This baked brisket recipe with onions and tomatoes is perfect for any Jewish holiday, but it has been at the center of our Passover table for generations. The beef gets stuffed with whole garlic cloves then cooked low and slow in the oven with a topping of caramelized onions. It is truly the best brisket you will ever eat.
When we were in the peak of COVID, we gathered for Seder on zoom. Besides my family, the element I missed most was the Passover brisket, which seemed silly to make for just two people.
My Aunt Jennifer is responsible for most of my formative memories of brisket, and most of my positive experiences with Passover. The highlights of the family meal were always the many chairs added year after year to make up for the new additions to the table; my undefeated record with the afikomen; cousin Holly’s Chocolate Chip Macaroons; and my aunt’s brisket, which we would all be hankering for after two hours of bitter herbs, hard-boiled eggs, and plagues.
Passover has always been one of my favorite Jewish holidays, but in college, I couldn’t always make it back to CT to Aunt Jenn’s. My junior year, I was stuck at school and decided to host a seder of my own. My friend Jamie procured the prayer books and plenty of matzoh. Jillian made her mother’s potatoes. And I provided the brisket.
It felt a little strange to deviate from my aunt’s famous dish, but I managed to fill the buffet table with a respectable, if not, entirely perfect, slab of soft, slow-cooked meat thanks to the goyim influence of Mr. Emeril Lagasse.
I thought this was the perfect opportunity to resurrect my recipe that was once a staple on my old blog, Big Girls Small Kitchen (hard to believe that and my first cookbook were published over 10 years ago!). Ironically, it is a fixture on my seder menu alongside this Passover chicken, which is adapted from my first book.
If you caught last week’s post, then you know I’m on a bit of a roll with cooking my way through my own archives from a decade ago. This recipe certainly held up, though SIBO Amigos will gawk at the ingredient list—I certainly haven’t used this much onion and garlic in a WHILE!
My husband was also thrilled to see ketchup back in the fridge. I used an organic brand and worried that without the chemicals, it would be missing that je ne sais quoi. But luckily it held up. Because I’m more sensitive to sugar now, I cut back on the added amount. And if I made it again, I might even experiment with eliminating it entirely and seeing what the ketchup does on its own.
The result is the best Passover brisket you will ever eat: moist, perfectly tangy, and sweet with a slight kick. Stuffing the meat with garlic cloves is my favorite part. This was the technique inspired by Emeril. They melt completely away by the end but make the sauce and meat that much more flavorful.
It’s perfect paired with my matzo ball soup base and gluten-free matzo balls!
What is the best pan to cook this brisket?
Many of the questions I get about this recipe is what do I put such a large piece of brisket in to cook? Since this recipe is made completely in the oven, it is pretty versatile: just use whatever oven-proof baking dish or pan can accommodate a 5 pound brisket.
In these images, my brisket is slightly smaller, so I used an oval Dutch oven. I have used metal roasting pans or baking dishes, and in a pinch, a 9×13 Pyrex pan. The reason glass isn’t my preferred vehicle is that I once shattered a Pyrex making this exact brisket! If you’re going this route, just make sure that your beef stock isn’t cold straight from the fridge when you pour it into the hot pan. A big difference in temperature could cause the glass to implode. I’ve made a note of this in the instructions!
5 Star Reader Review
“Wow this really was the best Passover brisket! My whole family proclaimed that it was the best they’d ever had. I had never seared something in the oven in a Dutch oven. It turned out absolutely fork tender and perfect. 10/10 would recommend this recipe and method. Thank you!”
—Taylor
What if my brisket is bigger than 5 pounds?
If you’re making this Passover brisket for a larger crowd, you don’t necessarily need to double the recipe. So long as your piece of meat still fits within one pan, it will have the same cook time and not need additional stock and seasonings.
If on the other hand you are making TWO 5-pound briskets in two separate baking dishes, you will want to double the recipe.
The brisket should be slice-able but the meat should be tender enough that you don’t need a knife to cut it at the table. The marbling should be easily broken with the side of your fork. If you feel your brisket slices are too tough, have no fear: you can just toss the whole thing back in the oven! The meat is very forgiving.
