Onion-Braised Beef Brisket
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Prepare a memorable dinner with this incredibly simple, make-ahead beef brisket recipe. It’s a foolproof crowd-pleaser, complete with a French onion soup-like gravy.
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 is apparently the world’s most Googled brisket recipe. The recipe is surprisingly simple. Unlike all other briskets I’ve made, there’s no wine, stock, or bottled sauces added. Instead, the brisket is cooked on top of a massive heap of onions, which slowly caramelize and release their natural juices, making a rich French onion soup-like braising liquid and gravy.
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“This brisket is AMAZING! It turns out perfect each time. Cutting it, then rearranging the slices back in the pan works great! Such beautiful flavor, delicious gravy, and juicy tender meat. Highly recommended!”
I have made some modifications to the recipe over the years, though the original can still be found here. This dish is 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, latkes and more. For those observing Passover, the flour in this recipe can easily be substituted with matzo meal to keep it compliant with Passover dietary guidelines.
What You’ll Need To Make Onion-Braised Beef Brisket
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 first-cut/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.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Begin by seasoning the meat with lots of kosher salt and pepper.
Dust both sides with flour.
Heat the oil in a heavy flameproof roasting pan or ovenproof enameled cast iron pot until shimmering, then sear the brisket on both sides until brown and crusty in spots.
Transfer the meat to a platter, then add the onions to the pan.
Cook, stirring and scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan, until softened and golden brown, about 15 minutes.
Place the brisket back in the pan on top of the onions and spread the tomato paste on top. Scatter the carrots and garlic around the edges.
Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil or a lid, and bake for 1-1/2 hours.
Remove the pan from the oven and transfer the brisket to a cutting board. Using an electric or sharp knife, slice the beef into 1/8 to 1/4-inch thick slices against the grain. It’s much easier to cut at this point than it is at the end.
Place the slices back in the pan on an angle, so that the top edge of each slice is showing. Baste the meat with the pan juices.
Cook for a few more hours, until the meat is tender.
You can serve it right away, but it’s better to refrigerate it overnight and reheat it the next day. It also freezes well.
“This is a 5-star, easily repeatable main dish that is now my go-to special occasion meal for larger groups. Do yourself a favor and make it ahead of time as suggested; enjoy that the cooking is already DONE the day of your dinner, and impress yourself with how truly flavorful and delicious this meal is.”
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Onion-Braised Beef Brisket
Prepare a memorable dinner with this incredibly simple, make-ahead beef brisket recipe. It’s a foolproof crowd-pleaser, complete with a French onion soup-like gravy.
Ingredients
- 1 5 to 6 pound 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 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-inch 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.
- 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-inch-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 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.)
- Note: Nutritional information was calculated for a 5-pound brisket.
- Make-Ahead/Freezer-Friendly 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. The brisket also freezes well for up to 2 months; defrost in the refrigerator 2 days ahead of time.
Pair with
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (10 servings)
- Calories: 726
- Fat: 55 g
- Saturated fat: 21 g
- Carbohydrates: 14 g
- Sugar: 6 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 42 g
- Sodium: 844 mg
- Cholesterol: 213 mg
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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Can’t wait to make this for Easter dinner! If I make it a day ahead a and refrigerate, how long and at what temperature do I reheat it? Thank you!
Hi Sissy, To reheat it, cover tightly with foil and reheat in a 300-degree oven til hot. I’d start checking it about 20 – 30 minutes. Hope everyone enjoys it!
What is the advantage in cutting the brisket ahead of time. I usually cut mine the next day when finished. Does it increase the flavor?
Hi Greta, It doesn’t affect the flavor; It’s just much easier to cut at this point than it is at the end.
So far so good….it is in the oven for part one of the cooking. I took a moment to read the comments (better late than never?) For Passover 2015 you recommended potatoe starch but the recipe itself says to use cake meal for Passover. Have you changed your recommendations? Have you tried both. I did cake meal. I’m serving it a my Seder tomorrow night. Hope it will be okay. I can’t rate it yet but I have high hopes. Will let you know.
Sorry for any confusion, Karen. You can get away with either one– happy Passover and hope everyone enjoys!
I am an experienced cook. I set this and went to lunch for 2 hours after slicing this and setting timer. Most briskets are set and forget. Bad mistake! Unless you like burnt meat, black veg, burnt pan I would be very careful!
I may be missing it, but I can’t find the temperature to cook brisket.
Hi Ken, you cook it at 350 degrees for the first 90 minutes. When you return it to the oven after slicing it, lower the temp to 325. Enjoy!
Hi Jen — I was just scrolling around looking for Passover recipes. This brisket recipe came up as a Passover dish, but it includes flour. You may want to look at substituting something for the flour for Passover (matzah cake meal?). But as written, it doesn’t work for Passover. (It’s on your email this week under Passover recipes.)
