Best Wine Braised Beef Brisket Recipes

RED WINE BRAISED BEEF BRISKET

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large Dutch oven or heavy pot, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high. Season brisket with salt and pepper; in batches, cook, turning occasionally, until dark brown on all sides, about 20 minutes total. Transfer brisket to a plate and discard fat from pot. Return pot to heat and add 2 teaspoons oil and shallots; cook, stirring, until shallots are browned, 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 1 minute.
• Add wine and simmer rapidly until reduced by three-fourths, about 15 minutes. Return beef to pot and add just enough water to cover meat (5 to 6 cups). Bring to a boil, cover, then place pot in oven. Cook until beef is tender, 3 1/2 to 4 hours.

WINE-BRAISED BRISKET OF BEEF WITH CARAMELIZED PEARL ONIONS AND DRIED APRICOTS

Steps:

• 1. Season the brisket evenly on both sides with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, bring the wine to a boil and continue boiling until it reduces to half its original volume, 15 to 20 minutes.
• 2. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Evenly sprinkle the brisket all over with flour, shaking off excess. Heat a heavy Dutch oven over high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of the oil. When it is almost smoking, turn the heat to medium-high, carefully add the brisket, and sear until well browned, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer the brisket to a platter. Pour off the fat from the Dutch oven and add another 2 tablespoons of oil. Add the garlic, shallots, carrots, celery, and leek, and sauté until glossy and lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add half of the apricots and all the parsley, thyme, bay leaves, and tomato paste, and continue to cook 1 minute more.
• 3. Return the browned brisket to the Dutch oven and add the reduced wine and 2 quarts stock or broth. If the brisket is not completely covered with liquid, add enough extra stock, broth, or water to cover. Bring the liquid to a simmer. Cover the pot and carefully place it in the oven. Cook until the brisket is fork-tender, 2 to 2 1/2 hours. Meanwhile, blanch and peel the onions as instructed in the tips (see below), leaving them whole. Cut the remaining apricots into 1/4-inch strips.
• 4. In a small sauté pan, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat and sauté the pearl onions until lightly golden, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the apricot strips and pour in the remaining 1/4 cup stock or broth, stirring and scraping with a wooden spoon to deglaze the pan deposits. Reduce the heat and simmer gently until tender, about 5 minutes. Cover and keep warm.
• 5. When the meat is done, carefully transfer it to a heated platter, cover with aluminum foil, and keep warm. Boil the liquid in the Dutch oven until it thickens and reduces to about 1 quart, 15 to 20 minutes. Pour it through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl, taste, and adjust the seasonings if necessary with more salt and pepper.
• 6. To serve, use a sharp knife to cut the brisket across the grain into 1/4-inch slices. Arrange the slices on heated serving plates or on a heated platter, spoon half the sauce over it, and garnish with the pearl onions and apricots. Sprinkle with minced parsley and pass the remaining sauce on the side.

WINE-BRAISED BRISKET OF BEEF WITH CARAMELIZED PEARL ONIONS

Steps:

• Season the brisket evenly on both sides with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, bring the wine to a boil and continue boiling until it reduces to half its original volume, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• Evenly sprinkle the brisket all over with flour, shaking off excess. Heat a heavy Dutch oven over high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of the oil and when it is almost smoking, turn the heat to medium-high, carefully add the brisket, and sear until well browned, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer the brisket to a platter. Pour off the fat from the Dutch oven and add another 2 tablespoons of oil. Add the garlic, shallots, carrots, celery, and leek, and sauté until glossy and lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add half of the apricots and all the parsley, thyme, bay leaves, and tomato paste, and continue to cook 1 minute more.
• Return the browned brisket to the Dutch oven and add the reduced wine and 2 quarts stock or broth. If the brisket is not completely covered with liquid, add enough extra stock, broth, or water to cover. Bring the liquid to a simmer. Cover the pot and carefully place it in the oven. Cook until the brisket is fork tender, 2 to 2½ hours. Meanwhile, blanch and peel the onions as instructed in the tips, leaving them whole. Cut the remaining apricots into 1/4-inch strips.
• In a small sauté pan, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat and sauté the pearl onions until lightly golden, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the apricot strips and pour in the remaining 1/4 cup stock or broth, stirring and scraping with a wooden spoon to deglaze the pan deposits. Reduce the heat and simmer gently until tender, about 5 minutes. Cover and keep warm.
• When the meat is done, carefully transfer it to a heated platter, cover with aluminum foil, and keep warm. Boil the liquid in the Dutch oven until it thickens and reduces to about 1 quart, 15 to 20 minutes. Pour it through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl, taste, and adjust the seasonings if necessary with more salt and pepper.
• To serve, use a sharp knife to cut the brisket across the grain into 1/4-inch slices. Arrange the slices on heated serving plates or on a heated platter, spoon half the sauce over it, and garnish with the pearl onions and apricots. Sprinkle with minced parsley and pass the remaining sauce on the side. Serves 8.