More Passover recipes for your Seder table:
- Flourless Lemon Cake for Passover
- Jewish Chicken Soup (Matzo Ball Optional)
- Spinach mashed potatoes
- Lemon Bars with Almond Flour Crust
- Ginger-Sesame Roasted Carrots
If you’re looking for more Passover recipes to round out the Seder table, I have plenty of gluten-free desserts in my archives that fit the bill. You can’t go wrong with flourless peanut butter cookies!
Read on for the best Passover brisket recipe! Until next year in Jerusalem…or at least, inside our relative’s house.
With health and hedonism,
Phoebe
The Best Passover Brisket
Ingredients
- One 5 pound brisket
- 8 garlic cloves cut lengthwise into 4 pieces
- Sea salt
- 1 quart beef stock
- 2 Vidalia or sweet onions thinly sliced
- 1 cup ketchup
- ¼ cup coconut sugar or brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme or rosemary
- 2 bay leaves
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 500°F.
- Place the brisket on a work surface. If the fat cap is on the thicker side (1/2 inch) trip off a little of the fat, leaving an even 1/4 -inch layer.
- Using a paring knife, make vertical incisions in the meat and shove a piece of garlic into each. Do this until the meat is stuffed with garlic all over. Season both sides with salt and pepper and place the brisket in a large braiser, Dutch oven or rimmed baking dish (preferably metal) starting with the fat cap facing up and brown it in the oven, about 10 minutes per side.
- Remove the pan from the oven, and pour in the beef stock (NOTE: if you are using a pyrex dish, wait a few minutes for the pan to acclimate to room temperature so it does not shatter.). Turn the oven down to 350 degrees, cover the dish with a lid or foil, and cook in the oven for 1 hour.
- In the meantime, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-low heat in a large skillet. Add the onions and sauté, stirring every once in a while, until soft and caramelized, about 30 minutes.
- Remove the meat from the oven, and add the ketchup, sugar, paprika, smoked paprika, cayenne, thyme or rosemary, and bay leaves to the pan. Using a fork, whisk everything together with the beef stock. Arrange the caramelized onions on top of the meat. Cover the pan again with the lid or foil, and return it to the oven for 2-3 hours. NOTE: if you want to be able to cut the brisket into slices, take it out at 2 hours. If you want it to be falling apart, more along the lines of a pulled brisket, keep it in for the full 3.
- Remove the meat from the oven, and transfer it to a cutting board. Slice the brisket against the grain into slices. Return the meat to the sauce and serve, or store in the fridge overnight–the brisket can be made a day or two in advance.
Vivian L Staten says
Hi thank you for this..Do you have directions on how to make this in a crockpot..thanks
Vivian
Phoebe Lapine says
I don’t, sorry! Usually the cuts of brisket I buy are too wide for a crockpot.
Judy says
What cuts do you buy?
Phoebe Lapine says
you want a flat cut of brisket. I prefer to trim the fat myself so I can have a thin layer to keep it moist, but not so much that it’s overly fatty (1/3 inch or so).
Karie says
I made it in the crockpot once. I just cooked it for 2 hours on high then 10 hours on low. Was delicious.. but normally I do it as written and it’s even better. Although I did have to increase the cooking time.. I just tested it until it was tender and falling apart. I think about 5 hours for my 6 lb brisket. It’s truly the best brisket ever.. I wish my grandma and my dad were alive to taste it!
Judy says
What did you cook it in? Dutch oven or roasting pan?
Phoebe Lapine says
It depends on how many pounds of brisket I’m making, but either a pyrex baking dish, roasting pan (for largest) or an oval Dutch oven if I’m making a smaller one (like the one pictured).
Frankie says
I’ve made this and love it. I used canned tomato sauce and worcestershire sauce instead of ketchup. Yeah, the je ne sais quoi was je ne sais ou, but with all the onions and garlic I don’t think the ketchup was missed. P.S. I ate the entire thing myself because my BF is a veg.
Aysha Cromeenes says
I really like the way you do things!