Thanks, Rachel — I forgot there was flour in this one. The recipe has been updated :).
I don’t have a heavy pan large enough to brown the brisket. I DO have a pan that I can put all the ingredients into and roast in the oven. Should I cut the brisket in half in order to brown? Will it turn out the same? Any other suggestions? Thanks! All the recipes I’ve tried from you have been wonderful and I am anxious to try the brisket.
Cutting it in half should work fine, Beverly. And glad you’re enjoying the recipes!
If I plan on making this ahead and freezing it do I follow direction to slice and continue cooking so that when I freeze it it is already sliced? What’s the best way to freeze it to stay fresh (just a week or two in freezer). Also plan on making two 6 lb briskets at same time can I sear them separately but cook them together?
Hi Judy, Yes, you’d slice the brisket and keep cooking it prior to freezing it. You can freeze it with the gravy in the dish you’ve cooked it in (just make sure it’s tightly covered. And, yes, you can cook the 2 briskets together after searing them. Hope everyone enjoys!
Absolutely delicious! My first time braising brisket & will definitely be making it this way again. Made this a couple of months ago & I froze some of it. We had the defrosted brisket for dinner last night and it was still as tender & tasty as ever; freezes really well 🙂 Thanks for the super recipe!
Something tells me my question has been asked many times but with 200 reviews I gave up looking for the answer!
If I want to make this a week or 2 ahead and freeze it do I take it out of the freezer the night before to defrost and then reheat the next day or does it go freezer to oven? Also, how long can it stay in the freezer — I am making it for Passover! Thanks!
Hi Amy, yes, you should definitely defrost it before reheating. It should be good in the freezer for about 2 months. Enjoy!
This is the third time I’m making this recipe and I love this brisket
What a great idea to slice meat and put back in pan to finish cooking. I used this method with a pork recipe I tried and it worked so well I will always slice halfway through.
Can’t wait to try brisket recipe!
Great recipe: I ran out of time so ended up splitting the cooking — first 1.5 hours one day and the other 2 hours the next. It was still delicious!
I’ve made this recipe for my Christmas Eve for the last 4 years. I take it to pot lucks and take along copies of the recipe as it’s always requested. It’s a do ahead and reheats beautifully. So moist and delicious.
How is the brisket reheated the next day for serving? Oven temperature? Time? Etc. Making this for Valentine’s dinner for 7 couples. How large a brisket will I need?
Hi Becky, I think you’ll need about 9 pounds of brisket for that crowd. To reheat it, cover tightly with foil and reheat in a 300-degree oven til hot. I’d start checking it about 20 – 30 minutes. Hope everyone enjoys it!
Do you think you could make this more quickly in a pressure cooker? if so, do you have any advice on how to do so, or any adjustments to make? thanks!
Hi Racquel, I don’t have a pressure cooker and am not very familiar with them so I can’t provide any guidance– I’m sorry!
I love my pressure cooker and for sure it will work but my sister and I both agree meats and soups don’t come out as flavorful. There quick cooking doesn’t allow the meat to develop flavor!!! Hope this helps!
Hi, I plan to make this and use for hot sandwiches for a party. My question is this: 8 onions seems like a lot. Are there any modifications you suggest when using for sandwiches? Thanks.
Hi Terri, you could cut back on the onions, but they kind of melt into the gravy so they’re not overwhelming. Also, I think they would be excellent on the sandwiches!
I can’t understand the slicing of the meat since we have been told that slicing a piece of meat while hot will cause the juices to drain, making the meat dry. Could explain this method of slicing the brisket while hot and putting it back in the oven? Thank you.
Hi Rae, The brisket is already completely cooked (although not yet tender) at this point, so it’s perfectly fine to cut it. A tough cut like brisket is different from a cut like tenderloin, when you cook it rare/medium rare and need to wait for the juices to redistribute.
Making this tonight for my mother-in-laws birthday tomorrow. I used a 10 lb brisket since we have about 15 people coming. I used a few more carrots and onions as well. I have lots of juice. I took out about 2 cups and am going to cook uncovered for a little bit. I think I will use your suggestion in an earlier response to thicken up all the juice and make a thicker gravy. Looks good but I don’t know where all the juice came from?
Hi Bob, All that juice comes from the onions. Hope everyone enjoys it!
Tried this and another one… all our Christmas dinner guests loved this one best. Thanks for sharing! Never cooked brisket before but maybe this will become a Christmas tradition!
Hi Jen, just an update… served the brisket for Hannukah last night.
I have been making brisket for many, many years… my husband said it was the best I have ever made!
Guess you can teach an old dog a new trick !
Thank you
I am cooking a 10-12lb brisket today to serve tomorrow. How will I need to adjust for cooking times? Thank you
Hi Stephen, It will likely take a little longer to cook. I’d slice it at the same time but then just extend the second phase in the oven until the meat is fork tender. I can’t say exactly how long it will take so your best bet is to just keep an eye on it.
