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Moroccan-Style Brisket with Dried Fruit & Capers

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By Jenn Segal
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This Moroccan-style brisket is so abundant and impressive looking, you can keep the sides super simple.

Moroccan Brisket on a large plate.

As a special treat for Passover, I’m delighted to give you a sneak peek of one of my favorite recipes from my new cookbook, Once Upon a Chef, The Cookbook: 100 Tested, Perfected, and Family-Approved Recipes. Perfect for the Jewish holiday or any special family dinner, this Moroccan-style brisket recipe is a wonderful twist on Nach Waxman’s “most-Googled brisket recipe” that I’ve been making for years. The ingredient list looks long but don’t let that scare you off; it’s really just a lot of spices. Plus, you can make it days ahead of time — in fact, you should because the flavor improves the longer it sits.

This dish is so abundant and impressive looking, you can keep the sides simple: some cauliflower purée and a green vegetable and your holiday dinner is done.

Note that butchers typically sell two types of brisket: flat cut and point cut. These two pieces together make up a full brisket, a large slab of muscle from the cow’s chest. The point cut has more marbling, while the flat cut (also called first cut or center cut) is lean but topped with a thick fat cap.

This recipe calls for a flat cut brisket. Don’t let your butcher trim all the fat off! A small fat cap bastes the meat, adding flavor and keeping it from getting dry and tough. You can trim any excess fat off of the brisket and skim the fat off the gravy once it’s cooked.

Moroccan Brisket in a baking dish.

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Moroccan-Style Brisket with Dried Fruit & Capers

Metric Cup Measures
By Jenn Segal
Once Upon a Chef, The Cookbook: 100 Tested, Perfected, and Family-Approved Recipes

This Moroccan-style brisket is so abundant and impressive looking, you can keep the sides super simple.

Servings: 8
Total Time: 4 Hours

Ingredients

  • One (4- to 6-lb) flat-cut brisket
  • 1 heaping Tbsp kosher salt
  • 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 1½ Tbsp all-purpose flour (okay to substitute matzo cake meal)
  • 3 Tbsp vegetable oil
  • 5 medium yellow onions, cut into slices ½ in thick
  • 2 tsp packed light brown sugar
  • 2 tsp paprika
  • 1½ tsp ground cumin
  • 1¼ tsp ground ginger
  • ¾ tsp ground coriander
  • ¾ tsp ground cinnamon
  • ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
  • 2 Tbsp tomato paste
  • 5 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
  • 6 carrots, peeled and quartered on the diagonal
  • 14 dried apricots
  • 12 pitted prunes
  • 2 Tbsp capers, drained
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh Italian parsley

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and set an oven rack in the middle position.
  2. Season the brisket on both sides with the salt and pepper. Lightly dust with the flour, turning to coat both sides evenly.
  3. In a heavy flameproof roasting pan or ovenproof enameled cast-iron pot just large enough to hold the brisket, carrots, and dried fruits snugly, heat the oil over medium‑high heat. Add the brisket to the pan, fatty-side down, and sear until browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Using a pair of tongs and a large fork, flip the brisket over and sear the other side in the same manner.
  4. Transfer the brisket to a platter, and then add the onions to the pan. (If the pan seems dry, add a few tablespoons of water.) Cook, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon and scraping up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pan, until the onions are softened and golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes.
  5. Add the brown sugar, paprika, cumin, ginger, coriander, cinnamon, and cayenne to the onions and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute more. Add 1 cup water and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
  6. Remove from the heat and place the brisket, fatty‑side up, and any accumulated juices from the platter on top of the onions. Spread the tomato paste evenly over the brisket, and then scatter the garlic around it. Cover the pan very tightly with heavy‑duty aluminum foil or a lid, transfer to the oven, and cook for 1½ hours.
  7. Carefully transfer the brisket to a cutting board (leave the oven on). Using an electric or very sharp knife, cut the meat across the grain on a diagonal into thin slices (aim for 1⁄8 to ¼ in thick). Return the slices to the pot, overlapping them at an angle so that you can see a bit of the top edge of each slice. The end result should resemble the original unsliced brisket leaning slightly backward. Scatter the carrots, apricots, prunes, and capers around the edges of the pot and baste with the sauce; cover tightly with the foil or lid and return to the oven.
  8. Lower the heat to 325°F and cook the brisket until it is fork‑tender, 1¾ to 2½ hours. Transfer the brisket to a serving platter, and then sprinkle with parsley. If you’re not planning to serve the brisket right away, let it cool to room temperature and then cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
  9. Note: If the sauce seems greasy, transfer the meat and vegetables to a platter and cover with foil to keep warm. Pour the sauce into a bowl and let sit until the fat rises to the top. Using a small ladle, spoon out the fat. Pour the skimmed gravy back over the meat.
  10. Make-Ahead Instructions: The brisket can be made up to 3 days ahead of time and refrigerated. Reheat the brisket in a 300°F oven until hot, about 45 minutes. Brisket also freezes well for up to 2 months; just be sure to defrost in the refrigerator 2 days ahead of time.

