This Holiday Brisket is one of my more popular brisket recipes for the Jewish holidays. It is inspired by a classic Ashkenazi sweet-and-sour brisket, but the flavors here are more subtle.
This brisket is savory, aromatic, and subtly sweet with just a touch of tang. It’s always a crowd pleaser!
Jews living in Eastern Europe rarely had the money to buy better cuts of meat. They learned to make do with cheaper kosher cuts, like brisket, oft overlooked for its toughness. Cooking the brisket low and slow breaks it down, resulting in a tender piece of meat.
This Jewish tradition continues today, and brisket is often served for special holidays and occasions. On Shabbat, it is added to a pot with vegetables and potatoes to make a slow-cooked meaty stew known as cholent.
At Rosh Hashanah, it is added to root vegetables with sweet dried fruits and slow cooked into tzimmes.
When Ashkenazi Jewish immigrants came to the United States, they brought their love of brisket with them. Jewish deli owners pickled the brisket to make corned beef or pastrami. But for the holidays, nothing could replace the comforting, hearty flavor of an oven-roasted brisket.
How to make brisket tender
The secret to a cooking brisket is twofold– brisket fat and time are key for tender and delicious results. Choose a cut with nice marbling; the more fat you can see, the more tender the meat will be.
If buying grass fed (which tends to be leaner), make sure there is a fat layer and don’t let the butcher trim it. And of course, allow yourself plenty of time to cook your brisket.
If you can, make it a day or two ahead– the flavor will improve with time. More tips here: How to Cook Brisket – Tips and Recipes
My Holiday Brisket slow cooks for hours, so the final product flakes tenderly and simply melts in your mouth. The sauce is rich and flavorful, and the slow cooked vegetables are soft, like butter. The flavor is perfect for any special celebration, but particularly suited to the Jewish holidays. Enjoy!
What is traditionally served with Brisket?
Olive Oil Mashed Potatoes with Garlic and Rosemary
Roasted Rosemary Balsamic Tzimmes
Butternut Squash and Crispy Kale Bake
Green Beans with Balsamic Date Reduction Feta and Pine Nuts
Kale and Roasted Beet Salad with Maple Balsamic Dressing
Throwback Recording: In this radio interview with Joan Hamburg, we talked about this very brisket recipe, as well as Passover cooking. You can listen by clicking the triangle “play” button below.
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Food Photography and Styling by Kelly Jaggers
Holiday Brisket
Ingredients
- 5-7 pounds brisket, first or second cut (do not trim fat - especially if it's grass fed)
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 2 large brown onions, peeled and sliced
- 1 pound carrots, peeled and sliced
- 1 pound celery, peeled and sliced
- 28 ounces tomatoes - whole, diced, or crushed (1 large can)
- 10 peeled whole garlic cloves
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup vinegar (I like apple cider vinegar, but white vinegar works too)
- 2 cups beef or chicken broth, divided
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Rinse the brisket and pat dry. Rub both sides of the meat with black pepper and salt. Heat a large skillet over a medium flame on the stovetop. Drizzle 2 tbsp of olive oil into the pan. Brown the brisket on both sides—it will take 4-5 minutes per side. A large brisket may overlap the edges of the skillet; you can brown it in stages, letting half the brisket overlap the edge, then adjusting it to brown the other half.
- While brisket is browning, pour canned tomatoes, garlic, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, and 1 ½ cups broth into a blender or food processor. Add 2 tsp of salt (or 1 tsp if using a salted kosher cut of brisket) and ¼ tsp of black pepper. Pulse till garlic is chopped small and all ingredients are combined.
- Remove the browned brisket from the skillet.
- Drizzle 2 tbsp more olive oil in the pan and add the sliced onions. Saute them over medium high for a few minutes until they begin to soften and shrink in size.
- Add the carrot and celery slices. Sauté for another 5-6 minutes until the onions are soft and browning and the vegetables are fragrant.
- Pour the vegetables out of the skillet and onto a plate, reserve. Add 1/2 cup beef stock or chicken stock into the skillet and let it heat up. Use a spatula to gently scrape up any brown bits and pan juices that are clinging to the skillet. Turn off heat.
- Pour half of the tomato mixture into a large roasting pan.
- Place brisket on top of the tomato sauce, fat cap facing up.
- Pour the sauteed vegetables across the top of the brisket, along with the broth and brown bits.
- Pour the remaining tomato sauce over the top of the vegetables and brisket.
- Cover the roasting pan tightly with a layer of parchment paper followed by a layer of foil. The parchment forms a protective layer between the meat and sauce (which is acidic) and the foil.
- Place brisket in the oven. Let it roast undisturbed for 5 to 7 hours. It will take about 1 hour per pound of meat (leaner cuts of meat like grass fed may take longer—test for doneness). Brisket is ready when it flakes tenderly when pierced with a fork. You can let it cook even longer for a soft, shredded texture if that’s what you prefer. When fully cooked, the brisket will have shrunk in size.I recommend making this brisket ahead; allowing it to sit in the refrigerator for 1-2 nights will improve the flavor. If you would like to do this, skip ahead to where it says “Make Ahead Directions.” If you are not making ahead, continue reading.
