Braised Brisket with Carrots, Garlic, and Parsnips

By KeyIngredient

This brisket can be cooked a day in advance; let the meat and vegetables cool in the pan in their juices, and then cover and refrigerate. Reheat, covered, in a 350-degree oven until warmed through, about 30 minutes, and then proceed with the sauce. For step-by-step photos, see our Brisket 101 How-To.


Brisket is often part of a traditional Passover meal. This rendition is oven-braised low and slow with red wine and aromatics; the meal is completed by a head of garlic and tender root vegetables.
Tools and Materials
Roasting pan
Foil
Serving platter
Cutting board
1 first cut of beef brisket (5 pounds)
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more if needed
1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced, plus 1 head, halved horizontally
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 1/2 cups dry red wine
4 1/2 cups homemade or store-bought low-sodium chicken stock
2 fresh or dried bay leaves, plus more fresh for garnish if desired
1 pound parsnips, peeled and halved
20 baby carrots (about 8 ounces), peeled and stems trimmed to 1/2 inch
10 ounces red pearl onions, peeled(about 2 1/2 cups)
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Brisket 101 How-To
1. Whole brisket typically weighs 8 to 12 pounds and is sold cut into 2 pieces -- the first (or flat) cut and the second (or point) cut. Select a first cut that's evenly thick with a cap of fat on one side. For an extra-moist brisket, don't trim the fat.

2. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Season both sides of brisket with salt and pepper. Place a roasting pan across 2 burners on medium-high. Heat 3 tablespoons oil in pan. Add brisket; sear until browned, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.

3. Reduce heat to medium. Add onion and minced garlic to pan; cook, stirring often, until onion is soft, about 4 minutes. (Add more oil to pan if needed.) Stir in tomato paste, and cook for 1 minute more. Stir in wine, and cook, scraping any browned bits from bottom of pan.

4. Add stock and bay leaves, and bring to a boil. Add the brisket to the pan, and cover with foil. Transfer to oven, and roast until meat is very tender, about 2 hours. Flip meat over. Add head of garlic. Cover, and roast for 30 minutes more.

5. Add remaining vegetables to brisket, cover, and roast until meat and vegetables are tender, about 1 hour. Transfer vegetables and garlic to a platter and meat to a cutting board, reserving pan sauce. Tent meat with foil; let rest.

6. Let sauce stand in pan for 15 minutes, then skim fat from top. Place pan across 2 burners over medium-high heat; cook until sauce is reduced by slightly more than half, about 20 minutes. (You should have about 2 cups.) Stir in vinegar.

7. Thinly slice brisket against the grain. Arrange slices on a platter with the vegetables. Season with pepper, and drizzle with some sauce. Serve immediately with remaining sauce.

Ingredients

• 1 first cut of beef brisket (5 pounds)
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more if needed
• 1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced, plus 1 head, halved horizontally
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 1/2 cups dry red wine
• 4 1/2 cups homemade or store-bought low-sodium chicken stock
• 2 fresh or dried bay leaves, plus more fresh for garnish if desired
• 1 pound parsnips, peeled and halved
• 10 ounces red pearl onions, peeled (about 2 1/2 cups)
• 10 ounces red pearl onions, peeled(about 2 1/2 cups)
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinega

Preparation

Step 1

STEP 1
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Season both sides of brisket with salt and pepper. Place a roasting pan across 2 burners on medium-high. Heat 3 tablespoons oil in pan. Add brisket; sear until browned, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.
STEP 2
Reduce heat to medium. Add onion and minced garlic to pan; cook, stirring often, until onion is soft, about 4 minutes. (Add more oil to pan if needed.) Stir in tomato paste, and cook for 1 minute more. Stir in wine, and cook, scraping any browned bits from bottom of pan.
STEP 3
Add stock and bay leaves, and bring to a boil. Add the brisket to the pan, and cover with foil. Transfer to oven, and roast until meat is very tender, about 2 hours. Flip meat over. Add head of garlic. Cover, and roast for 30 minutes more.
STEP 4
Add remaining vegetables to brisket, cover, and roast until meat and vegetables are tender, about 1 hour. Transfer vegetables and garlic to a platter and meat to a cutting board, reserving pan sauce. Tent meat with foil; let rest.
STEP 5
Let sauce stand in pan for 15 minutes, then skim fat from top. Place pan across 2 burners over medium-high heat; cook until sauce is reduced by slightly more than half, about 20 minutes. (You should have about 2 cups.) Stir in vinegar.
STEP 6
Thinly slice brisket against the grain. Arrange slices on a platter with the vegetables. Season with pepper, and drizzle with some sauce. Serve immediately with remaining sauce.