Description
This classic Jewish Brisket recipe is a tender, slow-baked beef brisket cooked in a rich tomato and red wine sauce with garlic, onions, carrots, and fragrant herbs. Perfect for holidays like Passover and Rosh Hashanah or any comforting winter meal, this dish is full of flavor and slow-cooked to melt-in-your-mouth perfection.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 first-cut beef brisket (4 to 5 pounds)
- 2 cups chopped onions
- 4 large carrots (peeled and thickly sliced)
- 3 bay leaves
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste (optional)
- 1 cup low-sodium beef or chicken broth
- 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes (in juice or puréed)
- 1 cup red wine (any kind is fine; or an additional cup crushed tomatoes or broth)
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped Italian flat-leaf parsley (optional; for garnish)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Prepare the oven and seasoning: Preheat the oven to 325 F. In a small bowl, combine olive oil, minced garlic, dried thyme, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Stir well to create a seasoning mix.
- Season the brisket: Rub the seasoning mixture all over the beef brisket evenly, ensuring full coverage for flavor infusion throughout the meat.
- Assemble in casserole: Place the brisket fat side up in a large casserole dish or Dutch oven with a tight-fitting lid. Add the chopped onions, thickly sliced carrots, and bay leaves around the brisket.
- Add liquids and tomato paste: If using tomato paste, blend it into the beef or chicken broth and pour the mixture over the meat and vegetables. Next, add the crushed tomatoes and red wine on top. The liquid should cover most of the meat and vegetables to keep them moist during cooking.
- Bake the brisket: Cover the casserole tightly and bake in the preheated oven for about 3 to 3 ½ hours, until the brisket is very tender and easily pierced with a fork.
- Prepare for serving later: If serving the next day, allow the casserole to cool. Refrigerate it whole. About an hour before serving, skim off any accumulated hardened fat. Remove the meat and trim off any excess fat on top. Slice the brisket across the grain to your preferred thickness.
- Reheat the brisket: Return the sliced meat to the cooking liquid. Warm it on the stovetop over medium-low heat or in the oven preheated to 325 F until heated through and the liquid has reduced and slightly thickened—about 30 minutes in the oven, less on the stove. Adjust seasoning as needed.
- Serve immediately option: If serving right away, remove the meat from the casserole and let it rest loosely covered with foil. Let the cooking liquid and vegetables sit for 15 minutes, then skim off any fat. Place the casserole on medium-high heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, to reduce the liquid by about 10 minutes. Adjust seasoning as needed.
- Finish and serve: Slice the rested meat across the grain. Return it to the pot, remove and discard bay leaves, and sprinkle chopped parsley on top if desired. Serve the brisket warm in the casserole or on a large shallow dish.
Notes
- Cooked low and slow in the oven, this is Jewish comfort food at its best.
- Perfect for Passover, Rosh Hashanah, Seder, and any chilly winter night.
- The tomato paste is optional but adds richness; you may omit or substitute with extra crushed tomatoes or broth.
- Slicing brisket across the grain ensures tenderness.
- Refrigerating and reheating improves the flavor and makes slicing easier.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 363 kcal
- Sugar: 6.8 g
- Sodium: 545 mg
- Fat: 14.3 g
- Saturated Fat: 4.9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8.6 g
- Trans Fat: 0.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 13.3 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 40.3 g
- Cholesterol: 112 mg
