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,
Do you reheat this covered or uncovered? Also, when you store it in the refrigerator, do you keep the meat in the sauce or do you keep them separate? Thanks!
Hi Leslie, reheat it covered and when you refrigerate it, you keep the meat and sauce together. 🙂
Yummmmmm. Thanks for this recipe. So much tastier than onion soup mix brisket! I think we have a new family recipe! Can you recommend a good electric knife? I struggled with my carving knife. I need power!
Hi Carol, So glad you like the brisket! This is the electric knife I have and am very happy with it!
I can’t tell you how many times we’ve made this recipe. I use my dutch oven, use a larger cut of meat, we want lots of leftovers to freeze.
The only thing we change is to add as many carrots as we can fit in the pot, trying for 1.5 pounds, before cooking, those carrots halfway dissolve into a glorious orange pile on the plate.
Skeptical the first time about the tomato paste but became believers after the first meal.
Hi Jenn. PLEase tell me who makes your pan? I’d love to get one for myself. Love your recipes!!! Thank you!
So glad you like the recipes! That’s an All-Clad pan. Mine’s really old but this is the newer equivalent of it.
Do you have the large pan or small? I have a 14”x16” roaster but afraid it will be too big for a 6lb brisket.
Hi Stacey, You should be fine — I use a large pan for that size brisket.
Next question…do you trim off the fat when you slice it or leave that for the guests to deal with?
Hi Stacey, If it’s a significant amount of fat, I’d try to trim a little off, but if it’s not too much, I’d just leave it as is.
I’ve made this recipe several times and it’s always been delicious, except I have been too scared to slice it halfway through and just cook it until fork tender, refrigerate overnight and slice the following day. I think it will cook faster though if I were to slice it midway through cooking. However, can you tell me how the meat stays tender and juicy if you lose all the juices when you slice it halfway through cooking? I’ve always thought you needed to cook your meat and then let it fully rest before slicing so you keep the juices inside the meat or it will go dry…? Only one review mentioned dry meat though, so I am tempted to try, but please help me understand why this works. =)
Hi Elita, technically, you’re right, the juices will be released from beef if you cut it while it’s still very hot, but because you’re cooking this using a very slow method here you don’t lose the juiciness. Hope that clarifies and that you enjoy the brisket!
I would like to try this recipe. What electric knife would you recommend? I already got the pan you recommended it. There are so many styles of electric knifes and don’t know which one would work the best and also easy to use. Thank you!
Hi Elizabeth, this is my favorite. Hope you enjoy the brisket!
Thank you Jenn! I hosted Thanksgiving dinner at my house this year and everything I cooked came from your 24 Best Thanksgiving side dishes and your cranberry pie. Everything turned out perfect. Thank you for your delicious and easy to follow recipes!
💗
I made this about a month ago and it was awesome! I’m making it again for Thanksgiving! Tossing out the turkey and going with the brisket! Thanks for a great recipe!
Hi Jenn! I am a HUGE fan of your site and recipes and have many on rotation. I’m looking to try this recipe on the weekend but my brisket is only 3 lbs. Can you recommend/suggest how I can alter the recipe for this size brisket?
p.s. – I made your applesauce recipe this afternoon…amazing as always! Thanks for all you share with us foodies!
Hi Beth, thanks for your nice words about the recipes (and glad you enjoyed the applesauce)! 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 you enjoy!
I made this on the weekend for my husband’s birthday, only I used a 2kg brisket, and swapped the tomato paste for bbq sauce. It was magnificent! I hope I can get it a little more tender next time (and there will be a next time!), but the flavour was unbeatable. I had so much yummy sauce left that I used it as a base for a delicious baked French onion soup the next day! Thanks, Jen, for yet another winner!
The best beef recipe ever! So deliciously tender and freezes well! Jenn, you’ve boosted my culinary confidence! Thanks so much.