Pair with

Nutrition Information

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  • Calories: 820
  • Fat: 56 g
  • Saturated fat: 21 g
  • Carbohydrates: 36 g
  • Sugar: 13 g
  • Fiber: 4 g
  • Protein: 43 g
  • Sodium: 901 mg
  • Cholesterol: 213 mg
Nutritional Data Disclaimer

This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.

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  • I cannot say enough about this recipe. I’ve made it twice and we were so blown away that this was bookmarked for future special occasions in our family. However, it’s been a while since I’ve made it so I am making it again tonight for no special occasion. He-he. The store nearby sells full flat briskets in 8+ lbs, so I cut it in half, one goes in a freezer and one gets made the same day. The flavors are so curated and even carrots become a dessert. Just in general, I’ve become such a fan of this site/this chef that i think anything she puts out here is tried and perfected so if one is up for a good challenge and follows recipes to the T, they will be blown away each time. Just amazing!

  • I was so happy to see a “Moroccan” recipe that actually uses Moroccan spices, prunes and apricots.
    I was leery of slicing the meat before further cooking but since this is your recipe I knew I could trust it 🙂
    The meat is truly “fork tender”, the prunes and apricots melted sweetness, and the amount of onions was spot on.
    I made it the night before for serving and it was still good 2 days later.
    Thank you for developing a brisket that I actually enjoy!

  • Hey Jen,
    Cooking this recipe today for Xmas. What type of container would you recommend for freezing. I’d like to keep the brisket and in tact and present as pictured.
    Thanks

    • Hi Colleen, if you have room in your freezer and can spare the pan, you can freeze it right in the pan that you cooked it. If not, any airtight container will do.

      • It’s the 9 quart oval Le Crueset. Have you ever tried to freezing in one of them? Just curious. I do have space in my freezer but am concerned about it being “air tight”.

        • Hi Colleen, I haven’t and I’d be concerned that there would be too much air in the container. I’d suggest using something that’s smaller and will just fit the brisket.

  • Hi Jenn – Do you use prime or choice cuts of brisket for this recipe? Thanks. Kathy

    • Hi Kathy, It depends on what’s available — often I can only find choice — but I’d go with prime if you can find it.

  • this looks amazing! we have a family member with an allergy to carrots, what would be an acceptable substitute? thanks so much!

    • Hi Lisa, You could use turnips or potatoes in place of the carrots. Hope you enjoy!

  • Thank you for the description of brisket and the types of cuts you can get from the butcher.

    The flavor profile you developed with this dish was amazing. Hove you tried this dish with other cuts of eat? I am considering using this recipe for venison with potentially a small amount of chuck added to increase the fat content.

