Classic Braised Brisket with Onions
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This iconic brisket recipe is famous for a reason: it’s easy to make, packed with flavor, and perfect for any special occasion. No wine or stock needed—the onions do all the work, melting into a rich, flavorful gravy. Best of all, it can be made entirely in advance, making hosting a breeze!
This celebrated beef brisket recipe comes from the late Nach Waxman, owner of the beloved New York City cookbook shop Kitchen Arts & Letters. First published in The Silver Palette New Basics Cookbook in 1989, it’s said to be the world’s most Googled brisket recipe. It’s surprisingly simple: the brisket roasts on a bed of onions that slowly caramelize into a deeply savory sauce, reminiscent of French onion soup.
Over the years, I’ve made a few tweaks to the recipe, but you can still find the original here. It’s ideal for preparing ahead of time, as the flavors deepen when served the following day. For me, it’s a Jewish holiday staple, alongside classics like matzo ball soup, challah, and latkes. (For Passover, swap the flour for matzo meal.)
“Goodness, this is a magical meal.”
What You’ll Need To Make Classic Braised Brisket With Onions
- Beef Brisket: Turns meltingly tender when slow-braised, soaking up all the rich sauce. This recipe uses a first-cut (flat-cut) brisket—it’s lean but has just enough fat to keep the meat juicy and flavorful.
- Kosher Salt, Ground Black Pepper & All-Purpose Flour: Season the meat and help create a nice crust when searing; the flour also thickens the sauce as it cooks.
- Vegetable Oil: Used to sear the brisket, giving it a golden, flavorful crust.
- Yellow Onions, Garlic & Carrots: The onions cook down into a sweet, caramelized base for the sauce; the garlic adds savory flavor, and the carrots soften as they braise, soaking up all the flavor and adding a subtle sweetness.
- Tomato Paste: Adds a rich, concentrated tomato flavor that deepens the sauce.
- Fresh Chopped Parsley (Optional): Sprinkled on at the end for a bit of fresh, herby color.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Braised Brisket Video Tutorial
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Season and flour the brisket. Generously season the brisket with salt and pepper, then dust both sides lightly with flour.
Step 2: Sear the meat. Heat the oil in a heavy roasting pan or Dutch oven until shimmering, then sear the brisket on both sides until browned and crusty in spots. Transfer it to a platter.
Pro Tip: Take your time when searing—proper browning means deeper flavor in the final dish, so don’t rush it.
Step 3: Cook the onions. Add the onions to the pan and cook, stirring and scraping up all those browned bits (which add tons of flavor to the braising liquid), until they’re soft and golden brown, about 15 minutes.
Step 4: Add everything back. Nestle the brisket on top of the onions, spread the tomato paste over the meat, and scatter the carrots and garlic around the edges. Cover tightly with aluminum foil or a lid and bake for 1½ hours.
Step 5: Slice the brisket. Take the brisket out and transfer it to a cutting board. Slice it thinly—about ⅛ to ¼ inch thick—against the grain (it’s easier to slice now than later, and the second braise allows the slices to soak up lots of juice, keeping the meat moist and flavorful).
Step 6: Finish cooking. Return the slices to the pan, overlapping slightly, and baste with the pan juices. Pop it back in the oven and bake for a few more hours until tender. Cooking brisket can be an exercise in patience, but it’s worth it—it takes time to break down the meat’s connective tissue and get that melt-in-your-mouth texture.
Step 7: Serve or store. You can serve the brisket right away, but it’s even better if you chill it overnight and reheat the next day. It also freezes beautifully.
Tips for Making The Best Brisket
- Use the right cut. Brisket comes in two cuts: flat-cut (also called first-cut) and point cut (this recipe uses flat-cut). The flat-cut is lean but has a fat cap that adds flavor and moisture—keep some of that fat on for the best results.
- Season generously. Brisket is a big cut, so don’t be shy with the salt and pepper—they help create a flavorful crust and bring out the meat’s depth.
- Pick the right pan. You want a pan that holds the brisket and veggies snugly—too much empty space can cause the liquid to evaporate too fast and burn.
- Keep it covered. Covering the pan well traps steam and keeps the meat nice and tender.
- Slice against the grain. Look for the lines running through the meat—cut across those lines, not with them, for the most tender bites.
- Check liquid levels as it cooks. Make sure there’s always enough braising liquid in the pan so the brisket stays moist; add a splash of broth or water if it’s getting low.
- Make it Ahead. Brisket tastes even better the next day as the flavors deepen. If you can, make it a day ahead and reheat gently before serving.
Brisket is typically prepared one of two ways: braised in the oven, like this version, or smoked BBQ-style. If you’re looking for the BBQ version, head over to my smoked brisket recipe—it’s cooked low and slow in a smoker until tender and juicy with a crusty bark.
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Classic Braised Brisket with Onions
Ingredients
- 5 to 6 lb first-cut (or flat-cut) beef brisket, trimmed so a thin layer of fat remains in some spots (do not over trim!)
- 1½ tablespoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (okay to substitute matzo cake meal for Passover)
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 8 medium yellow onions, peeled and sliced ½-in (13-mm) thick
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
- 6 carrots, peeled and sliced into large chunks on a diagonal
- Handful fresh chopped parsley, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Set an oven rack in the middle position and preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Season the brisket on both sides with the salt and pepper. Lightly dust the brisket with the flour, then shake and turn to coat evenly. Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a heavy flameproof roasting pan or ovenproof enameled cast-iron pot just large enough to hold the brisket and carrots snugly. Add the brisket to the pan and sear on both sides until crusty brown areas appear on the surface, 5 to 7 minutes per side.
