Reprinted with permission from Modern Jewish Cooking: Recipes & Customs for Today’s Kitchen, Chronicle Books (2015)
Photo credit: Sang An

Serves: 8-10
  • 4-5 lb  brisket, preferably Second Cut (see below for substitutions)
  • kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 3 large yellow onions, halved through the root and thinly sliced
  • 8 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 8 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1½ cups  dry red wine
  • 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • ¼ cup  honey
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp garlic poweder
  • 1 cup chicken broth

Note: This recipe will work well with any braising roast. Try it with Top of the Rib (slightly less marbled than Second Cut Brisket), Deckel or Kalakel (increase cooking time).

  1. Preheat the oven to 325°F Generously sprinkle both sides of the brisket with salt and pepper.
  2. Heat the vegetable oil in a Dutch oven or large pot set over medium-high heat. Add the brisket and cook, turning once, until browned on both sides, 8 to 10 minutes total. (If the brisket does not fit all at once, cut it in half and sear it in batches.)
  3. Remove the brisket from the pot and set aside on a cutting board. Add the onions, thyme, garlic, and bay leaves to the pot, followed by ½ cup/120 ml of the wine and the vinegar. Cook, stirring often, until the onions soften slightly and the mixture is fragrant, about 5 minutes.
  4. Whisk together the remaining 1 cup/240 ml wine, honey, onion powder, garlic powder, broth, and 1 tsp salt in a medium bowl until fully combined. If you used a Dutch oven, lay the brisket on top of the onions and pour the wine mixture over the top. Cover and transfer to the oven. If you used a pot, transfer the onion mixture to a roasting pan and top with the brisket. Pour the wine mixture over the top. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and transfer to the oven.
  5. Cook the brisket for 2 hours. Remove from the oven, uncover, and carefully turn the meat to the other side. Re-cover and continue cooking until the meat is fork-tender, 2 to 2 1/2 hours more.
  6. Remove from the oven and transfer the brisket to a cutting board. Cover loosely with foil and let rest for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing. Locate the thin lines running in one direction along the brisket and use a sharp knife to cut thin slices perpendicular to those lines. Remove and discard the thyme sprigs and bay leaves from the cooking liquid. Use a slotted spoon to remove the onions and arrange around the brisket. Spoon the desired amount of pan juices over the brisket. Serve hot.
NOTES
Brisket’s flavor and texture improve with age, so while you can certainly serve it right away, it will taste best if you make it a day in advance. Once the brisket has chilled in the refrigerator overnight, spoon off and discard any excess fat congealed at the top and transfer the meat to a cutting board. Thinly slice the brisket against the grain (meat is easier to slice when it’s cold), then place the slices back into the Dutch oven or roasting pan, spooning some of the saucy onion mixture over the top. Warm in a 300°F/150°C oven until hot and bubbling, 20 to 30 minutes.