    • Glad you liked it! I’ve only used brisket for this. If you try it with another cut/type of meat, I’d love to hear how it turns out!

  • Hello, I got a 12 lb brisket with a massive fat cap on it. I cut a portion that was evenly thick. I trimmed off some of the fat cap that was over an inch thick. Generally speaking, how much fat should I leave on top so that I don’t get an overly fatty sauce? I will post a picture later tonight after I prepare it!
    Regards,
    Bryan Cavaliere

    • Hi Bryan, a fat cap between 1/8 and 1/4 inch is ideal. Hope that helps and that you enjoy the brisket! 🙂

  • If I halved the recipe, how long should I cook it for?

    • Hi Chris, If you’re halving the recipe, after the first 90 minutes in the oven and slicing the brisket, it’ll need less time back in the oven, but hard to say how much. I’d start checking it at about 1 hour and 30 minutes. (You’ll know it’s done when it’s fork-tender.) Hope you enjoy!

  • Which of your salad dressings would be good options to go with this brisket to have on a salad with lettuce and veggies for a side? I was wanting to serve it with a creamy one. Also, would your Potatoes Au Gratin recipe go with this as a side?

    • Hi Heather, If you’re okay with a non-creamy option, the dressing from this Moroccan Carrot and Chickpea Salad would be nice. For creamy options, you could consider this Creamy Greek Yogurt Dressing or Creamy Feta Dressing. I do think you could get away with the potatoes au gratin as a side or if you wanted something a little more “Moroccan,” you could go with couscous. Hope that helps!

      • Thank you! That is very helpful. I like the idea of keeping this meal “Moroccan.” Would your Basmati Rice Pilaf with Dried Fruit and Almonds go along with this meat/ theme as a side?

    • Would your Potatoes Au Gratin go better with the Onion-Braised Beef Brisket?

  • Could this be done in a tagine pot instead of in the oven? Thank you.

    • Hi Judy, I do’t have any experience cooking with a tagine, so I can’t say from experience, but I think it should work. Please LMK how it turns out if you try it!

  • Amazing! Thank you so much! You’ve won me “good wife” points— so appreciated!
    I made it in the slow cooker and it was super tender and my family ate it up.

  • Made this brisket tonight with plan to serve it for dinner two days from now. The brisket looks & smells great. I have lots of juice & I’m wondering if you thicken the juice to make a gravy; if so, could you please provide some guidance for turning the juice into a thick gravy?

    • You can thicken up the sauce if you’d like — just put it in a saucepan and simmer it over low heat until it thickens to the level you’d like. Hope you enjoy!

  • I love the Moroccan aromas in the house! My question… after finding a gorgeous brisket from my local ‘craft’ butcher here in Denver, I was disappointed that the texture was not soft (fork cut-able). My guests assured me that the outcome was not too tough but I disagreed. Followed the recipe to a T .. the brisket was roughly 6 lbs and too large for my cast iron pot so I cut it in half and made ‘two’ – one was in a larger pot that left about 5″ above the meat, the second was in a more shallow cast iron that left less room around the brisket. Both have heavy lids. Is a ‘roasting’ pan very different from cast iron? Could that be the issue? (Thank you, Jenn, for all the wonderful recipes, I could not cook without you).

    • Hi Jill, The roasting pan and the cast iron pan should not impact the texture of the meat. And while brisket gets somewhat tender while it cooks, I’ve never had one that was fork cut-able. It definitely still has some “chew.” So, it really doesn’t sound like you did anything wrong!

      • Would a Dutch oven work to cook it in?

        • Sure, Assuming it’s large enough to hold everything, it would work. Please LMK how it turns out if you try it!

  • Best beef brisket I have ever had. I made it the day before and let it sit in the refrigerator and then heated it up today, phenomenal

  • Would adding one cup of white wine be good instead of cup cup of water?

    • Hi Emily, I think wine would work here but would suggest using 1/2 a cup of water and 1/2 a cup of wine. Hope you enjoy!

