Tender Braised Beef Brisket (Printable version)

Slow-cooked beef brisket seasoned with smoked paprika and thyme, served with sautéed vegetables.

# What you need:

→ Beef

01 - 4 lb beef brisket, trimmed

→ Vegetables

02 - 2 large onions, sliced
03 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 3 carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
05 - 2 celery stalks, cut into chunks

→ Liquids

06 - 2 cups beef broth
07 - 1 cup dry red wine
08 - 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

→ Spices & Seasonings

09 - 2 tbsp olive oil
10 - 2 tsp kosher salt
11 - 1 tsp black pepper
12 - 1 tbsp smoked paprika
13 - 2 tsp dried thyme
14 - 2 bay leaves

# How To:

01 - Preheat the oven to 325°F.
02 - Pat the brisket dry and evenly season all sides with kosher salt, black pepper, and smoked paprika.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the brisket on both sides until browned, approximately 4 minutes per side. Remove from pot and set aside.
04 - Add onions, carrots, celery, and garlic to the same pot and sauté for 5 minutes until softened.
05 - Pour in the red wine, scraping up browned bits from the bottom. Let it simmer for 2 minutes.
06 - Stir in beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, dried thyme, and bay leaves. Return the brisket to the pot with the fat side up.
07 - Cover the pot tightly with a lid or foil and transfer to the oven. Braise for 3 to 3.5 hours until the brisket is fork-tender.
08 - Remove the brisket and allow it to rest for 15 minutes. Slice against the grain and serve alongside the vegetables and pan sauce.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The meat becomes so tender it practically melts on your tongue, transforming a tough cut into pure luxury with just time and heat.
  • One pot does all the work, filling your kitchen with an aroma that promises comfort and makes everyone ask what's cooking.
  • It feeds a crowd beautifully, making it perfect for family dinners when you want to impress without fussing all day.
02 -
  • Slicing against the grain isn't optional—it's the difference between tender slices and chewy, stringy meat. The grain runs the length of the brisket, so you're slicing perpendicular to those long muscle fibers.
  • Don't skip the initial sear. Browning the meat creates a flavorful crust through the Maillard reaction—this depth of flavor distinguishes homemade braised brisket from something pale and one-note.
  • The brisket will look slightly underdone when you remove it from the braising liquid. That's perfect. It continues cooking gently as it rests, and it gets firmer as it cools, making it easier to slice.
03 -
  • Let your butcher trim the brisket to about a quarter-inch fat cap. Too much fat makes greasy sauce; too little means you lose the flavor-rendering benefit during cooking.
  • Brown meat in batches if using a smaller pot—crowded meat steams instead of sears, and steamed meat won't develop that crucial flavorful crust.

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