Onion-Braised Brisket
4 to 5 lbs
3 large 1 T ¼ t 3 cloves 1 T ½ T ½ T ⅛ t 2 T 1 cup 1 cup 3 2 sprigs 2 t |
beef brisket, flat cut preferred
onions (2.5 lbs), halved and sliced ½-inch thick brown sugar salt garlic, minced tomato paste paprika smoked paprika cayenne pepper flour (for gf use chickpea or any mix) chicken broth dry red wine bay leaves fresh thyme cider vinegar |
- Note: You must make this a day or two in advance so that the cooked meat has a chance to soak up the sauce and so that the fat will separate out of the sauce.
- Pat brisket dry with paper towels. Use a fork to poke holes in meat through fat layer about 1-inch apart. Season both sides liberally with salt and pepper.
- Oil a hot skillet or your roasting pan if it's thick enough and sear brisket fat side up until well browned, about 7 minutes. Flip and repeat.
- Remove brisket and pour off all but a tablespoon or so of fat. Or add some oil if needed.
- Stir in 2nd set and cook until onions are golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes.
- Add garlic and cook about 1 minute
- Add tomato paste and cook to darken paste, about 2 minutes
- Add paprikas and cayenne and cook about 1 minute
- Sprinkle in flower and cook about 2 minutes
- Add reminder of 3rd set, scrape up bottom of pan, and simmer for 5 minutes to thicken.
- Pour onion mixture into roasting pan. Press brisket into onions, fat side up. Cover with foil. Bake at 300 degrees until fork can be pushed in/out of center with no resistance, 3.5 to 4 hours. Internal temperature should be in the 197 to 200 range when you pull it from the oven.
- Let dish cool in roasting pan at room temp for 30 minutes.
- You will store the onion solids separate from the liquid. Transfer meat to a storage container, strain liquids into meat container without smushing the solids. Put onion solids into a 2nd container, discarding bay and thyme as you do this. Cover both containers and refrigerate overnight.
- About 45 minutes before serving, preheat oven to 350 and transfer cold brisket to cutting board.
- Scrape off and discard congealed fat from sauce and brisket, then heat sauce until warm. Skim fat as you go if necessary. You should have around 2 cups. Boil down to roughly that amount if needed.
- Slice brisket against the grain into ¼-inch thick slices. Discard fat as you go. Place slices in a 9x13 backing dish.
- Stir onions and vinegar into warmed sauce. Adjust with salt and pepper.
- Pour onion sauce mixture over brisket, cover with foil, bake at 350 until heated through, 25 to 30 minutes.
- Note: I've made this twice and I used 7 to 8 lb brisket each time. I cooked it in my turkey roasting pan. I was able to brown the meat in that same pan. I used a 1.5x multiplier for the other ingredients. Also, the sauce it very good but a bit runny both times I've made it. You might consider thickening it up a bit with a flour/butter roux before serving.
- Yield: 4 to 5
- Source: Modified from Cook’s Illustrated
Category: American Modified 1/19/21