  • Shana tovah! I served this brisket on the holiday and the entire platter was gone in no time…(even the kids loved it) thank you for another keeper!
    P.S. I froze it and it reheated beautifully
    For a lighter meal I made your meatloaf and it was a hit as well.
    ( I did your bbq turkey recipe (subbed chicken) and your meat recipe and did a 2 tone. Thank you

  • Shana tovah! Jenn, this was delicious! It’s now my favorite brisket recipe, and I’m not a huge fan of brisket. I loved it! The brisket got a little dried out after refrigerating it, but I added a cup of water before warming it up and serving it. It was perfect! Many thanks!

  • Hi I’m making this brisket now for rosh hashana…should I freeze it with the veggies and sauce or separate?

    • Hi Chaya, You can freeze it all together. Hope you enjoy and happy new year!

  • I was looking for a new brisket recipe for the holidays and this Moroccan Brisket did not disappoint. It was the perfect combination of spice, sweet and salt. It was a big hit with my guests and I will be putting this into my repertoire of holiday dishes. Thanks Jenn for another
    fabulous recipe!

    • — Caryn Skebelsky
    • Reply

  • Delicious. I add extra carrots. After day 3, we make sandwiches with the meat. Seems like a lot of meat, but it gets gobbled up. Another wonderful recipe.

  • Hi Jenn,

    I am hosting a dinner party and not sure whether to make this brisket or the other one you posted on your website. Between the two -both of course looking devine — which would you recommend/ personally prefer? (I will be hosting foodie friends).

    • Hi Malak, I definitely recommend this one. Hope everyone enjoys!

  • The brisket available at my grocery store didn’t have a fat cap. Can I still use your recipe on this type of brisket? Any modifications? Thanks 🌼

  • Hi Jenn,
    Is it possible to do this all stove top on low in a braise? An hour per lb approx?
    Thanks!

    • Yes and yes 🙂

  • Hi- What other cuts of meat can I substitute for the Brisket?

    • Hi Lauren, I think boneless beef chuck would also work here. Please LMK how it turns out!

  • Made this over the weekend as a sort of “weekend project” because I thought the pictures were so pretty and I wanted to learn a recipe that will really *WOW* at a dinner party.

    Holy cow. This brisket is OUTSTANDING. It’s literally gorgeous when it comes out of the oven. Used 2lbs of carrots because I thought they were pretty (good choice; they looked lovely) but otherwise followed the recipe. Paired with Jenn’s Moroccan Basmati rice pilaf with dried fruit and almonds and some green beans.

    This is a real show-stopper. Can’t wait to make it for friends in the future.

  • I just made this and the smells and taste are outstanding. However I barely have any liquid. I even added a whole other cup of wine because there was barely any liquid after I cooked down the onions and added the cup of water (I actually used vegetable broth). What did I do wrong?

    • Hi Brooke, did you use a roasting pan that was just large enough to snugly fit the brisket? If it was larger than that, the liquid won’t be very deep in the pan and will cook off during its time in the oven. Also, did you cover the pan very tightly with foil (or a lid if it has one)?

      • I have a feeling my pan was too big. It was a long piece of brisket so I would have had to fold it over in a smaller pan. Is that what I should do in the future. Also, when reheating should I add some
        vegetable broth so it doesn’t dry it out even more? Or will that dilute the flavor?

        • Yes, you can fold it over a bit if necessary. And it’s a good idea to add a little broth when you reheat it – it should be fine. Hope that helps!

  • Hi! Can this recipe be made with a french roast, brick roast or california roast?

    • Hi Lauren, I think any of those cuts would work from a texture standpoint, but they are likely to have a very different shape than a brisket, so not certain how it will impact the cooking time. Please LMK how it turns out if you try it with one of these!

  • This recipe turns out perfectly. I followed the instructions and only added more prunes – many more. Making it the day ahead means the meat is tender and flavourful. The taste is delicious. Everyone loved it. I froze the leftovers which taste fine.

