High Holiday Brisket Recipe - The Washington Post

Publish date: 2024-08-19
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Food writer Olga Massov adapted this brisket recipe from her mother-in-law, who got it from her mother-in-law, who serves it during the High Holidays and Passover. Despite its commonplace ingredients -- ketchup, carrots, onions -- the sum of the parts is exceptional. Massov added a few touches: beef stock, and onion and garlic powders for more intense flavor. Massov prefers to season her brisket overnight, but if you’re in a rush, you can skip this step. A 5-pound brisket is the largest size that will fit in an 8-quart Dutch oven. If working with a larger brisket, use a roasting pan and cover tightly with heavy-duty foil.

If making this brisket for Passover, be sure to use a kosher-for-Passover ketchup.

To make the brisket in a slow cooker, see VARIATION

Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 4 days, or frozen in an airtight container for up to 3 months.

The brisket is best if cured in salt and pepper overnight before baking. The brisket should be cooked, sliced and chilled at least 1 day before serving.

Adapted from food writer Olga Massov’s mother-in-law, Shelley Freedman.

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Ingredients

measuring cup

Servings: 10-12

Directions

Time Icon Active: 1 hour 15 mins| Total: 6 hours

  • Step 1

    Pat the brisket dry and season with the salt and pepper. If you have time, cover and refrigerate overnight, otherwise, let the meat sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes.

  • Step 2

    Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 300 degrees.

  • Step 3

    Heat an 8-quart, heavy-bottomed pot, such as a Dutch oven, over medium-high heat for about 3 minutes, or until a sprinkle of water immediately evaporates when it hits the surface. Add the oil and swirl to coat. Set the brisket in the pot and sear, without moving it, until browned, 5 to 7 minutes per side. Be patient and resist the urge to move the brisket sooner; generously burnished meat will deliver more flavor.

  • Step 4

    Transfer the brisket to a large, rimmed baking sheet. Let it rest until it's cool enough to touch. Then, rub the fresh garlic into the meat and sprinkle it with the onion and garlic powders.

  • Step 5

    While you're waiting for the brisket to cool, add half the onions and carrots to the pot. Cook, stirring often, until the onions soften and start to color, about 8 minutes. Turn off the heat and add the stock to the pot. Place the brisket on top, then cover with the remaining onions (it’s okay if some of them fall off), and scatter the remaining carrots around the brisket. Add the water and pour the ketchup over everything. If you have one, stick a probe thermometer into the thickest part of the meat. (Otherwise, you can use a digital thermometer to periodically check the internal temperature of the meat.)

  • Step 6

    Cover with a lid and place in the oven for about 3 hours. Add the potatoes and return to the oven for 1 1/2 hours more, until the meat reaches 200 degrees. Both the meat and the vegetables should be tender.

  • Step 7

    Transfer to a heatproof surface and let cool for no longer than 2 hours, then refrigerate overnight.

  • Step 8

    The next day, position the oven rack in the middle and preheat to 350 degrees. Remove the Dutch oven from the refrigerator and skim off any solid fat from the top of the meat, vegetables and pan juices.

  • Step 9

    Transfer the brisket to a large cutting board. Slice the meat against the grain into 1/3- to 1/2-inch slices. Transfer the potatoes and half of the carrots (if some onions sneak in there, that’s fine) to a large bowl.

  • Step 10

    Set the Dutch oven over medium-high heat and warm pan juices, carrots and onions until simmering. Remove from the heat and, using an immersion blender, puree until mostly smooth; then transfer half of the sauce to a roasting pan.

  • Step 11

    Lay the sliced brisket over the sauce, slightly overlapping the slices, then scatter the potatoes and carrots around the meat. Cover the roasting pan and heat the brisket for 40 to 50 minutes, until warmed through.

  • Step 12

    While the brisket warms up, in a small pot over low heat, bring the remaining sauce to a simmer; keep warm.

  • Step 13

    Arrange the brisket, vegetables and sauce on a serving platter, garnish with the parsley and serve, with the warmed sauce on the side.

  • Step 14

    NOTE: Brisket comes in two cuts: the flat, or first cut, is lean. The point is thicker, has more marbling and is generally more tender.

  • Step 15

    VARIATION: To make this brisket in a slow cooker, follow the cooking instructions up to browning the onions, then transfer all the ingredients, including the potatoes, to a slow cooker and cook on low for 8 hours. Follow the chilling, slicing and reheating instructions above. For a 5-pound brisket, you'll need an 8-quart slow cooker; adjust the ingredients accordingly if your slow cooker is smaller.

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    Nutritional Facts

    Per serving (1/3 pound meat plus vegetables and sauce, based on 12)

    This analysis is an estimate based on available ingredients and this preparation. It should not substitute for a dietitian’s or nutritionist’s advice.

    Adapted from food writer Olga Massov’s mother-in-law, Shelley Freedman.

    Tested by Olga Massov.

    Published August 29, 2021

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