- Remove brisket from the pan and let it rest on the cutting board fat-side up for 20-30 minutes. Meanwhile, pour the sauce and vegetables from the roasting pan into a smaller saucepan. Skim fat from the surface of the cooking sauce, then reheat the sauce till hot (not boiling).Cut fat cap off the brisket, then cut the brisket in thin slices against the grain. Serve topped with hot tomato sauce and softened veggies.
- Make Ahead Directions: Open the foil to vent and let the brisket slowly return to room temperature. Switch the brisket and sauce to a ceramic or glass dish (metal from the roasting pan can react with the acid in the sauce, which can cause an off taste if left to sit). Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator. Let the brisket chill overnight, or up to two days. You can also freeze the brisket if you prefer.
- 1-2 hours before serving, remove the brisket from the refrigerator and preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. The fat in the sauce will have risen to the top, turned white, and solidified. Use a spoon to scoop the fat bits out of the sauce and discard.
- Take the brisket out of the dish and brush any excess sauce back into the dish. Place brisket on a cutting board, fat-side up. Slice the meat cold—first cut the fat cap off the brisket, then cut the brisket in thin slices against the grain.
- Return the sliced meat to the dish and spoon sauce over it, making sure to spoon a little sauce between each slice. Cover the dish with a layer of parchment paper, then with foil, and place it in the oven.
- Let the brisket roast for 45-60 minutes until heated through. You can cook the brisket even longer to let it become more tender, if you wish. Serve with hot sauce and softened veggies. If you prefer, you can use a slow cooker to reheat. Set the slow cooker to high heat and cook until heated through, about 1 hour.
NOTES
Nutrition
Can you, or one of your readers, recommend a time and a temp setting (low vs high) for using a crock pot?
Thanks!
Aud
Aud, you can use the ingredients in this recipe with the slow cooker temp/timing instructions from this post: https://toriavey.com/toris-kitchen/savory-slow-cooker-brisket/ it may need a bit longer to cook if you’re using a 7 pound brisket.
Having a brisket catastrophe! I removed most of the gravy while cooling and put in a separate container as I was not serving the same day. The container slipped out of my hands while covering and I lost 3/4 of it 🙁 Don’t know what’s worse, the clean up or the fact that now I don’t have enough gravy! Anything you recommend I could whip up to improvise for when I’m reheating the brisket tonight? Also what temperature do you recommend reheating at? I had 2 briskets totaling 7 lbs that I left in for 7.5 hrs. I fear they are on the tough side so I guess I should leave in longer on the reheat? Thanks!
Oh dear! I would recommend simmering chicken or beef broth on the stove – a quart or so. Meanwhile in a separate dish, whisk together 2 tbsp cornstarch and 2 tbsp cold water. Stir the starch into the stock and let it simmer for a few minutes to thicken. You may need to add more of the cornstarch/water mixture, just take it slow because if you add too much you’ll get an overly thick gravy. You only want it slightly thickened, as it will continue to cook down in the oven as brisket reheats. Season with salt and pepper to taste. This will create a simple sauce for reheating the brisket and cooking further if needed – 2 cups per brisket, more or less. You can always add some additional stock if it seems dry. Once the brisket is tender to your liking, you can thicken the sauce further with additional cornstarch on the stovetop as needed using the same method outlined above (always adding starch to cold water and stirring first, otherwise it will get lumpy in the sauce!). Good luck 🙂
Hi Tori can i add ketchup and paprika?
Hi Evelyn! A bit of paprika would be fine. Ketchup would make it too sweet for my taste, as it already has brown sugar. But that’s a personal preference!
Tori made many different briskets over the last 25 years and 3 years ago came across this recipe because I always liked trying different ones! Now everyone keeps telling me not to try any other! This year I have in the oven (2) 4 pound briskets and I actually only use a 14oz can of diced tomatoes and 1 1/2 cups of beef broth and get plenty of gravy. This is a keeper! DELICIOUS! Thank you and a sweet New Year
L’Shanah Tovah Joyce! xo
I want to know what the benefit to searing the brisket first, also can l use balsamic vinegar
Searing adds more flavor. I do not recommend balsamic in this particular recipe.
Could you cook this recipe in a dutch oven rather than a roasting pan with aluminum foil? I imagine the dutch oven has a tighter seal.
Yes no problem.
Hi,
If I want to make this brisket with sweet potatoes, prunes, etc, do I need to add more liquid and should I cook it with the brisket from the beginning?
Hi Lisa, I cannot advise on this modification as I have never tried it with this particular recipe. I’m not sure if the tzimmes (prunes, sweet potatoes) flavor would clash with the tomatoes. I usually make my tzimmes on stovetop to serve alongside the brisket: https://toriavey.com/toris-kitchen/stovetop-tzimmes/
Looks amazing. I would love to use this recipe for Rosh Hashanah this year.
I have two 5 lb briskets.
How long should I cook them for? 10 hrs?
