Happy New Year!
Hi Jen – can’t wait to make your brisket. Question: what size roasting pan would you recommend for a 5 lb brisket? Also, my brisket has a fat covering all over the top – should I trim it a bit further until the meat shows in more spots than the fat? Thanks for your recipe and your help…P.S. If you can reply by 9/17, much appreciated!
Hi Francine, I use a 17″ x 14″ x 2 1/2 roasting pan but you could get away with a slightly smaller one. I would trim some of the fat so that it covers about half of the top of the brisket (see the photos in my step-by-step tutorial to see what mine looks like). The fat keeps the brisket from drying out so you don’t want to trim too much of it (and you can always remove some of the fat after cooking, if necessary). Happy New Year!
This was wonderful and so easy!
Never thought to place beef on onions.
This recipe was the reason I joined the Once apron a Chef email list.
Paired it with coleslaw.
Hi Jenn. I had a problem with no gravy in the pan. I followed directions to a “T,” and had to use some Heinz gravy thinned with low-sodium beef broth. My oven temp was fine – the brisket had a nice fat layer – and it sliced beautifully after 1-1/2 hrs. Any ideas as to why this happened? P.S. It still was delicious! Next time I will add some water when starting to roast.
Hmm, not sure Francine. Did you cover it?
Jenn – I did cover the brisket with a tight, heavy-duty foil covering. I’m going to try again, but will add some water from the beginning. I’m not looking for enough gravy to pass, but enough to thoroughly baste the brisket while cooking, and enough to pour over when done. Thanks for your help.
One other thing to keep in mind is that you want to cook it in a pan that is just large enough to accommodate the brisket. Too much additional space in the pan can cause the gravy to burn. Good luck!
I have skipped the flour to make this gluten free!! Delicious!!