    • — Harriet Zaidman
    • Reply

  • Absolutely wonderful recipe. That is easy to follow and needs no substitutions. My Moroccan friends even gave it the thumbs up!

  • Amazing and an excellent compilation of exotic species. My entire family loved it! They said I really out did myself, but I told them I followed a new recipe and it was a lot simpler then it taste and looks. Thank you so much for sharing this devine recipe with us. Posting pictures of this delicious meal on my social accounts 😋

  • Will this be ok if I do not sear the brisket first?

    • Yes, it will be fine, Elisheva – that step does add flavor though.

      • Hi Jen,

        Planning on making this for Christmas as I’ve eyed this recipe for YEARS and we just did the turkey thing a month ago! I’m excited!

        Question though: you said it’s even better the next day. Should we put it in the fridge uncooked? Or do you mean to cook it the day before? And how should we heat it up if so? I’ve never made a brisket like this before!

        • Hi Hannah, I would cook it entirely the day before and refrigerate it overnight. You’ll find the reheating instructions at the very end of the recipe. Hope you enjoy it, and happy holidays!

  • My house smells heavenly with the brisket cooking in the oven. I can’t wait until dinner! My husband thinks I am a good cook, but it is because your recipes are so good. Thank you for the inspiration!

    • — Charlotte Willman
    • Reply

    • 🙂 Hope the brisket tasted as good as it smelled!

  • Jenn, made your other brisket recipe twice and it came out perfect. Loved the flavors in this but my brisket was very dry. I cooked it for 2.5 hours after the initial 1.5 hours. Do you think I overcooked it, undercooked it or it just wasn’t a good brisket. It was a flat brisket as suggested

    • Hi Veronica, It’s essentially the same recipe – just different spices and add-ins — so I’m guessing it was the brisket or that it was undercooked. How many pounds was it? Was there a generous fat cap on it?

  • I made the Moroccan Brisket for Easter and it was simply AMAZING ! It was so complex, full of flavors. So glad I stumbled upon your site.

  • Thank you for the interesting seasonings in this recipes. I seem to be the lone dissenter, however. I am an experienced cook and a lover of all types of seasonings., but I found these to be overwhelming and tended to mask the delicious flavor in the meat itself.
    Further, I find that if you cook the meat fully ahead of time, remove and let chill, it’s easier to slice and return to pan to pan and just reheat before serving.

  • Delicious day of and even better day after!!!!!

  • Sounds well wonderful, but I still have leftover brisket from 2 six lb flat cut pieces for Passover, and I can neither afford to buy a brisket or eat anymore for a long time.

    I was wondering if you can adapt the recipe for chicken. My people don’t like the olives and capers in Chicken Marbella, but I think they would like this recipe for chicken. Any ideas?

    • Hi Fran, I definitely understand what brisket overload feels like around the holidays! Unfortunately, I don’t think this recipe can be adapted for chicken – sorry! I’m planning on developing a Moroccan-style chicken soon, so stay tuned. 🙂

  • I made this brisket on Thursday to serve on Saturday night. I have to admit that on Thursday although the house smelled incredible, the flavor hadn’t worked its way into the meat and I was upset that I didn’t increase the spices to accommodate an almost six pound brisket. You are right when you say it gets better in time. By Saturday it was absolutely delicious. Everyone loved it. I was hesitant to try a new brisket since everyone expects our old family recipe but it did not disappoint.

  • I just made this for Passover and realized I left out the capers! Have I done irreparable harm? Can I add them to the sauce now, let them sit overnight, and have them cook while reheating?

    • No worries, Sheri…go ahead and add them now. It won’t make any difference – promise!

      • Thanks Jen – did that and it was perfect! I didn’t think I could like something better than your onion braised brisket but this was wonderful. Everyone loved it! Happy Passover!

