Passover Brisket
Passover Brisket
Ingredients:
4 lbs beef brisket
2 medium onions, sliced
1 whole head of garlic
2 Tbsp tomato paste
1 cup good red wine (Foxen 7200 Guillermo Grosso)
2 cups tomato juice
1 cup beef or vegetable stock
1 lb red potatoes, chopped into 1” pieces
6 carrot sticks,chopped into 1” pieces
2 Tbsp avocado oil
2-3 Tbsp kosher salt
Prep Time: 30-90 minutes
Cook Time: 270 minutes
Yields 8 servings
Notes: I highly recommend using a dutch oven for this recipe. It will redistribute heat evenly, and will retain all of the flavor foundations built from the beginning of the cooking process.
Before cooking, allow the brisket to come to room temperature. Trim off any excess fat if desired, otherwise leave it intact for rendering. If you have enough time, coat both sides of the brisket with the first tablespoon of kosher salt and let it rest for an hour before searing. Pat the meat dry before searing.
Preheat the oven to 275F. Preheat a large dutch oven over medium heat. Add the avocado oil and place the brisket fat cap side down, moving away from you. Let this first side sear five to seven minutes until beautifully browned and the fat has started to render. Carefully flip over and sear the other side for five minutes. Remove and reserve.
In the leftover oil, add the sliced onions and whole garlic cloves. Add the next half tablespoon of kosher salt and saute for five minutes over medium heat. Next, add the tomato paste and brown together for two minutes. Deglaze the entire pot with the red wine, and be sure to scrape every bit of fond off the bottom and/or sides. Next, add the tomato juice, stock, and next tablespoon of kosher salt. Bring everything to a light boil and then carefully add the brisket back in, making sure it is submerged in the braising liquid.
Turn off the stove, cover the dutch oven with its lid, and carefully place on a baking sheet in the oven (recommended to secure the weight), and roast for two hours at 275F. After the first two hours, carefully remove from the oven and add the chopped carrots, potatoes, and remaining kosher salt. Cover back up with the lid and let it roast for another two hours.
After the total four hours is finished, remove from the oven. Carefully remove the beef from the braising liquid and place on a cutting board. Slice thinly and evenly against the grain for maximum tenderness. Place the sliced meat back into the dutch oven, cover with a lid, and simmer on low on the stovetop for another thirty minutes or until ready to serve.
Plate up, pair with the cooking wine, and have a beautiful Passover!