Lauren says
Made this tonight and it was a huge hit! I cooked in the broth for only 2 hours (after initial 1 hour roast) and it came out perfect. The sauce never thickened but was still good. Might have been a good idea to cook the broth uncovered while the meat rested, so will try that next time. My friends even asked if we could make Passover (and this brisket) an annual tradition!
Phoebe Lapine says
hooray!!
Gary says
Delicious! WOW! I added fresh chopped rosemary to the sauce. Best ever brisket.
Phoebe Lapine says
yay! so glad you agree!!
Monica says
How many people would you say this feeds? I’m looking forward to trying this recipe for our first in-person Seder since 2020!
Phoebe Lapine says
exciting!! 10-12 ppl unless it’s part of a large spread, in which case it might stretch further. General rule of thumb is always 1/2 pound per person of protein at dinner time, but buffet plates usually require more room for lots of different things.
Cynthia says
I would love to make your recipe for Passover this year, but I cannot find kosher-for-Passover beef broth or chili sauce. I am presuming you mean a chili sauce similar to Heinz chili sauce and not a Thai chili sauce. Please clarify regarding the type of chili sauce and if you know of a kosher-for-Passover kind (one with a certification mark). The kosher beef broth I normally use contains yeast extract, so they do not produce their beef broth for Passover use. I was thinking of using chicken broth and adding beef marrow bones to generate a beefy stock. Please advise. Thank you.
Phoebe Lapine says
The beef stock is not that important. you can use chicken stock or water. Not sure where you found the recipe but there is no chili sauce in this version. Just ketchup. I’m not sure which brands are kosher, but I assume it’s an item you can find easily with the label somewhere. Hope you enjoy it!!
Cynthia says
Ahhh! The Emeril recipe I saw, based on your reference, has chili sauce. I will use your recipe since most of the ingredients are available to me kosher for Passover. Thank you for the chicken broth tip! I will throw in some beef bones with the chicken broth also. Chag Samayach!
Paris says
Hi Phoebe! How would you recommend reheating?
Phoebe Lapine says
covered in 300 degree oven until heated through.
Shari says
Hi. I’m making it today and I want to freeze it. What is the best way to reheat it? I’m making it as the pulled beef you suggested.
backrooms game says
I would love to cook your Passover dish this year, but I cannot get beef broth or chili sauce that is kosher for Passover. I assume you are referring about a chili sauce comparable to Heinz chili sauce and not Thai chili sauce.
Phoebe Lapine says
there is no chili sauce in this recipe anymore. maybe you found an older version? You can make your own kosher beef stock or use water instead
Pamela Ryba says
There are a couple brands that make K for P chili sauce and certainly beef broth, if you like to use chili sauce instead of ketchup, but other options are to use K for P vegetable or onion broth, even the dry onion soup mix prepared with water for the broth, and instead of chili sauce use regular tomato paste plus a can of whole berry cranberry sauce instead of the ketchup and the sugar. You’ll get that nice slightly sweet/tart flavor. Everything else stays just the same.
slope io says
Hi. I want to freeze it once I make it today. What is the ideal method for reheating it? I’m preparing it as pulled beef, as you advised.
Phoebe Lapine says
microwave or oven will both work!
Sharon K says
Made this brisket for Passover and there was only 5 of us used a 5lb brisket and there was nothing left over. Was so good made it again for Chanukah, served it with latkes and it was once again fantastic. Only difference was this time I made a roux to thicken the sauce It was great. Thank you
Pamela Ryba says
I did the same…took the meat out and thicken the delicious sauce in a pot using some potato starch dissolved in a little water, but could have used wine. The sauce is too good to waste and thickening it a little makes it glorious.
Rachel M says
This was excellent! Big hit with my family. My son said “we should have this more often!”
Grace says
I have made this recipe twice now. I follow it as is and it turns out absolutely amazing! The brisket is so tender and flavourful, on its own or served with the jus. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!
Phoebe Lapine says
that’s great news – I’m so thrilled!
Cindi Punihaole Kennedy says
I would like to cook 2 5lb briskets. Would you suggest I just double the recipe?