Cooked this today to serve tomorrow. Tastes delicious but most of the sauce cooked away. Should I add some beef broth or water before we reheat tomorrow?
Yes, Barbara, that will work. Enjoy!
Just made this, and it tastes good. One question: is the sauce supposed to be liquidy or thickened. How do I thickened the sauce? Thx Tom
Hi Tom, The sauce should have a gravy-like consistency. If it’s too thin, you can put the sauce in a separate saucepan on medium. As it heats, make a paste with 2 tablespoons softened butter and 1 tablespoon flour. When the sauce is simmering, whisk in the paste a little at a time and the sauce will thicken right up. You may not need all of it so be sure to add it slowly. Hope that helps!
I’m making this for Christmas dinner for my family. I have a large 16 lb brisket & planned to use a roaster. Will a roaster work to sear the meat, or other suggestions? I can sauté onion in a skillet, but have nothing big enough to hold the whole brisket. Thank you!
Hi Carolyn, If you have a high-quality roasting pan, you can use it for searing the brisket and browning the onions. Plus, you’ll have one less pan to wash :). Hope everyone enjoys!
This looks delicious and I plan to make it for Christmas Eve! Feeding a crowd (16 adults) — would you just double the amount of meat and use two pans? Or larger chunk of meat overall and one pan? Thank you!
Hi Sarah, If you have 1 pan that’s large enough to fit the brisket you need, I’d stick with that. Less fuss and less to clean up!
Just wanted to let you know everyone LOVED this and I am very grateful for this recipe! Thank you!
Hi … making this brisket now and want to freeze it…
Do you freeze the brisket separately from the gravy and the onions
Looks like it will be delicious
Thanks
Hi Lissa, you can freeze it all together. Hope you enjoy!
Jenn, am making this tomorrow. Whenever I have made a brisket, I have waited until the next day to remove any accumulated fat and slice. What happens to that fat when you make it this way? Thanks, Carol
You can still make it a day ahead and skim the fat Carol – or you can de-fat the sauce in a gravy separator when it’s warm.
My Dad was raised in Berlin, Germany. He made this dish without the addition of Ketchup! It is a signature dish in my home for every Jewish holiday. As for the carrots? They turn the dish into tzimmis for the New Year!
Hi. Love your recipes! Would you suggest using gluten free flour to make this recipe gluten free or omit the flour altogether? Thank you.
I’d use a gluten free flour, Leslie — otherwise the sauce will be too thin.
Who doesn’t love a good brisket? This one is excellent. I used a whole bag of carrots because they’re delicious cooked with the meat. It was so much nicer to cut the meat before it was finished cooking. A lot easier to serve that way.
I made this over the weekend and now wish I had asked this question first. What size is a medium onion? I ended up with more caramelized onion than meat which contributed to the dish being too sweet for our liking. I will say this though, I loved the technique of slicing long before the meat is finished. It made things so much easier.
Hi Suzon, I consider a medium onion to be about 2 1/2 – 3 inches in diameter. Sorry that the dish was a bit of a disappointment to you!
Ah ha! Being I’m Cajun and we use lots of onions in our cooking, I would consider that size as small. No apologies needed for the recipe since it was still one of the better brisket recipes I’ve tried. I will make it again and make my adjustments.
This looks like such a great recipe! Unfortunately I live in Australia and from what I hear it’s hard to get brisket here – any recommendations for another cut that I can use to make this?
Thankyou 🙂
I think boneless beef chuck would also work here. Would love to hear how it turns out!
Thankyou 🙂 I tried it out with boneless beef chuck as you recommended and it turned out perfect!
I reduced the serving size (only made for my boyfriend). Since the cut was smaller I reduced the cooking time, I also sliced some garlic on top of the beef while it was in the oven. Also added a bit of sugar and balsamic vinegar towards the ends for some extra flavour. He kept going back to the fridge to eat more and wants me to make it again, thanks so much for the recipe!!
So glad you (and your boyfriend 🙂 are happy with the way it turned out– thanks for the follow up!
Love your recipes! I am going to try this with eye of round. Even though very lean,
I think it could work. I am going to add some skimmed off fat from my beef marrow bone stock. Will let you know how it turns out.
Hi! I have really been enjoying your recipes and am trying this one tonight 🙂 I am making this with a 2.5 lb brisket so am wondering how much to adjust the cooking time in the oven. Thanks!
Hi Robyn, So glad you’re enjoying the recipes! Be sure to use a smaller pan and the cook time will be about the same.
I am making this in the oven for dinner tomorrow night. Can you tell me what you recommend for reheating? How long and what temp? I was thinking maybe 325 for an hour? I apologize in advance if you covered this in another comment. Thank you!
