Classic Braised Brisket with Onions
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy.
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.)
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.
“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.
More Crowd-Pleasing Beef Recipes You May Like
Classic Braised Brisket with Onions
Make this iconic brisket once and you’ll see why it’s a holiday favorite—tender beef, a rich sauce, zero last-minute fuss, and the kind of praise that makes it all worth it.
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
Powered by 
- 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.
See more recipes:
Comments
Add a Comment
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
Hi Jen!
I’m trying this recipe this week but I only have a 2.5 pound roast. How would you change the cooking times??
Many thanks!
Jen
Hi Jennifer, It’s hard to say. I would probably roast for 1 hour before slicing, then for the second portion of the roasting time I would check it for tenderness after about 1-1/4 hours, then every 15 minutes after that. Please let me know how it turns out!
Hi Jen
Thanks for your reply. I ended up cooking it in a slow cooker. The taste was amazing but I was unsure if it was undercooked or overcooked. It was a bit chewy and tough. I cooked it for over 6 hours.
Jen, could I use an easier cut of meat for this recipes still using the crockpot? The flavours are wonderful but I’m just not confident with cooking big cuts of meat and that was my first time trying brisket.
Sorry you found it to be tough! While I would think six hours would be long enough for this to cook in a slow cooker, toughness is usually a sign that it’s undercooked. Regarding a different cut of meat, chuck roast should work well in a slow cooker.
I made this recipe a few weeks ago and it was AMAZING! I would like to make it for when my family comes to visit however my mom has an allergy to carrots. Is there anything I can sub in its place or can the carrots be omitted altogether? Thank you!
Hi Amanda, you can just omit the carrots or use parsnips instead. And glad you like it! 😊
Hi Jenn,
I’ve made your onion-braised brisket one other time and it was amazing. However, this time around I had to purchase two 3+ lb Briskets that I wanted to put in one pan side by side. Since I didn’t have a roasting pan large enough, I purchased a 19 1/2″ x 11 1/2″ x 3 1/2″ foil pasta pan. Do you think a foil pan is okay for preparing two briskets together?
Thank you!
Hi Mary, Glad you like it! while you can roast the brisket in the disposable aluminum pan, you do need to use something more substantial (like a roasting pan or an enameled cast iron pot) for the searing of the beef and cooking of the onions.
Perfect! Thank you for your reply.
Update: Once again your brisket recipe was a crowd-pleaser! All of our dinner guests commented how tender and delicious it was. I love that I can do all the prep, cleanup, put it back in the oven after slicing and then simply wait while the house fills with the delicious smells. Thank you!
This brisket recipe is easy and came out great. I was wondering though, for next time – would it make a difference if I omitted the flour? I always end up burning the flour on meats that require browning with flour for some reason, which results in having to clean out the pan before continuing and therefore perhaps losing some flavor.
Hi Sara, Glad you liked it! You could get away with omitting it here but it is okay for there to be a fair amount of browning on the bottom of the pan after searing the meat.
Hi do you have a video of the brisket done in oven with onions and carrots ? If so can you please e mail it to me.
Thankyou.
Louise
Hi Louise, I don’t have a video for the brisket, but do have multiple pictures in the step-by-step directions that should be helpful.
I loved this recipe. The first time I made it I expected more broth out of the meat and veggies. I added some broth when I reheated the dish the next day.
The second time I added about a cup of beef broth and that made the broth I expected the first time.
Do you add any additional liquids?
Thank you.
Glad you’ve liked it! I don’t add any additional liquid, but it’s fine to if you feel like it’s necessary and like the way the finished gravy tastes.
What are the instructions for day #2? Assume oven again but what temp and how long? My house smells wonderful!
Linda
Hi Linda, I may be weighing in too late to help, but I’d reheat the brisket in a 300°F oven until hot, about 45 minutes.
I was really in the mood for brisket and saw this. I made it exactly as written. It was just meh. Nothing special at all
The next day I put leftovers into corn tortillas, fried up these brisket/carmelized onion/smoked Gouda Tacos!!
Sooooo gooood!!
Made brisket this morning, and ate most of it this evening. Used 2 2lb center cut briskets, and seared about 4 minutes on each side. Used a small dutch oven and there was plenty of braising liquid, sliced halfway through cooking…but… brisket turned out tough. Wonder whether it would be more tender if not seared. What might I be doing wrong/
Hi Richard, Searing shouldn’t make a difference in terms of tenderness. How long did you cook the brisket? Did you cook it in the oven or on the stovetop?
Two 1.75 lb briskets
An hour or so at 350, sliced, then an hour and a half more.
Did I over cook?
Would 3-4 hrs at 250 be better?
Thanks
Hi Richard, it’s hard to overcook these — how did they turn out?
The recipe states to lower the temperature to 325 for the second half of the baking. I’ve forgotten to lower the temp in the past and ended up with tougher brisket and much less liquid.
Hi Jenn, I just made the brisket. I had to use all my willpower not to eat it tonight. My house smells like heaven and I know this because pedestrians are suddenly passing MUCH slower and I can see them linger. Tomorrow, do I serve it on a platter with the vegetables? The dish released about 2 cups of liquid. What do I do with it? Is gravy on brisket common? This is my first time making the dish so sorry for the elementary questions. Thank you.
Joanna, your comment about pedestrians slowing down made me laugh! Yes, I’d serve the brisket on a platter with the vegetables around it. Use your judgment with the gravy; maybe pour half of it on the meat and see how it looks. If you think pouring all of it on will be too much, you can serve the rest on the side (and, yes, gravy with brisket is common). Hope everyone enjoys!
Oh thank you so much, Jenn. The gravy reduced a bit when I reheated the meat. Goodness, this is a magical meal.