Phoebe Lapine says
correct. you will need two baking dishes / Pyrexes to accommodate so you’ll need double the recipe
Judy says
What kind of dish do I cook this in? Pyrex is glass. That’s ok?
Or do I need a Dutch oven as your photo shows? What size works for a 5lb brisket?
Catherine Lee says
Do you skim the fat from the broth? Also, when cooking the night before, do you store the meat in the broth or separately?
Phoebe Lapine says
Store and reheat in the broth. If there’s a lot of grease, yes you can skim it off. I usually trim some of the fat from my brisket so it doesn’t get too bad. I also don’t mind some fat in the sauce though!
Shari says
Hi Phoebe.
I have a 12 lb brisket, and a 16″ x 13″ enamel double roaster that I bought specifically for this occasion. I’ve never cooked anything so big, but I have 22 ppl coming for the Seder. Do I use the same cooking times?
Thanks so much!
Phoebe Lapine says
yes – if it fits in one pan, same cooking times should apply unless it is very thick. You will know when it’s tender enough – it should easily slice and not require a knife to eat. Unlike a stovetop steak, brisket is very forgiving, so if you start slicing it and it doesn’t feel tender enough, you can throw it back in the oven for another hour.
Debra H says
This looks great and I’m trying it now and will freeze until the first night of passover. Does the cayenne give it a kick?
Phoebe Lapine says
no its a very small amount compared to the meat / sauce!
Joanie says
I’m making your recipe for the first time tomorrow! I have a 10 pound flat brisket and it fills up a large 16×13 roasting pan. I’ve never been able to get a brisket to fully cook in 3 hours . . . I noticed someone mentioned she cooked a 6 lb for 6 yours. Do you think I should count on 10 hours after searing on both sides? I want tender, but slices, not shredded. Thank you!
Phoebe Lapine says
Nope. My guess would be 5 hours max unless it is quite thick. I would still check it at the 3 hour mark if you want the slices to hold together.
Natalie Dayan says
It I am making a 2.5 lb brisket do I just halve everything? Can you help me with the cooking time? Would that just be halved as well?
Phoebe Lapine says
I would honestly make it as written. You will have extra sauce and onions, but no one has ever complained about that! It should still cook in the time specified but check it at the 2 hour mark just in case.
Cr says
So the spices and broth get whisked with the onions after saute? Then entire mixture on top?
Phoebe Lapine says
The spices get whisked into the broth. The onions are added to the brisket on top. Just follow the recipe as written 🙂
Taylor says
Wow this really was the best Passover brisket! My whole family proclaimed that it was the best they’d ever had. I had never seared something in the oven in a Dutch oven. It turned out absolutely fork tender and perfect. I thickened the gravy with some cornstarch and it was delicious. 10/10 would recommend this recipe and method. Thank you!
Phoebe Lapine says
I’m so glad it lived up to the hype!
Jennifer Diaz says
Is there a way to do this recipe with a flat cut of brisket?
Phoebe Lapine says
yes – you do use a flat cut. The one pictured is just smaller piece so doesn’t look as large and flat.
natalie williams says
Hi, when it is in the oven for browning, is it on BAKE, or ROAST???
after that is it on BAKE or ROAST
Phoebe Lapine says
these settings are specific to your oven. Most ovens just specify a temperature. Bake is the standard, I believe. It is just a matter of where the heat is coming from.
Roxanne says
Perfect!! I had 2 5-pound briskets. I put them both in a large roaster and doubled everything.
Debra Stokes says
100% fantastic recipe! I followed it exactly and it is the best brisket recipe I have ever had! My family was skeptical while I was making it and they were so thrilled with the result and even asked for the recipe! I will definately be making this again and not just for a holiday!! Thank you for sharing this yummyness!!
Phoebe Lapine says
so glad the fam agrees now!
Terri Moxon says
I would love to make your recipe for Passover this year, but I cannot find kosher-for-Passover beef broth or chili sauce. I am presuming you mean a chili sauce similar to Heinz chili sauce and not a Thai chili sauce. Please clarify regarding the type of chili sauce and if you know of a kosher-for-Passover kind (one with a certification mark). The kosher beef broth I normally use contains yeast extract, so they do not produce their beef broth for Passover use. I was thinking of using chicken broth and adding beef marrow bones to generate a beefy stock. Please advise. Thank you.
