Braised Brisket Recipe

Prepare and season brisket

Pat the brisket dry with paper towels. Trim any excessive fat to leave about 1/4-inch cap. Rub both sides with kosher salt and black pepper, pressing to adhere.

Brown brisket

Heat a large Dutch oven or heavy ovenproof pot over medium-high heat. Add vegetable oil and heat until shimmering. Sear the brisket fat-side down for 5–7 minutes until a deep brown crust forms; flip and brown the other side for 4–6 minutes. Remove brisket to a plate and set aside.

Deglaze and build braising liquid

Reduce heat to medium. Add tomato paste to the pot and cook 1 minute, stirring to loosen browned bits. Pour in the red wine to deglaze, scraping the bottom with a wooden spoon. Let the wine reduce by about half, 2–3 minutes. Add beef stock, Worcestershire sauce, bay leaves, thyme sprigs, and peppercorns. Bring to a simmer.

Braise brisket

Return the brisket to the pot, fat-side up. Add just enough of the prepared onions, carrots, celery, and smashed garlic (from the Aromatics section) around the meat so the liquid comes about halfway up the brisket. Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and transfer to an oven preheated to 300°F (150°C). Braise until fork-tender, about 3 to 3 1/2 hours for a 3-lb brisket (time will vary by size). Turn brisket once halfway through cooking for even braising.

Rest and reserve

Remove the pot from the oven. Transfer the brisket to a cutting board and tent loosely with foil; let rest 20–30 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the braising vegetables and set aside. Reserve the braising liquid; strain it through a fine mesh sieve into a measuring cup or bowl and skim off excess fat. Reserve about 2 cups of the strained liquid for the au jus.

While the brisket browns and the liquid is building, prepare the aromatics: slice the onions thinly, cut carrots and celery as directed, and smash the garlic cloves. When assembling the pot for braising (previous section), place about half of the sliced onions and all the carrots, celery, and garlic around the brisket so they cook and perfume the braising liquid.

After braising and removing the vegetables, you may roughly chop the softened vegetables and serve alongside the sliced brisket or incorporate them into the strained au jus for extra flavor (see au jus directions).

Caramelize additional onions (optional but recommended)

If you want a pronounced caramelized onion au jus, in a medium skillet melt 1 tbsp butter over medium-low heat. Add 1 cup thinly sliced onion (you can use some of the reserved braised onions for speed) and a pinch of salt. Cook slowly, stirring occasionally, until deeply browned and jammy, about 25–35 minutes. In the last 2 minutes add the brown sugar and apple cider vinegar to help deglaze and build flavor. Transfer caramelized onions to a bowl.

Make au jus

In the same skillet or a small saucepan, melt the remaining 1 tbsp butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook 1 minute to form a roux (this will slightly thicken; if you prefer a thinner jus, skip the flour and finish with reduced liquid only). Gradually whisk in 2 cups of the reserved strained braising liquid until smooth. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook 3–5 minutes until slightly reduced. Stir in the caramelized onions (or reserved braised onions) and adjust seasoning with salt and the optional soy sauce or extra Worcestershire to deepen umami. Taste and correct seasoning.

Finish and serve

Slice the rested brisket against the grain into 1/4-inch to 1/2-inch slices. Arrange on a platter or individual plates, spoon the caramelized onion au jus over the slices, and garnish with chopped parsley. Serve remaining jus on the side.