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
NOTES
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.
Susan F Corn says
I just took this out of the oven for the holiday, and I am so happy! Best brisket EVER Thank you Tori 🙂
Tori Avey says
Yay!! So happy to hear that 🙂
Dave S says
Hi Tori
I’m getting ready to make this brisket. Maybe this is kind of a dumb question…I’ve heard of yellow, sweet, red, and white onions, but I’ve never heard of brown onions, or at least never seen them referred to that way in the grocery store. I’m just planning on using regular yellow onions, but I was just curious about brown onions.
Tori Avey says
Yellow or white is fine.
michelle says
I need to make without tomato. Any suggestions to modify existing ingredients for replacing ?
Tori Avey says
Try this one instead: https://toriavey.com/toris-kitchen/savory-herb-braised-brisket/
Ida says
I’d really like to make this brisket for the holidays however I do not have a roasting pan. Can I use a foil roasting pan or will it produce an off taste?
Tori Avey says
You can use it to cook the brisket, but I would not use it to store in the refrigerator for any length of time due to the acid in the sauce.
Barry Brooks says
Forgot the 5 stars!!!!!!
Barry Brooks says
It’s not Rosh Hashanah at my house without Tori’s brisket recipe. Always a family favorite and easy enough to make. Thanks Tori.
Alison says
Could I use coconut sugar in place of the brown sugar…I’m worried it will be too sweet. Is it more savory/tangy than sweet? Thank you and Happy New Year 🙂
Tori Avey says
You can, but I prefer brown sugar here. It’s really not that sweet, I would say it veers towards savory/tangy. However if you’re concerned and want something more savory, you can always try one of these instead:
https://toriavey.com/toris-kitchen/savory-herb-braised-brisket/
https://toriavey.com/toris-kitchen/savory-slow-cooker-brisket/
L’shana tova!
Mindy says
Would it work if made ahead and it rested more than 2 days? I have to travel Friday to Sunday before the holiday this year and would love to make it ahead of travel so I don’t have to worry about having to make everything day of the holiday.
Tori Avey says
I wouldn’t make it more than three days ahead unless you plan on freezing it. If you make it Thursday it should be fine for serving Sunday evening, but for food safety I’m not sure I would make it much further ahead than that for keeping in the fridge. Make sure you refrigerate it right after you cook it, and store in a shallow airtight container or tightly wrapped in plastic wrap to extend freshness.
Rich says
Sounds like a great recipe. Thinking about trying it. I have one question. Where’s the kasha!
Tori Avey says
Here ya go: https://toriavey.com/toris-kitchen/kasha-varnishkes-kasha-and-bows/ 🙂
Lynne says
If I cook 2 3-4lb briskets should I cook for 6-8 lbs or just the 3 to 4.?
Tori Avey says
You mean regarding cook times? My guess is it will be closer to the cook time for a 6-8 lb. brisket, but you should check it a bit earlier to make sure they don’t overcook to be on the safe side.
Susie Simerly says
Am new to your website but enjoying it very much. I plan to make this for a family meal in October. I’ve read over the instructions. Curious about “peeling the celery”.
Susan says
Holiday Brisket..
Been making this recipe for yrs..
It is the best..I do add Bennett’s Chile sauce..
Christine Paull says
Thank you so much for this recipe! It’s going to be made in time for The New Year. HAPPY New year to you and your family.
Tori Avey says
Chag Sameach! 🙂
Lynda says
House smells amazing! Just took the brisket out of the oven and had a little taste of the sauce and veggies – yum! Will slice meat tomorrow and package everything up for the freezer. Can hardly wait to serve on Rosh Hashanah!
Tori Avey says
Enjoy Lynda!
Leah says
Thank you for your suggestions. I am looking forward to trying the savory brisket. I promise to give you all the credit if it comes out well. 🙂
Tori Avey says
Hope you enjoy it!
Leah Zielinski says
Hi Tori,
Your recipe sounds great and I would love to try it, but we have dietary restrictions of no sugar and I was wondering if it’s ok to eliminate the sugar, and if I need to replace it with another ingredient.
Thank you in advance for your response.
Happy New Year. Leah
Tori Avey says
Hi Leah! I would worry that this recipe will taste too tart without the sugar. If I were you, I would try this one instead, which is so tasty: https://toriavey.com/toris-kitchen/savory-herb-braised-brisket/ Or you could try this one, which includes tomatoes and doesn’t really need the sugar to be great: https://toriavey.com/toris-kitchen/west-african-brisket/ Chag Sameach!
steven says
Your recipe looks awesome. My wife and I love brisket but have never prepared it in this way. Cannot wait to try it, it looks fabulous, Thanks again.
Beth says
I made Jewish brisket for years… but haven’t made it in a while, now… I always added potatoes to the end of the process… how would you suggest adding potatoes to your recipe?
Tori Avey says
Depends on if you’re roasting it or cooking it in the slow cooker. In the slow cooker you should add them from the beginning, and keep an eye on the liquid levels because the potatoes will soak in a lot of liquid. In the roasting pan you could add potato chunks or peeled baby potatoes 2 hours or so before the end of cooking, and again keep an eye on liquid levels.
Shari says
Soft as butter with a wonderful sweet and tangy sauce. I used 1st cut brisket and organic carrots and celery. Instead of apple cider vinegar (didn’t have any) I used rice vinegar. I let it sit in fridge overnight and followed reheating directions. Will definitely make again.
Robert Seidel says
This the best brisket recipe that I ever found. I have been responsible for the Passover and holiday briskets for many years. This was one of the easiest and direct recipes. I added mushrooms and that was great. I made ahead and froze the sliced portions to be ready to transport to my family. Only one change for the next time, I would check the brisket earlier than the one hour per pound. Thanks.