Phoebe Lapine says
Hi, there is no chili sauce in this recipe!
Geometry Dash 2.2 says
I made this yesterday and it rocked! Thank you for the recipe and the instructions. It didn’t need extra sauce. Love your cooking style and will try some of your other recipes!
Phoebe Lapine says
so glad you enjoyed!
Karen says
Making this for the first time. Do you remove the brisket from the pan in order to whisk everything with the broth or just work around the brisket?
Thanks!
Phoebe Lapine says
Unless you have a very snug pan, you can work around it. There’s enough stock that the other ingredients dissolve and redistribute pretty easily.
Susan says
I’m making this for tonight and the sauce is very liquify. How can I thicken the gravy after it has been cooked?
Phoebe Lapine says
Yes, you can always simmer the sauce on the stove after you’ve removed the brisket. Sometimes it depends on the size of your pan and how much room your brisket is taking up. Mine usually does not require much thickening.
Patrick says
Great recipe! Best brisket ever!! Just shred and put it over some mashers!!!! Use the remaining stock as a gravy!!!
Melody Guillette says
This has to be the absolute best brisket recipe ever. I have tried many recipes over the years but this is the only one I will use from here on out. This was more tender then my crock put recipes. Even my picky husband loved it.
Justin says
Made this and our only regret is that we only had a 3lb brisket, followed the recipe as is and it was delicious. We will be doing it again with a 5lb brisket soon! We also made Mashed Potato laktes with left over Thanksgiving mashed potatoes, which was a perfect side to this.
Phoebe Lapine says
thanks Justin!! yes, leftovers are always a plus!
Sarah says
I want to make this recipe but may not have access to an oven for the whole time. Could I move it to the stove top after it’s initial crowning?
Phoebe Lapine says
Ideally, this really needs the oven! It’s a thick, tough cut of meat that benefits from a low and slow bake. My advice would be to make it up to 3 days in advance and just reheat. Alternatively, if there is no other way, you could transfer to the stovetop if you’re using a Dutch oven or braiser with a tight fitting lid. Then you may just need to monitor it to make sure that the bottom isn’t burning since all the heat will be coming from the bottom / flame.
Rachel Caine says
Hi! If I have a smaller 2 pound brisket, how should I adjust the cook time?
Phoebe Lapine says
The cooktime will be the same! You will just have more sauce. You can always reduce it on the stove to end up with less. but personally, I don’t think it’s a bad problem to have 🙂
Elaina says
In case no one else has said this – the original (vintage) PYREX will not shatter. However, a handful of years ago the name/brand was sold as “pyrex” – all lowercase – and *that* is made of soda glass, not the original tempered heat/cold resistant glass. So, if you have a dish with PYREX all caps, your dish won’t shatter at the temperature changes, pyrex all lowercase plan as noted above because it is a shatter risk as temp changes. 🙂
Phoebe Lapine says
interesting! this was back in 2008 so not sure what is “vintage” 🙂
Elaina says
Anything before 1998 is the original PYREX after that, it’s the Lesser quality glass as pyrex. I learned this after removing a dish from the over and having it explode when I set it down on the trivet. No one was hurt but it scorched our linoleum where pieces of hot glass landed. That led me to do some research and voila! PYREX nerd info.
Phoebe Lapine says
So good to know!
Tracey says
I’ve cooked this for 2 hours. What are your thoughts of putting in the refrigerator for tomorrow’s Seder and cooking for another hour with carrots and potatoes?
Would you cut tonight or leave whole?
Phoebe Lapine says
If you’re going to cook for additional time, definitely leave it whole!
Renee says
I had this recipe at a friends house and it was amazing so I’m going to make it at our house. If I’m making a 7lb, how much longer should I keep in oven?
Phoebe Lapine says
Same amount of time! Unless your brisket is much thicker than normal, the cook time won’t change.