Hi Lauren, Cover tightly with foil and reheat in 300-degree oven til hot. I’d start checking it about 20 – 30 minutes. Hope everyone enjoys it!
The day before Rosh Hashanah, my adult son groaned when told we were having brisket for our holiday meal. I love my mother’s/grandmother’s recipe, but apparently he doesn’t. Since I have enjoyed all your recipes so much, I decided to make this one. My son said he has changed his mind about brisket. Everyone loved this. It was moist and flavorful. Perfect for a holiday meal, especially because it can be done ahead. ( I also served your challah which is my favorite challah recipe.) Hope you had a wonderful holiday.
Perfect recipe. Clear instructions and wonderful outcome. I mixed some horseradish with the tomato paste and added just a few TBs of chicken broth and red wine so it wouldn’t burn. This is a keeper! Thank you!
when/how do you remove and serve the carrots and onions?
Hi Susan, You remove the carrots and onions when you remove the sliced brisket from the roasting pan, and you can put them in a separate serving dish if you’d like. Hope you enjoy!
I am planning on making this tomorrow, it looks amazing! Can I add potatoes? If so, at what point in the cooking should I do this?
Hi Lu, Yes, you can definitely add potatoes, although they might soak up quite a bit of the sauce. The cook time depends on what type of potatoes and how large you cut them but figure baby potatoes cut in half would take about 40 minutes.
I want to use a 3lbs brisket and a slow cooker for this recipe. What do you recommend as far as altering the ingredients and the cooking time?
Hi Patricia, As the original recipe calls for a 5 – 6 pound brisket, I would cut the remaining ingredients by about half. You’d still need to go through all the initial steps on the stovetop, but then you could place it in the slow cooker. I don’t have much experience using a slow cooker so I’m not certain how long it would take, but here are some tips that may help with conversions. Enjoy!
I made this for dinner Sunday Morning and served it that evening. Usually when we do a brisket, we just season it with garlic and lemon pepper add a mixture of water and liquid smoke and wrap it tightly in foil and bake it at 300 degrees a few hours then shred it and serve it on ciabatta rolls with aioli. I’m almost sorry to say those days are done. We followed your directions to a T with one exception. We mixed some horseradish in with the tomato paste and did it all in a Dutch oven. The house smelled wonderful all day. A quick reheat in the oven on convection mode at 5:30PM gave us time to make mashed potatoes and a salad and dinner was on the table by 6PM. I never would of thought to slice the meat prior to the finish but will do so going forward with all my roasts from now on. Great flavors, extremely tender, the carrots were the best I have ever made. Thank you for this recipe. My partner and I loved, loved, LOVED this meal!
What size roasting pan should I use?
Hi Janine, the pan you use depends on the size of the brisket, you want it to fit in nicely, but not have a lot of room so spare. Hope you enjoy!
Looking forward to making this on Saturday. I’ve got a brisket between 5-6lbs. My pan is 18″ and worried this might be too big and perhaps I should use a 16″?
Thank
Janine
Hi Janine, I think going with the 16″ pan would be the better choice as you don’t want to have too much extra room in the pan. Hope you enjoy!
Dinner was a massive success! This recipe is a keeper, so delicious! Thanks for all your help!
Janine
Wonderful! I followed exactly as directed and it turned out great! I froze half of it and tried it a few weeks later and it was even better then eating it the next day. I especially appreciate how you take it out and cut slices before it is too difficult to cut at the very end. That worked great. I plan on making enough of this for a hundred people for a party and I will write back on how it is. Thanks!
Hi this looks great – was wondering if it could be prepared in a crockpot?
Thanks
Hi Patricia, You’d still need to go through all the initial steps on the stovetop, but then you could place it in the slow cooker. Enjoy!
Can I delay the post slicing cooking portion to the next day? That is do the initial roasting on day one and the final 2 hours, once sliced on day 2?
Yes that’s fine, Sandy. Enjoy!
I have a second cut brisket. Can I use the same recipe?
Yes, Susan — that’s fine. Enjoy!
Thank you so much!!
How many people does the brisket recipe serve, and how many pounds is the brisket used in the recipe? Does the brisket have a strong onion flavor because of the amount of onions used in the recipe?
Thanks for your help!
This recipe calls for a 5 – 6 lb. brisket and should serve between 8 and 10. While the dish has a lot of onions, they are not overpowering as they mellow and sweeten as they cook. Hope you enjoy!
I think I will use this recipe for Passover this year. Can I just leave out the flour?
Hi Avra, if you have potato starch, that would be a good stand-in for the flour. If not, I think you could get away with omitting it.
I’d like to make this for Passover. How do you think it would work to substitute matzah cake flour for the flour you typically use in this recipe?
If you have potato starch, I think that may work better here. Hope you enjoy!