I saw that someone had cooked a 10 lb brisket for 10 hrs and that was too long.
Hi Leigh, Tori’s assistant Ashley here. The general rule is one hour per pound of meat, or until it reaches an internal temp of 175 degrees and is fork tender.
I think what Leigh was wondering (because I have the same question) is whether if you have two 5 pound briskets, the cooking time would be closer to 5 hours or 10 hours. Any thoughts on that?
Hi Beth and Leigh,
I’ve done a bit of research online and it looks as though it will take closer to 5 hours to cook, though you may need a little extra time. Hope this helps!
Hi i am cooking brisket for Rosh Hashanah this year, i am getting 10 pound from kosher butcher , i asked for 1st cut. how long should i cook it for, and temp ?
Hi Natalie, Tori’s assistant Ashley here. The oven should be set to 300 degrees F and the meat should cook for about 1 hour per pound of meat, so in this case about 10 hours.
You have to say this is Heaven. I sear mine on a very hot Weber BBQ first to lock in flavor and moisture and thus caramelize the fat before placing with the vegetables. How do you make a 6lbs brisket disappear in a crowd… ^^^^^^^ that’s how. Then come the complaints.. have your more!!
Hi Tori,
This recipe looks fabulous. Just a few questions: would you adjust the roasting time in those dark heavy speckled roasting pans with lids [graniteware]? I find it cooks much faster. Also, how many fresh tomatoes would you use & how would you prepare them before hand.
Thanks so much!
Rosalie
Hi Rosalie, I don’t have any graniteware so really not sure how to advise you here. If it tends to cook faster in this type of cooking pot, you may want to reduce the heat to 275 degrees– low and slow cooking will yield the best result here. If you do that, be sure to give yourself extra cooking time in case it takes longer to become tender. If using fresh tomatoes, use 3 1/2 cups of diced tomatoes. Enjoy!
Made it, loved it. The only change I made was to poke some holes in the brisket and stuff in a garlic clove. The slow roasting created sweet tasty garlic and imparted it’s flavor into the meat.
Months ago I was Searching for a way to cook brisket that would come out tender, and happened upon your recipe. While it wasn’t quite what I was looking for, I made it, using a slow cooker, without otherwise tinkering with the recipe. The result was so good that it has become my “go-to” recipe for brisket. I usually cut back a bit on the brown sugar and vinegar, and I prefer to start the veggies in my sauté pan and then brown the meat. I also just whisk the sauce ingredients in a bowl and remove the garlic later after cooking.
My parents spent the last 20 years of their lives in Texas, and tender brisket (precooked) was widely available. It appeared to be dry roasted but was perhaps done in a smoker. Without buying a smoker, have you any suggestions for a dry-roasted brisket done in the oven?
The other recipe of yours that I have made more than a dozen times is the Israeli salad. It’s even good without mushrooms, or with snipped sun-dried tomatoes substituted for fresh. How else to get 5-6 veggies into one’s diet in one day? Kudos! And thanks!
So glad you’re enjoying the recipes Margo! The only dry brisket recipe I have on the site is for pastrami, which is cured. That recipe is here: https://toriavey.com/toris-kitchen/2014/03/homemade-pastrami/ I will keep it in mind for a future post!
AMAZING! Cooked mine (7lbs) at 275 for 7 hours. In the fridge for dinner tomorrow. Followed directions exactly. Best brisket I ever made!
I am of Italian descent, and we are not known for cooking beef roasts of any kind. I prepared a 3 lb brisket, following the recipe, (except no celery & using fresh tomatoes) and cooked it for 3.5 hours at 300F in a glass corningware casserole dish. It was great-fork tender and juicy. Even my 19 yr old daughter ate it without comments. I will definitely prepare it again.
MADE THIS FOR PASSOVER! IT CAME OUT GREAT!
i made this brisket for Passover, and it was the highlight of the evening!!
i cant wait to make it again,thanks for this awesome recipe 🙂
Mom stopped making holiday dinners a few years ago because it was too much for her, and we started going to dinners at other folk’s homes. In two weeks she’s moving into a very nice assisted living community, so, I’m making my very first Pesach dinner for her last holiday in her apartment. Fingers crossed, it sounds delicious and smelled heavenly as it cooked.
De. Lish. Us. Raves all around. Thank you!!
Fabulous! 🙂
This brisket is awesome. I made it on Sunday and we ate it for the second seder on Tuesday. A 5 1/2 lb brisket — cooked it for 5 1/2 hours. Delicious. Even my Brisket adverse family loved it. Great leftovers as well. I’ve made a few briskets in the past but this one is by far, the absolute best. Thanks Tori for this and other great recipes.
I made my brisket and vegetables in a crock pot yesterday, and put the crock pot in the fridge overnight. How would you recommend I reheat the dish? Same as above 350 for 1-2 hours? Or will this overcook it?
Depends on how well it is done. If it was cooked to the tenderness you like, then reheating at 350 for 45 minutes – 1 hour should be sufficient. You can also use your slow cooker’s “hot” setting to heat it up until heated through.