- Transfer the brisket to a platter, then add the onions to the pan and stir constantly with a wooden spoon, scraping up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pan. Cook until the onions are softened and golden brown, about 15 minutes. (If browned bits stick to the bottom of the pan and start to burn, add a few tablespoons of water and scrape with a wooden spoon to release them.)
- Turn off the heat and place the brisket, fatty side up, and any accumulated juices on top of the onions. Spread the tomato paste evenly over the brisket, then scatter the garlic and carrots around the edges of the pan. Cover the pan very tightly with aluminum foil (preferably heavy-duty or two layers) or a lid, then transfer to the oven and cook for 1½ hours.
- Transfer the brisket to a cutting board and, using an electric or very sharp knife, slice the meat across the grain into approximately ⅛ to ¼-in (3 to 6-mm)-thick slices. Return the slices to the pan, 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. Cover the pan tightly and return to the oven.
- Lower the heat to 325°F (165°C) and cook the brisket until it is fork-tender, 1¾ to 2½ hours, or longer if necessary. The brisket is ready to serve with its juices, but it is even better the second day. (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.)
Notes
- Nutritional information was calculated for a 5-lb (2.25-kg) brisket.
- Make-Ahead/Freezing Instructions: The brisket can be made up to 3 days ahead of time and refrigerated. Reheat the brisket in a 300°F (150°C) oven until hot, about 45 minutes. The brisket also freezes well for up to 2 months; defrost in the refrigerator 2 days ahead of time.
Nutrition Information
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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Hi Jenn, I love all your recipes and step by step photos which made it so much easier for me to double check that I am on the right track with what I am doing. Made this brisket last night and it was wonderful. My hubby said that it was the most tender and tastiest brisket he has ever eaten when he had the first bite. I didn’t add salt to brisket before flouring as it was usually cured and is salty enough and browned it as instructed. I added 1/4 cup beef broth when the onions were browned to scrape off the bits and also because I wanted a bit of gravy when the onions are cooked. I added 5 medium sized potatoes along with the carrots for a more fulfilling meal. I didn’t slice the brisket after 1 1/2 hour but lowered the temperature to 325 F and let it cooked for another 2 hours as instructed. The end result was a delicious hearty meal with some nice onion gravy to top the brisket. Potatoes and carrots were nicely cooked and not dried out. Thank you.
Made this for our holiday dinner. Was moist and very tasty. Everyone raved! Thanks for a new staple in our holiday meal.
Hi Jenn, I really love your recipes and the pictures you send along with each. I’ve made this onion-braised beef brisket twice. Once to take over to my brother and sister-in-law and then for my family. Both times it turned out DELICIOUS!! The searing and the addition of all the onions was great. I plan on make this for many holidays and family night dinners. Thank you for all your great recipes.
Jenn: love your modifications to the recipe. Definitely reheat the next day, the flavor is incredible, the meat is juicy and tender. I paired up with some acorn squash, great meal.
Just made this for the 2nd time and it came out great. Both times I did the whole thing in my 8 quart all-clad stockpot. I did wrap some extra tinfoil around the lid to make sure it was sealed good and I ended up with plenty of gravy. This is a delicious recipe just like all of your other recipes of I have tried. Love this website.
I had made Ina Garten’s Brisket with Carrots and Onions and thought it was good, I just didn’t like using tomato juice. Then I found this recipe. It was just what I wanted. Only changes I made were that I used less tomato paste and I covered it with parchment paper and then foil. It was delicious and tender. The flavor was so good that leftovers turned out delicious.
I used a 2.5 lb brisket and followed instructions exactly, adjusting the amounts for the size of the brisket. My oven was occupied so I slow cooked this in the Dutch oven In which I browned the meat and onions. It was delicious and a hit with the family. Thank you!
Hi Jen
If I could only get a 3lb brisket , how much would I reduce everything and would I reduce cooking time as well? Cannot wait to make this, my Husband loves brisket and I have never made one!
Hi Melissa, If the brisket is only 3 pounds, I’d cut the remaining ingredients by about 1/3. Roasting time will be less, but not by too much, so just keep an eye on it. Hope your husband enjoys!
I would like to make this for Passover. Do you think there would be a problem in eliminating the flour? Should I substitute something else’s?
Hi Eileen, To make it kosher for Passover, you could use potato starch in place of the flour. Hope that helps!
this was delicious. I had a smaller brisket, 4.5 ilbs, and found I have to add beef broth (low sodium) a few times. Once near the end of cooking time to prevent any burning. again when reheating the next day as much had been absorbed and then added some more to taste to ensure having enough gravy when serving to our party of 16 people!!
Hi Jen, I’ve preordered your book and can’t wait to get it. I need to serve 30 people at a family gathering and I think for that many people I’d have to do 2 batches. Do you think it would work if I reheat in one very large pan, or do you have a different recommendation? Thanks!
Hi Sandi, I think reheating both briskets in a large pan would be perfectly fine. Hope you enjoy (and thanks for your support of the cookbook)! 🙂