Red Wine And Honey Brisket

3.3 from 4 ratings

For many people, brisket is the Proustian madeleine of Jewish cooking. The rich, savory scent of caramelizing meat that perfumes the house as it cooks seems to stir people into a nostalgia-fueled fervor. There is no question that the brisket your bubbe made was the best ever, and you cannot compete with the layers of memories that flavor her version in your mind. That’s okay, because you have a few tricks of your own up your sleeve. This version slow-cooks the meat in a sweet and tangy mixture of honey and red wine until it sighs and falls apart at the touch of a fork. I included the red wine as a nod to stracotto, the Roman Jewish take on brisket, which simmers beef in wine and spices. Serve it for Rosh Hashanah dinner, and start building the next generation of memories. — Leah Koenig, Modern Jewish Cooking.

Servings

servings

Ingredients

1 4- to 5-pound brisket, preferably second cut
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3 large yellow onions, halved through the root and thinly sliced
8 sprigs fresh thyme
8 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
2 bay leaves
1 ½ cup dry red wine
3 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
¼ cup honey
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 cup chicken broth

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Generously sprinkle both sides of the brisket with salt and pepper.
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.)
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 of the wine and the vinegar. Cook, stirring often, until the onions soften slightly and the mixture is fragrant, about 5 minutes.
Whisk together the remaining 1 cup wine, honey, onion powder, garlic powder, broth, and 1 teaspoon 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 into the oven.
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 ½ hours more.
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 of the brisket. Serve hot.