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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Hi Jenn, I love all your recipes and step by step photos which made it so much easier for me to double check that I am on the right track with what I am doing. Made this brisket last night and it was wonderful. My hubby said that it was the most tender and tastiest brisket he has ever eaten when he had the first bite. I didn’t add salt to brisket before flouring as it was usually cured and is salty enough and browned it as instructed. I added 1/4 cup beef broth when the onions were browned to scrape off the bits and also because I wanted a bit of gravy when the onions are cooked. I added 5 medium sized potatoes along with the carrots for a more fulfilling meal. I didn’t slice the brisket after 1 1/2 hour but lowered the temperature to 325 F and let it cooked for another 2 hours as instructed. The end result was a delicious hearty meal with some nice onion gravy to top the brisket. Potatoes and carrots were nicely cooked and not dried out. Thank you.
Made this for our holiday dinner. Was moist and very tasty. Everyone raved! Thanks for a new staple in our holiday meal.
Hi Jenn, I really love your recipes and the pictures you send along with each. I’ve made this onion-braised beef brisket twice. Once to take over to my brother and sister-in-law and then for my family. Both times it turned out DELICIOUS!! The searing and the addition of all the onions was great. I plan on make this for many holidays and family night dinners. Thank you for all your great recipes.
Jenn: love your modifications to the recipe. Definitely reheat the next day, the flavor is incredible, the meat is juicy and tender. I paired up with some acorn squash, great meal.
Just made this for the 2nd time and it came out great. Both times I did the whole thing in my 8 quart all-clad stockpot. I did wrap some extra tinfoil around the lid to make sure it was sealed good and I ended up with plenty of gravy. This is a delicious recipe just like all of your other recipes of I have tried. Love this website.
I had made Ina Garten’s Brisket with Carrots and Onions and thought it was good, I just didn’t like using tomato juice. Then I found this recipe. It was just what I wanted. Only changes I made were that I used less tomato paste and I covered it with parchment paper and then foil. It was delicious and tender. The flavor was so good that leftovers turned out delicious.
I used a 2.5 lb brisket and followed instructions exactly, adjusting the amounts for the size of the brisket. My oven was occupied so I slow cooked this in the Dutch oven In which I browned the meat and onions. It was delicious and a hit with the family. Thank you!
Hi Jen
If I could only get a 3lb brisket , how much would I reduce everything and would I reduce cooking time as well? Cannot wait to make this, my Husband loves brisket and I have never made one!
Hi Melissa, If the brisket is only 3 pounds, I’d cut the remaining ingredients by about 1/3. Roasting time will be less, but not by too much, so just keep an eye on it. Hope your husband enjoys!
I would like to make this for Passover. Do you think there would be a problem in eliminating the flour? Should I substitute something else’s?
Hi Eileen, To make it kosher for Passover, you could use potato starch in place of the flour. Hope that helps!
this was delicious. I had a smaller brisket, 4.5 ilbs, and found I have to add beef broth (low sodium) a few times. Once near the end of cooking time to prevent any burning. again when reheating the next day as much had been absorbed and then added some more to taste to ensure having enough gravy when serving to our party of 16 people!!
Hi Jen, I’ve preordered your book and can’t wait to get it. I need to serve 30 people at a family gathering and I think for that many people I’d have to do 2 batches. Do you think it would work if I reheat in one very large pan, or do you have a different recommendation? Thanks!
Hi Sandi, I think reheating both briskets in a large pan would be perfectly fine. Hope you enjoy (and thanks for your support of the cookbook)! 🙂