SHARON C WENTWORTH says
What did I so wrong? Novice here. I bought a brisket, called a flat. Cut it to five pounds and followed the directions exactly. It took over 8 hours to get the meat tender, the most progress made after the 7th. I think I had to have bought the wrong cut or at the wrong store. Once fully cooked, it was delicious. Help!
Jolyn says
Wow! This was wonderful. My family loved it thank you
Jordan says
Hmm, well, where do I begin? It was very tasty but NOT a traditional Jewish-style brisket, much more South Georgia than Judea. Perfect for a southern BBQ – not as much for a Seder table.
Be warned…this recipe (and I followed it to a T) has a kick like a .44 Magnum – fire abounds! The flavour was wonderful, but far more apropos to be accompanied by cornbread and baked beans rather than latkes and Matzoh ball soup!
Sorry 🙁
SHARON C WENTWORTH says
I am making this for the third time but I have a BIG question. Being a neophyte cook, I bought a corned beef brisket the first time. Perfect, amazing. The second time I brought a brisket. It took almost 8 hours to get the right breakdown. Today, I will use a corned beef brisket. Can you put a note in your recipes specified exactly what brisket to use, for people like me? Thank you!
Roxanne C. says
I just made this and it was the best brisket ever! Thank you so much for a great recipe.
Phoebe Lapine says
yay! so glad!
John says
The sauce was so good that I turned it into stew. I loved the sweet and sour. Thanks for sharing.
Phoebe Lapine says
glad you enjoyed!
Debbi Ann says
Hi Phoebe!
I have never been a fan of brisket (unless it’s corned beef n cabbage), but for some strange reason I wanted to make brisket and try again…and I stumbled upon your recipe!
Outstanding! (Although I did tweak the gravy a bit) I want to buy another brisket right now and just do it all again!
So, my tweaks: a heaping T black garlic paste into the sauce, 2 heads of garlic cloves, leftovers thrown into the sauce (can you tell I LOVE garlic…and onions!), I also used no sugar ketchup, I did add onion soup mix in addition to caramelized onions (5), brown sugar, unsalted beef broth, Herbes de provence, bay leaves, the paprika, smoked paprika and cayenne, a t of btb beef and an extra c of water.
The whole 10 lb. brisket went into a beautiful new heavy duty stainless steel deep roaster (I am in love with this beautiful, deep roaster!) on a flat rack, covered w parchment and then foil over to seal for about 4 1/2 hours @350, after broiling both sides for 5 minutes. And then I tried it…
It was fabulous! The sauce had a bit of zing on the backside, but day 2 it wasn’t even perceivable! I sliced the whole brisket and vacuum sealed it into portions, blended about a third of the gravy and added that back in to the rest to slightly thicken the doubled gravy…cause, who doesn’t love gravy!!!
It made a beautiful 10 lb brisket and 12-13 c gravy, I froze 6 packages of brisket, and 6 bags of gravy, and had enough to eat last night and today. I did throw in a few small whole carrots and a few whole small red potatoes from cb&c I had leftover, they were cooked perfectly to eat w the brisket as well.
The best brisket recipe! Thank you!
Phoebe Lapine says
Great notes and feedback!
Sierra says
This was a great recipe! I made it for our Easter celebration and left out the ketchup and sugar. We have some food sensitivities to tomatoes in the family and my husband doesn’t like sugar in savory foods. I can tell you, we didn’t miss either ingredient. It was delicious. Thanks, Phoebe.
Phoebe Lapine says
so wonderful to hear!
Judy says
Hello. This recipe looks great, but I really hate ketchup. Could I substitute tomato sauce instead? Or something else?
Thank you!
Phoebe Lapine says
sure thing! tomato sauce would work.
Jonathan Weston says
Where would you put Baby Carrots and quartered yukon gold potatoes in? What step? Not sure if I understand how you do that at step 5.
Phoebe Lapine says
Add them during the last 1.5 hours of cooking to the liquid around the meat
Stephanie Begen says
Hello!
This recipe looks amazing! Is there a way to adapt it for the slow cooker?
Thank you!
Phoebe Lapine says
I would add probably half the liquid and cook on high for 8+ hours.
