Prime Brisket Recipe

Trim and pat dry

Trim any excessively thick hard fat to about 1/4 inch thickness while leaving a protective fat cap. Pat the brisket dry with paper towels on all sides.

Make the rub

In a small bowl combine kosher salt, coarsely ground black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika (if using), and brown sugar. Mix until evenly distributed.

Rub oil over the brisket surface to help the seasoning adhere. Generously massage the spice rub over the entire brisket, pressing it into the meat so there is an even coating. Let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes, or refrigerate up to overnight (bring back to room temperature for 30–60 minutes before cooking).

Preheat oven to 325°F (163°C). Heat a large heavy Dutch oven or ovenproof braising pan over medium-high heat until very hot. Add the neutral oil and swirl to coat.

Place the brisket fat-side down and sear without moving for 4–6 minutes until deeply browned. Flip and sear the other side 3–5 minutes to develop color. If the brisket is wider than the pan, sear in sections or use tongs to hold edges to brown the sides for 1–2 minutes each.

Remove the brisket to a plate and set aside. Reduce heat to medium. Add the sliced onions, carrots, celery and smashed garlic to the braising pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables soften and start to brown, about 6–8 minutes.

Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, 1 minute to deepen flavor. Pour in the red wine to deglaze, scraping up browned bits from the bottom with a wooden spoon. Let wine reduce by about half, 2–3 minutes.

Return the brisket to the pan, placing it fat-side up atop the vegetables. Add beef stock, Worcestershire sauce, bay leaves, thyme sprigs and whole peppercorns. The liquid should come about halfway up the brisket; if needed, add additional stock or water to reach this level but do not fully submerge the brisket.

Bring the liquid to a gentle simmer on the stovetop, then cover the Dutch oven with a tight-fitting lid and transfer to the preheated oven. Braise until the brisket is fork-tender and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part reads 195–205°F (90–96°C), about 3 to 4 hours for a 6 lb brisket. Check at the 2.5–3 hour mark; if top is browning too quickly, keep covered.

Halfway through cooking (around 1.5–2 hours), carefully spoon some braising liquid over the top of the brisket once or twice to keep the surface moist.

When the brisket is tender, remove the Dutch oven from the oven and transfer the brisket to a cutting board. Tent loosely with foil and let rest 20–30 minutes; resting allows jus to redistribute and makes slicing easier.

While the meat rests, strain the braising liquid into a saucepan over medium heat, pressing on the solids to extract flavor. Skim any excess fat from the surface with a spoon. Simmer the strained liquid until slightly reduced and glaze-like, about 8–12 minutes. Stir in the butter and chopped parsley to finish. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed. Reserve about 1 cup for serving.

Slice the brisket against the grain into 1/4-inch to 1/2-inch slices. Arrange on a platter, spoon some warm jus over the slices, and serve additional jus on the side.

To make ahead: cool brisket completely, slice, then store with some braising liquid in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 4 days or freeze up to 3 months. Reheat gently in an oven at 275°F (135°C) covered, or in a skillet with reserved liquid until warmed through.