*Braised brisket is synonymous with Jewish holidays. You would be hard-pressed to go to a Passover or Sukkot celebration and not find brisket somewhere on the menu. Most of my Jewish friends are fiercely loyal to their mother or grandmother’s brisket recipe, just as they should be. In case you do not come from a long lineage of brisket-specialists, here is a recipe to get your own tradition started.
Ingredients
3 pound beef brisket, fat trimmed
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
6 cups onion, sliced thin
2 tablespoons brown sugar
6 medium garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon tomato paste
1/4 cup flour
1/2 cup dry red wine
2 cups beef broth
4 bay leaves
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
Directions
1) Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
2) Rub the brisket with salt and pepper on all sides. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over high heat. Brown the brisket on both sides, 5 minutes each. Transfer the brisket to a large plate and set aside.
3) Reduce the heat to medium. Cook the onions, brown sugar, and a pinch of salt in the Dutch oven. Cook stirring frequently for 10 minutes. Stir in the garlic and tomato paste and cook for 30 seconds. Stir in the flour and cook 1 minute. Slowly stir in the wine to deglaze the pan. Cook 1 minute. Stir in the beef broth and bay leaves.
4) Return the brisket to the pot and bring the liquid to a simmer.
5) Cover the pot and transfer to the oven. Cook approximately 3 hours.
6) Discard the bay leaves. Transfer the brisket to a cutting board and let it sit for 15 minutes. Stir the vinegar into the onions and sauce.
7) Slice the brisket thin and across the grain. Transfer to a serving platter. Spoon sauce over the brisket and serve.
*Recipe by Shelley Neese, vice president of The Jerusalem Connection. Click here for her articles and videos.