Linda says
Phoebe, I hv never seared meat in an oven. Can I sear let’s say 5 min on each side in a pan?
Phoebe Lapine says
sure can – it’s just a big piece of meat!
Keri Halperin says
My family always raves when I make this brisket, so it has become my go-to for every holiday.
Phoebe Lapine says
so glad you love it!
Damian P says
Made this last year for passover and it came out great. Subbed Trader Joe’s Garcic Siracha BBQ sauce since we were out of ketchup.
Question–would it throw anything off with the recipe to marinade the brisket prior to beginning?
Thanks for sharing your story and your recipe!
Phoebe Lapine says
I wouldn’t since the first step involves rendering some fat (oven searing). But brisket is very forgiving, so you’re welcome to try it!
Suzanne Aleksic says
Hi – excited to make this for Passover! I would like to make 2 days ahead & keep in fridge. Do you recommend making ahead or day of? Many times, IMO, things taste better the next day. If I make ahead, how long should I reheat & at what temp? (I have two 5lb briskets) If you say make day of, I will obey! LOL! Thanks so much & Happy Pesach!
Phoebe Lapine says
You can absolutely make 2 days ahead! 350 F for 20 minutes should do it if it’s fully cooked ahead of time. But just check and remove whenever its piping hot. Brisket is very forgiving.
Lise says
Do you brine the meat first?
Phoebe Lapine says
I don’t!
Brooke says
Surprised to see you recommend cutting when it’s warm as opposed to making a day ahead and cutting it when it’s firm and out of fridge before reheating it. I thought that was a standard with Passover brisket. Am I missing something? Is it because of the onions on top somehow? I assumed I pushed those off into the sauce and cut like I typically do but I don’t make beisket other than the holidays so I’m no expert. Please advise!
Phoebe Lapine says
Not everyone makes it ahead of time, but you are welcome to leave the cutting until before you reheat it. There are no firm rules when it comes to brisket.
Michael says
How much would you vary the cooking time for each of the stages based on size (for ex, would you go 50% longer braising on an 8 lb brisket)?
Phoebe Lapine says
Hi Michael! It’s not an exact science, it really depends on the thickness more than the overall weight. if it’s 3 inches or thicker, you’ll need extra time (maybe an hour). but if it’s just larger lengthwise, the cook time should be the same. Best to check it towards the end and evaluate yourself, especially since everyone has different preferences with tenderness.
Tracy says
4/22/24: Thank you for this recipe – I just made it in advance a week ago with 18lbs of meat!! I used extra garlic but everything else the same. I initially cooked it as directed (in two huge doubled aluminum pans, alternating rack positions every 1/2 hour), let it cool overnight and then sliced it. It was NOT broken down at that point. I put slices back in the sauce (after shrinkage I was able to fit it all in one of the pans) and froze it. Defrosted it Friday and then put it in the oven for 3 hours, after which it was perfect. Got rave reviews from all 30 people at my (early) seder!! The only thing I wish was a little different was a tad thicker sauce. I tried to boil and reduce it and that didn’t work. But no worries this is a keeper and I will make it again!
Zach Schiffman says
Hi there. I’m cooking for just me and one other and have a 2 pound brisket. how would you adjust for the smaller cut?
Phoebe Lapine says
It depends on the thickness, but if more or less standard, the cook time will be the same. You could halve the sauce, but honestly I wouldn’t, since you can’t have too much sauce!
Wendy Schumer says
I was so excited to make this. The house smelled amazing while it cooked. I followed the directions to a tee but unfortunately the bottom of the pan burnt and there was no sauce. Seems it needed more liquid. Wonder what I did wrong. Quite disappointed.
Phoebe Lapine says
Sorry to hear that! It’s possible your oven is calibrated higher than your setting. It’s a low and slow cook, so slightly higher heat than intended could be a culprit. Also possible if you used a much larger pan than the meat that too much of the liquid burned off. Most people don’t have this problem though as you’ll see from the comments – usually it’s an excess of sauce!
Harry Madorin says
make brisket last night for passover, family loved it. nice change from mom’s kayo syrup recipe. nice and savory and smokey flavor. we’ll make again. Thanks