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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Looks delicious, Jenn.
Do you think I could use round cut of beef instead of brisket. It’s almost impossible to get brisket cut here 🙁 different butcher history I guess 🙂
Thanks.
Hi Martin, if you have access to boneless beef chuck, that would be preferable, but if not, I think a round cut would work. I’d love to hear how it turns out!
Delicious! Made this for Passover dinner and followed your recipe to a tee. It was so moist and tender. Everyone loved it! Will only use your recipe for brisket going forward. Thanks Jen for helping me make a stress-free dinner!
PS: I am so impressed with your recipes that I just pre-ordered your cookbook!.
😊
A Passover hit! I used matza cake flour to dust the meat. I also added extra carrots since my family loves them. Delicious!
How do you recommend reheating the next day?
Hi Eric, To reheat the brisket, Cover it tightly with foil and reheat in a 300-degree oven til hot. I’d start checking it about 30 minutes. Enjoy!
I’ve been making brisket for 20 years and this by far is the best tasting and easiest recipe! It’s all about the onions and the length of cooking tine. I’ve never prepared brisket in advance and frozen it, I did this time. I froze it in the Dutch oven I prepared it in, thawed it out in fridge 2 days prior to serving. I then removed from fridge for a couple of hours and reheated for about an hour and a half at 250. The only thing I would change if I were to freeze again would be to add carrots after it’s thawed. Wonderful!
Would I be able to cook the first part tonight, cut it and cook the balance of the recipe tomorrow?
Sure, Roberta, that will work. Hope you enjoy!
I would like to make this recipe for Passover but need to substitute the flour with something. Would you recommend matzah flour, rice four, almond four or quinoa flour if any?
Hi Galia, any of those would work in place of the all-purpose flour. Hope you enjoy and happy holiday!
Hi Jenn!
I’m planning on making this for Easter dinner but I don’t have a roasting pan that I can use on my stovetop. Would it be ok to use a Le Creset Dutch oven for searing and then baking in the oven? I’m also planing on getting 2 briskets as I’m hosting 14 people. Would it be ok to sear each piece seperately but then add them both (probably one on top of the other) to the onions in the Dutch oven for the baking part? Or should I use 2 separate pots so each piece is in its own pot? What would you recommend? Thanks in advance for your help! Love all your recipes 🙂
Hi Mounira, It’s fine to use your Dutch oven for searing and baking. However, I would bake them in separate pans so you don’t have to stack them. Hope it turns out well!
Hi there!
What kind of pan are you using in the picture to cook this?
Also how do you best reheat this since you stated it taste better on second day?
Hi Anastasia, To reheat the brisket, Cover it tightly with foil and reheat in a 300-degree oven til hot. I’d start checking it about 30 minutes. Hope everyone enjoys it!
Hi Anastasia, I believe a used my All-Clad large roasting pan.
Question: if I choose to make this brisket a day ahead, how exactly would you recommend I reheat it?
P.S. I absolutely love all your recipes! They always turn out just like you say they will and are super delicious!! Thank you for your blog and your careful instructions and detailed recipes!
So glad you like the recipes, Danielle! To reheat the brisket, Cover it tightly with foil and reheat in a 300-degree oven til hot. I’d start checking it about 30 minutes. Hope everyone enjoys it!