This brisket is the perfect comfort food for any occasion. The sauce is sweet and tangy and helps capture the flavor of the old school dish that was a favorite part of countless childhoods. The brisket cut is made up of two distinct muscles. For this recipe, we ask our butcher for point-cut brisket instead of traditional flat cut, as it contains much better marbling to keep the brisket moist during its long cooking time. The brisket can be served the same day it is braised, but we prefer to slice the meat when it’s cold and heat it up the next day. The brisket will stay fresh for up to four days in the refrigerator or for months if wrapped tightly and frozen.
Serve with Matzo Spaetzle.
— Michele Streit Heilbrun
ON-DEMAND: Listen to Faith and co-author David Kirschner talk about this recipe as well as others in the book Matzo.
Excerpted from Matzo by Michele Streit Heilbrun and David Kirschner. Published by Clarkson Potter. Copyright © 2017 Michele Streit Heilbrun, Photography Copyright © 2017 Jennifer May.
| Servings |
| 6 -8 people |
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If you don't have a Dutch oven, you can sear the brisket and make the gravy in a large saucepan, then transfer the meat to a roasting pan, pour the boiling braising liquid over it, and cover with foil before cooking it in the oven.
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- 1 3-4 pound point-cut brisket (also known as "second cut"), fat cap trimmed to 1/8 inch
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoons neutral oil
- 3 yellow onions thinly sliced (3 cups)
- 3 garlic cloves thinly sliced
- 2 bay leaves
- 5 sprigs fresh thyme tied with twine
- 1/2 cup (4 ounces) tomato paste
- 2 cups dry red wine such as Pinot Noir or Cabernet Sauvignon
- 1 quart chicken stock store-bought or homemade
- 3/4 pound whole carrots 1-1/2-inch diameter
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- Matzo Spaetzle (see recipe link in headnote)
- 2 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh chives
- Preheat the oven to 325°F.
- Liberally season the brisket with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons of the neutral oil in a large Dutch oven over high heat. When it just begins to smoke, lay the brisket fat side down and sear until well browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Flip and brown the other side for 5 minutes more. Remove the brisket from the pan and set aside.
- Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of neutral oil in the same pan over medium heat. When it begins to smoke, add the onion, garlic, and bay leaves. Cook, stirring often, until the onions begin to caramelize, 8 to 9 minutes. Add the thyme bundle and tomato paste and cook, stirring, until the onions are evenly coated and the tomato paste darkens, 1 minute. Add the wine and cook until reduced by one-third, about 5 minutes. Add the stock, increase the heat to high, bring to a boil, and nestle the brisket back into the braising liquid. Cover and transfer to the oven.
- After 2-1/2 hours, remove the lid and add the carrots to the braising liquid. Continue to cook for 30 minutes more, until the carrots and the brisket are just fork-tender with a little resistance. Remove from the oven, discard the bay leaves and thyme bundle, and allow the brisket to cool to room temperature in the braising liquid. Then cover loosely with aluminum foil and refrigerate overnight.
- To serve: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spoon off any congealed fat from the onion gravy and discard. Remove the brisket from the gravy and cut against the grain into 1/4-inch slices. Remove the carrots and cut into 2-inch pieces. Place the brisket and carrots in a 4-quart casserole dish and pour the gravy over. Cover the dish with foil and place in the oven to warm through, 30 to 45 minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the spaetzle and cook, stirring often, until warmed through, 2 to 3 minutes. Mix the chives into the spaetzle and serve with the brisket and the remaining gravy in a bowl alongside.
