Brisket Philly Recipe

Trim and season

Pat the brisket dry with paper towels. Mix kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and smoked paprika in a small bowl. Rub the spice mix evenly over all sides of the brisket and let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes (or refrigerate up to overnight and bring back to room temperature before cooking).

Sear

Preheat oven to 150°C (300°F). Heat a large heavy Dutch oven or ovenproof pot over medium-high heat and add 2 tablespoons vegetable oil. When oil shimmers, sear the brisket fat-side down 4–6 minutes until well browned, then brown the other sides, turning with tongs, about 3–4 minutes per side. Remove brisket and set aside.

Build braising liquid

Add halved onion and smashed garlic to the pot and cook, stirring, 2–3 minutes to pick up browned bits. Pour in the red wine to deglaze, scraping up fond with a wooden spoon. Reduce wine by half, about 2–3 minutes. Add beef stock, Worcestershire sauce, bay leaves, and thyme. Bring to a gentle simmer.

Braise

Return brisket to the pot, fat-side up, nestling it so liquid comes about one-third up the sides (add more stock or water if needed). Cover snugly with a lid and transfer to the preheated oven. Braise until fork-tender, about 3 to 3½ hours for a 1.5 kg brisket (time will vary by size). Check at 2½ hours; if brisket is fork-tender and pulls easily, it’s done. Remove pot from oven and let brisket rest in the liquid for 20–30 minutes.

Strain and skim

Carefully remove brisket to a cutting board and tent with foil. Strain the braising liquid through a fine mesh sieve into a measuring cup or medium saucepan, pressing on solids to extract flavor. Skim excess fat from the surface with a spoon or use a fat separator. You should have approximately 500 ml of strained liquid; if more, reduce over medium heat to concentrate flavor.

Finish jus

If you prefer a slightly thicker jus for dipping, whisk 1 teaspoon cornstarch with 1 tablespoon cold water to make a slurry. Bring strained jus to a simmer and whisk in slurry; simmer 1–2 minutes until slightly thickened. Taste and adjust salt. Keep warm until assembly.

Slice brisket

Slice the brisket thinly across the grain for tender ribbons. Aim for slices about 2–3 mm thick. Keep slices warm in a shallow pan and drizzle a small amount of the warm jus over them to maintain moisture.

Caramelize onions

While brisket rests or after removing it, heat 1 tablespoon oil or butter in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add thinly sliced onion and 1 teaspoon coarse salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are deeply golden and sweet, about 15–20 minutes. If they brown too quickly, lower heat. Remove from heat and keep warm.

Toast rolls and assemble

Split hoagie rolls but do not cut fully through. Lightly butter or brush the cut sides and toast in a hot skillet or under the broiler until lightly crisp, about 1–2 minutes per side. Pile warm sliced brisket into each roll, spoon a little au jus over the meat, top with caramelized onions and 2 slices of provolone per sandwich. Place sandwiches briefly under a broiler or in a 200°C (400°F) oven for 1–2 minutes until cheese melts. Add optional pickled banana peppers or pickles and sprinkle parsley if using.

Serve

Serve immediately with small bowls of warm au jus for dipping. Leftover jus can be refrigerated up to 3 days or frozen.