Equipment
Ingredients
Meat
- 2500 g beef brisket, whole, fat cap trimmed to 5mm
Aromatics
- 1000 g yellow onions, sliced
- 300 g carrots, diced
- 200 g celery, diced
- 25 g garlic, minced
Pantry & Seasoning
- 45 ml olive oil
- 30 g salt
- 10 g black pepper, freshly ground
- 30 g brown sugar, packed
- 2 bay leaves
- 5 g fresh thyme, sprigs tied together
Liquids & Base
- 100 g tomato paste
- 250 ml dry red wine
- 800 g crushed tomatoes
- 500 ml beef broth
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 669 kcal
- Protein
- 41 g
- Carbohydrates
- 27 g
- Fat
- 42 g
- Fiber
- 5 g
- Sugar
- 14 g
- Sodium
- 4614 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 13 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 21 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Cholesterol
- 135 mg
- Potassium
- 1485 mg
- Calcium
- 110 mg
- Iron
- 6.5 mg
- Magnesium
- 78 mg
- Phosphorus
- 388 mg
- Zinc
- 7.8 mg
- Vitamin A
- 282 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 89 mg
- Vitamin E
- 0.9 mg
- Vitamin K
- 15 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 1.0 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 4.5 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.18 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.49 mg
- Niacin
- 10.1 mg
- Folate
- 46 mcg
- Water
- 381 g
- Alcohol
- 3 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat the oven to 160C/320F and arrange a rack in the lower middle position.
Pat the beef brisket dry. Season generously on all sides with the salt and black pepper.
Heat the olive oil in the large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Using tongs, sear the brisket until a deep brown crust forms, about 6 to 8 minutes per side. Transfer the meat to a large plate.
Lower the heat to medium. Add the sliced yellow onions, diced carrots, and celery to the Dutch oven. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are softened and beginning to brown.
Stir in the minced garlic and tomato paste. Cook until the tomato paste darkens to a brick red color and becomes highly fragrant.
Pour in the dry red wine to deglaze the Dutch oven, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Let the wine simmer until reduced by half.
Add the crushed tomatoes, beef broth, brown sugar, bay leaves, and fresh thyme. Stir well to combine and bring the liquid to a gentle simmer.
Return the brisket to the Dutch oven, spooning some of the tomato mixture over the top. Cover tightly with the lid. Transfer to the preheated oven and braise for 3 hours and 30 minutes, or until the meat offers no resistance when pierced with a fork. The internal temperature should reach 93C/200F.
Carefully remove the brisket from the Dutch oven using tongs and transfer it to a cutting board. Tent loosely with aluminum foil and let it rest for at least 30 minutes.
Skim any excess fat from the surface of the tomato gravy. Using a chef's knife, slice the rested brisket across the grain into 5mm thick pieces. Return the slices to the warm gravy before serving.
Chef's Notes
- Brisket is famously a dish that tastes better the next day. Cooking it a day ahead allows the flavors to meld and makes it much easier to slice neatly once thoroughly chilled.
- Always slice brisket against the grain. Look for the long muscle fibers running through the meat and cut perpendicularly across them to ensure a tender bite.
- Do not rush the initial sear. Building a deep, dark crust on the beef creates the foundational savory flavor profile for the entire dish.
- If the gravy is too thin after braising, remove the meat and reduce the liquid on the stovetop over medium-high heat until it reaches your desired consistency.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Store sliced meat submerged in the gravy to prevent drying out.
Freezer: 3 months — Freeze in an airtight container with plenty of sauce to protect the meat from freezer burn.
Reheating: Thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Reheat gently in a 150C/300F oven covered with foil until the internal temperature reaches 74C/165F.
Troubleshooting
Brisket is tough and chewy
Cause: Under-cooked; the connective tissue has not fully broken down and melted.
Fix: Return the brisket to the Dutch oven, cover tightly, and continue baking. Check every 30 minutes until tender.
Prevention: Do not rush the braising process. Always test the meat with a fork to ensure zero resistance before removing it from the oven.
Cultural Context
Braised brisket is a quintessential centerpiece of Ashkenazi Jewish holiday cooking, traditionally served during festive meals like Passover and Rosh Hashanah. The robust, tomato-based gravy developed as Eastern European immigrants adapted their slow-cooking methods to the abundant ingredients available in America, creating a savory and comforting profile.
