This classic Jewish brisket recipe is perfect for any celebration including Passover or Rosh Hashanah! It’s tender, sweet and juicy and slow cooked in a caramelized onion and tomato sauce that truly everyone at the table will love. If you’re looking for a go-to oven braised brisket recipe you can count on this one to deliver!
Maven’s Tips for the Perfect Oven Brisket
Dry brine your brisket. While not crucial to the final product I do find a good dry brine with kosher salt leads to a more flavorful and tender meat.
Bring brisket to room temp. Before searing your brisket I recommend removing it from the dry brine in the fridge and bringing it to room temperature. This allows for a more even cook.
Slice your brisket in half. If cooking + searing in the dutch oven like I do I’d recommend slicing your brisket in half so you can sear in two separate pieces.
Sear your brisket. The sear is crucial for getting that crusty layer around the outside. The inside will then slow cook in the oven.
Cook low and slow. Don’t rush it! You’ll know your brisket is ready when your meat thermometers reads 130 degrees. Undercooked brisket is no bueno so be patient!
Rest + get saucy. Allow your brisket to rest before serving. You’ll then cut against the grain and place back into the sauce for the most delicious brisket recipe ever!
Lately I’ve been really leaning into my Jewish heritage. Things have not been the most positive for the Jewish community lately and it’s felt good to lean into some Jewish joy. That for me means cooking because most Jews can relate to the idea that food = love. One such recipe is my bubby’s brisket recipe. Now to be fair her’s included a ton of ketchup and I’m pretty sure there was also coca cola so this is a bit of a take on her recipe but it tastes delicious none the less.
I’ve literally been spending weeks perfecting this oven brisket recipe. Now that I’ve got the ingredients down I plan to expand on it by trying it out in the slow cooker and Instant Pot. But given that I’ve probably eaten about 20 lbs of brisket in the last few weeks I could use a bit of a break. But for now enjoy my perfect for Passover brisket recipe!
What is Brisket?
Brisket is a cut of beef that comes from the lower chest or breast of the cow. It’s typically a tough, muscular cut with a lot of connective tissue but when cooked well—usually through slow cooking methods like braising, smoking, or slow roasting—the connective tissue breaks down and it becomes incredibly tender.
There are a couple of different styles of brisket including this braised brisket recipe that is common in Jewish cuisine. It can also be found in barbecue (Texas-style smoked brisket) or in dishes like corned beef or pastrami.
Ingredients Needed
- Beef Brisket – see note below regarding cut. You’ll likely need to slice in half in order to sear it.
- Salt + Pepper – for brining the brisket.
- Paprika – I like using smoked paprika but sweet paprika also works great.
- Sweet Onions – two sliced sweet onions. Yellow onions will also work but I prefer the taste of sweet onions in my brisket.
- Garlic – use freshly chopped garlic.
- Tomato Paste – a whole can.
- Diced Tomatoes – 1 14.5 oz can of crushed or diced tomatoes. Either will work.
- Maple Syrup – you can also use brown sugar or another sweetener if preferred.
- Beef Stock – You can use any kind of stock here but my go-to is beef stock.
- Red Wine – You can use any red wine you have laying around. Pro-tip! Save bottles of wine you didn’t finish to use in cooking.
- Carrots – try to cut them into even sizes so they cook evenly.
- Potatoes – I use whole baby potatoes for ease but you can chop up some yellow potatoes if desired.
- Fresh Herbs – I like a mix of thyme, rosemary and sage but use what you prefer!
Pick the Right Cut
Point Cut or Flat Cut Brisket both work. My preference is for the point cut since it’s bit juicier and more flavorful (it tends to have more fat) but flat cut brisket also works great.
How to Make Oven Roasted Brisket
STEP 1: BRINE BRISKET
Place your brisket on a baking sheet and top with kosher salt, black pepper and paprika. Use your hands to make sure the brisket is well coated. Cover and store in the fridge overnight. Remove brisket 1 hour before cooking.
STEP 2: SEAR BRISKET
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. If your dutch oven or cooking vessel is too small for your brisket slice it in half. Add 1 tbsp of olive oil to your dutch oven and over medium-high heat sear your brisket on each side until it’s nice and golden (3-5 minutes per side). Repeat with other piece if you sliced it in half. Make 10 small cuts into the brisket and nestle the garlic cloves into those cuts. Don’t worry if some fall out.
STEP 3: CARAMELIZE ONIONS
Add remaining 1 tbsp of olive oil to your dutch oven and lower heat to medium-low. Stir in your sweet onions. Cook for 7-10 minutes or until they’ve begun to caramelize. Stir in the tomato paste in the last minute of cooking. Be sure to scrape the bottom of the pan to remove any flavorful cooked bits! You can add a splash of the beef stock to deglaze your pan, if required. Add in diced tomatoes, maple syrup, beef stock and red wine.