        • Yay! So happy it worked out. 🙂

  • Hi Jenn, I hate to mess with your recipes at all because they never fail me! However, my brisket is 7 lbs. Should I increase the seasonings, vegetables etc. a bit (maybe by 1/4)? Or, should I stick with your original quantities? Thank you!

    • Hi Karin, Yes I’d increase by 1/4 and you may need to increase the cook time a bit, too. I hope you enjoy it!

  • I want to make thisnut live in the UK – do you know what meat is equivalent ? Google doesn’t seem to help

    • Hi Leeann, I’m not sure what brisket is called in the UK – sorry! I would tell your butcher it is a cut from the breast or lower chest of beef, and maybe show him a photo (there’s one on Wikipedia).

  • I would assume this for a beef brisket?? Not all cooks would know this. Please specify. Thanks

    • Yes, beef brisket. Enjoy!

  • I wasn’t going to make brisket for Passover this year, but the recipe alone made my mouth water! Just made it and gave my son (finicky eater) a taste. He literally patted me on the back! This is the best brisket recipe ever. Thank you Jenn!!

  • Soooo worth the time spent in the kitchen! I always tend to shy away from cooking red meat, especially big, impressive chunks like that, but I’m glad I mustered the courage! Followed the instructions to a T, just left out capers as I don’t like them. Turned out splendid, just perfect. Thanks Jennifer, you never fail me 😉

  • My husband is allergic to onions. What do I do?

    • Hi Nancy, Unfortunately, I don’t think this recipe will work without the onions. So sorry!

  • This sounds fantastic but I wonder: if making this 2-3 days ahead, should I just cook the brisket the first 1.5 hours, refrigerate it and then slice and continue the cooking with the fruit and veg when I’m ready to serve it? I don’t want everything to get mushy.

    • That will work, Peggy, but you can also make it entirely ahead – it reheats beautifully.

  • At the end, you mention that brisket freezes well for a while; may I please assume you’re referring to the cooked brisket? (Probably a stupid question, right?) Thanks!

    • — Wayne Daugherty
    • Reply

    • Not a stupid question! (But, yes, I’m referring to the cooked brisket.) Hope you enjoy. 🙂

  • Sounds yummy! I have a friend strongly allergic to garlic, so I’d replace with shallots. Do you think that would work okay?
    Btw, every one of your recipes I’ve tried have been winners!

    • Sure, Jane – that’s fine. Glad you’re enjoying the recipes! 😊

  • Jen,
    This is making my mouth water!
    Going to make it BUT my family doesn’t care for Cumin or Corriander. Are there any other complementary herbs or spices that you would recommend to replace the above? Oregano, Rosemary???
    Thanks,
    Michele Glemser

    • — Michele Glemser
    • Reply

    • Hi Michele, It’s fine to leave the coriander out. I’d replace the cumin with chili powder – if your family doesn’t like chili powder (it does have some cumin in it), you can leave that out too. Hope that helps!

  • I tested this one for the cookbook and it blew everyone away. The second time I made it I wondered if how good it was had been a fluke. Nope! Second time it was every bit as fabulous. The fruits kind of melt into the juices and become succulent and such a good compliment to the meat. This is the best roast I have ever cooked or eaten! Thanks, Jenn.

    • Jenn,
      Thank you for sharing all of your wonderful recipes. This brisket recipe is fantastic. My husband is usually not a fan of brisket, but he loved this one. I love your cookbook. Thanks! Kim

      • ❤️

        • This is the best brisket recipe I have used. The flavors are wonderful. I also have used other recipes in your book. I have one question. I would like to save a recipe that I have used in a folder. Could you add a save recipe folder?
          thank you, janice

          • Glad you like the brisket and thanks for your support with the cookbook! I will add a recipe box/folder to my list of potential enhancements to the blog. In the meantime, a number of readers have commented that they like this app for saving/organizing recipes.

            • — Jenn

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