1. Preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C).

2. Pat the meat dry. Sprinkle it with the salt and pepper and rub it with the garlic. Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or large skillet, add the brisket, and sear on both sides. Remove from the heat.

3. Place the onions in a large casserole or Dutch oven. Top with the beef, fatty side up. Add the tomatoes and their juices, the red wine, celery, bay leaf, thyme, and rosemary to the casserole.

4. Cover and bake for about 3 hours, basting often with pan juices. Uncover, add the parsley and carrots, and bake, uncovered, until the carrots are cooked, about 30 minutes more. To test for doneness, stick a fork in the flat (thinner or leaner end of the brisket). When there is a light pull on the fork as it is removed from the meat, it is “fork tender.”

5. To serve, if time permits, refrigerate the brisket in its pan juices, or gravy, overnight so that the fat can be easily skimmed from the surface before serving.

 

If serving immediately, trim all the visible fat from the brisket. Place the brisket, on what was the fat side down, on a cutting board. Look for the grain — that is, the muscle lines of the brisket — and, with a sharp knife, cut across the grain and transfer the slices to a platter. Some people like to strain the gravy, but I prefer to keep the onions because they are so delicious. Skim the fat from the surface of the gravy and pour the gravy over the sliced brisket.

If refrigerating the brisket overnight, preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Trim all the visible fat from the cold meat. Place it, with what was the fat side down, on a cutting board. Look for the grain—that is, the muscle lines of the brisket—and, with a sharp knife, cut across the grain. Place the sliced meat in a roasting pan. Skim the fat from the surface of the gravy and warm it over medium heat. Pour the hot gravy over the meat, cover, and reheat in the oven for 45 minutes. Some people like to strain the gravy before serving, but I prefer to keep the onions because they are so delicious.