Brisket Shawarma Recipe
Make Brisket Shawarma Recipe in just 5h 30m. Get the full recipe with step-by-step instructions at pekinthechef.com.
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Ingredients
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Brisket and Marinade
Cooking Aromatics & Braising Liquid
Finish & Serving
Method
Brisket and Marinade
- 1
Trim and prepare brisket
Trim excess fat from the brisket, leaving a thin fat cap (about 1/8 inch) for flavor. Pat the meat dry with paper towels and set it on a tray.
- 2
Make the shawarma marinade
In a bowl, whisk together olive oil, plain yogurt, minced garlic, lemon juice, vinegar, ground cumin, ground coriander, paprika, smoked paprika, allspice, cinnamon, turmeric, red pepper flakes, kosher salt and black pepper until uniform.
- 3
Marinate the brisket
Place the brisket in a large zip-top bag or nonreactive container. Pour the marinade over the brisket, massaging it so all surfaces are coated. Seal and refrigerate for at least 8 hours, ideally overnight (8–24 hours) to allow flavors to penetrate.
Cooking Aromatics & Braising Liquid
- 4
Preheat oven
Preheat your oven to 325°F (160°C).
- 5
Sear the brisket (optional but recommended)
Remove the brisket from the marinade and reserve the remaining marinade. Heat 1–2 tablespoons of oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy ovenproof pot over medium-high heat. When hot, sear the brisket fat-side down for 4–6 minutes until well browned, then brown the other side 3–4 minutes. Transfer the brisket to a plate.
- 6
- 7
Braise the brisket
Return the brisket to the pot, fat-side up. The liquid should come about one-third to halfway up the brisket; add up to another 1/2 cup water or stock if necessary. Bring the liquid to a gentle simmer on the stovetop, then cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and transfer to the preheated oven. Braise until the brisket is fork-tender, about 3 to 3.5 hours depending on thickness. Check once at midway and spoon cooking juices over the meat.
- 8
Rest the brisket
Remove the pot from the oven and transfer the brisket to a cutting board. Tent loosely with foil and rest 20–30 minutes to let juices redistribute. Meanwhile, skim any excess fat from the surface of the braising liquid and keep the juices warm for serving.
Finish & Serving
- 9
Shred or slice brisket
For authentic shawarma texture, use two forks to shred the brisket across the grain into bite-sized ribbons, or slice thinly against the grain into 1/8–1/4 inch slices. Return sliced/shredded meat to the warm braising juices briefly (2–3 minutes) to moisten.
- 10
- 11
Assemble the shawarma
Lay a warmed pita on a plate. Spoon 3–4 ounces (about 85–115 g) of sliced or shredded brisket onto the center. Drizzle 2–3 tablespoons of shawarma sauce or tahini sauce over the meat. Add tomato slices, pickles and a sprinkle of chopped parsley. Squeeze a little lemon juice and a pinch of salt or sumac if using. Fold or roll the pita to serve.
- 12