STEP 4: SLOW COOK BRISKET
Nestle your brisket into the sauce so it’s well covered. Top with chopped carrots and potatoes. Add in your fresh herbs. Cover and cook your brisket in the oven for 3-3.5 hours. Use a meat thermometer to test your brisket at 3 hours. You’ll know it’s done when the internal temperature reaches 195-205 degrees F.
STEP 5: REST + SLICE
Remove your brisket from the sauce and allow to rest for 20 minutes. Remove fresh herbs and discard. Slice brisket against the grain and then add back into your sauce or pour sauce over brisket. Serve with cooked carrots and potatoes and lots of sauce!
Brisket FAQs
No this step is optional but I highly recommend it since it helps to build a lot of flavor.
Yes for sure. Just be sure you have a big enough cooking vessel for such a large brisket. I typically will use a large aluminum pan and tent it with a aluminum foil if i’m going to cook a huge brisket.
As I mentioned above you can always use a large pan and cover it with aluminum foil if you don’t have a dutch oven or oven-safe dish with a top.
Yes you can. Just be sure to sear your brisket first and then caramelized your onions before throwing everything into a slow cooker to cook for 6-8 hours.
I recommend slicing against the grain. Use a large serrated knife (a bread knife works great) for easier cutting. I find it easier to see the grain of the meat before it’s cooked and I usually take a picture to help orient myself!
I recommend leaving about a 1/4 of the fat cap on your brisket. This helps to infuse your brisket with fatty flavor but won’t leave it super blubbery on top!
Your brisket is ready when the internal temperature reaches 195-205 degrees F. Use a meat thermometer to test.
Storage Instructions
Store your brisket in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat leftovers in the oven, on the stove top or in the microwave.
Freezing: Yes you can freeze your cooked brisket. Store in a large aluminum baking dish that is covered tightly with a top, more aluminum foil and/or plastic wrap. Allow to thaw overnight before reheating in the oven.
More Jewish Recipes You’ll Love:
Brisket Recipe
This classic Jewish brisket recipe is perfect for any celebration including Passover or Rosh Hashanah! It’s tender, sweet and juicy and slow cooked in a caramelized onion and tomato sauce that truly everyone at the table will love. If you’re looking for a go-to oven braised brisket recipe you can count on this one to deliver!
- Prep Time: 12 hours
- Cook Time: 3 hours
- Total Time: 15 hours
- Yield: 10 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Cook
- Diet: Gluten Free
- 5–6 lb beef brisket
- 1 tbsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp smoked or sweet paprika
- 10 garlic cloves, peeled + kept whole
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 large sweet onions, sliced
- 6 oz tomato paste
- 14.5 oz can diced or crushed tomatoes
- 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
- 2 cups beef stock
- 1 cup red wine
- 4 carrots , peeled + chopped
- 1 lb baby potatoes
- 1/4 cup fresh herbs (thyme, bay leaf, sage, rosemary etc…)
- Place your brisket on a baking sheet and top with kosher salt, black pepper and paprika. Use your hands to make sure the brisket is well coated. Cover and store in the fridge overnight.
- Remove brisket 1 hour before cooking.
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
- If your dutch oven or cooking vessel is too small for your brisket slice it in half.
- Add 1 tbsp of olive oil to your dutch oven and over medium-high heat sear your brisket on each side until it’s nice and golden (3-5 minutes per side). Repeat with other piece if you sliced it in half.
- Make 10 small cuts into the brisket and nestle the garlic cloves into those cuts. Don’t worry if some fall out.
- Add remaining 1 tbsp of olive oil to your dutch oven and lower heat to medium-low. Stir in your sweet onions. Cook for 7-10 minutes or until they’ve begun to caramelize. Stir in the tomato paste in the last minute of cooking. Be sure to scrape the bottom of the pan to remove any flavorful cooked bits! You can add a splash of the beef stock to deglaze your pan, if required.
- Add in diced tomatoes, maple syrup, beef stock and red wine.
- Nestle your brisket into the sauce so it’s well covered.
- Top with chopped carrots and potatoes.
- Add in your fresh herbs. It will be a tight squeeze but don’t worry – it will cook down over time.
- Cover and cook your brisket in the oven for 3-3.5 hours. Use a meat thermometer to test your brisket. You’ll know it’s done when the internal temperature reaches 195-205 degrees F.
- Remove your brisket from the sauce and allow to rest for 20 minutes. Remove fresh herbs and discard.
- Slice brisket against the grain and then add back into your sauce.
- Serve with cooked carrots and potatoes and lots of sauce!