RED-WINE BRAISED BEEF BRISKET W. HORSERADISH SAUCE (SARA MOULTON

Steps:

• If using a slow cooker, skip this step entirely: place your oven shelf so your casserole or Dutch oven will be in the bottom third of the oven and preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• Fill a small saucepan with water, and bring to a boil over high heat.
• Add the garlic cloves, bring back to a boil, and cook rapidly until slightly softened, about 1 minute.
• Use a slotted spoon to transfer the garlic to a bowl of ice water and peel when cool enough to handle.
• Combine the flour, salt, and pepper in a large shallow dish or large platter.
• Coat the brisket on all sides with the seasoned flour and shake off any excess.
• Heat the oil in a large covered casserole or Dutch oven over medium-high heat until almost smoking.
• Add the brisket and sear, turning often, until well browned, about 6 to 8 minutes per side.
• Transfer to a plate or platter and pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the fat.
• Add the onions and the peeled garlic.
• Reduce the heat to medium and saute, stirring often, until golden, about 10 minutes.
• Pour in the wine and stir to pick up any browned bits on the bottom of the casserole.
• Stir in the tomato paste and add the bay leaves and thyme.
• Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil.
• Cook rapidly, stirring often, until almost all the liquid has evaporated.
• At this point, if you're using a slow cooker, transfer the contents of the casserole into the slow cooker, set the cooker for time and temperature, add the chicken stock and the brisket, cover tightly with foil and then your cooker's lid, test for doneness with a fork (see step 20) and meanwhile continue to make the sauce (step 21).
• If not using a slow cooker, pour in the chicken stock and bring back to a boil.
• Reduce the heat to medium and add the brisket.
• Cover tightly with a piece of foil, then cover the pot with the lid.
• Transfer to the lower third of the oven and cook until a fork comes out easily when pierced, 3 to 4 hours.
• To make the Horseradish Sauce: mix the horseradish, vinegar, mayonnaise, chives, and lemon juice in a small bowl.
• Stir well to blend and season with salt and pepper.
• You should have about 1 cup -- keep refrigerated until ready to serve.
• Transfer the brisket from the casserole (or slow cooker) to a cutting surface and cover loosely with foil.
• Let rest for 15 minutes.
• Gently skim the surface of the liquid in the casserole with a spoon to remove as much fat as possible (or you can pour off [though a sieve] into a gravy separator, let it rest for 10-15 minutes and then pour off most of the fat; putting the separator and liquid into the freezer makes the separation happen even more quickly).
• Remove and discard the bay leaves.
• Thinly slice the brisket on an angle, cutting against the grain.
• Arrange the slices on a warmed serving platter or plate and spoon on some of the horseradish cream.
• Serve warm and enjoy the complements!

WINE-BRAISED BEEF BRISKET

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Mix thyme, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl and rub the mixture over both sides of brisket.
• Heat olive oil in a roasting pan over medium-high heat; place brisket in the hot oil and brown on both sides, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Remove brisket from pan and set aside.
• Place red onion slices into the hot roasting pan and cook and stir until onion is slightly softened, about 2 minutes. Stir in beef broth, tomato sauce, and wine.
• Place the brisket back into the roasting pan and cover pan with foil.
• Roast the brisket in the preheated oven for 1 hour; remove foil and baste brisket with pan juices. Place foil back over roasting pan and roast brisket until very tender and pan sauce has thickened, 1 1/2 to 2 more hours.

WINE-BRAISED BRISKET OF BEEF WITH CARAMELIZED PEARL ONIONS AND D

Steps:

• Season the brisket evenly on both sides with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, bring the wine to a boil and continue boiling until it reduces to half its original volume, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F Evenly sprinkle the brisket all over with flour, shaking off excess. Heat a heavy Dutch oven over high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of the oil. When it is almost smoking, turn the heat to medium-high, carefully add the brisket, and sear until well browned, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer the brisket to a platter. Pour off the fat from the Dutch oven and add another 2 tablespoons of oil. Add the garlic, shallots, carrots, celery, and leek, and sauté until glossy and lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add half of the apricots and all the parsley, thyme, bay leaves, and tomato paste, and continue to cook 1 minute more.
• Return the browned brisket to the Dutch oven and add the reduced wine and 2 quarts stock or broth. If the brisket is not completely covered with liquid, add enough extra stock, broth, or water to cover. Bring the liquid to a simmer. Cover the pot and carefully place it in the oven. Cook until the brisket is fork-tender, 2 to 2 1/2 hours. Meanwhile, blanch and peel the onions as instructed in the tips (see below), leaving them whole. Cut the remaining apricots into 1/4-inch strips.
• In a small sauté pan, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat and sauté the pearl onions until lightly golden, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the apricot strips and pour in the remaining 1/4 cup stock or broth, stirring and scraping with a wooden spoon to deglaze the pan deposits. Reduce the heat and simmer gently until tender, about 5 minutes. Cover and keep warm.
• When the meat is done, carefully transfer it to a heated platter, cover with aluminum foil, and keep warm. Boil the liquid in the Dutch oven until it thickens and reduces to about 1 quart, 15 to 20 minutes. Pour it through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl, taste, and adjust the seasonings if necessary with more salt and pepper.
• To serve, use a sharp knife to cut the brisket across the grain into 1/4-inch slices. Arrange the slices on heated serving plates or on a heated platter, spoon half the sauce over it, and garnish with the pearl onions and apricots. Sprinkle with minced parsley and pass the remaining sauce on the side.
• Wolfgang's Easy Tips:.
• • If you can't find a 5-pound brisket at your supermarket, cook 2 smaller pieces.
• • While the meat braises, keep the heat gentle since boiling tightens rather than relaxes the meat's fibers. Check the liquid in the cooking vessel and if it's bubbling more than slightly, turn down the heat. The results should be so tender that you can pull the meat apart with a fork.
• • To prepare the pearl onions, bring a saucepan of water to a boil. Add the pearl onions and blanch them for 30 seconds. Drain and immediately immerse them in a bowl of ice and water. Cut the very ends off at the stem ends, peel the onions, and leave them whole.
• • For neater slices, you could let the brisket cool before cutting it across the grain. Reheat the slices in the sauce. That makes brisket an ideal dish to prepare ahead. Just cook and slice it the day before, and reheat it in the oven in its sauce for about half an hour at 300°F before serving.

RED-WINE BRAISED BEEF BRISKET WITH HORSERADISH SAUCE AND AUNT RIFKA'S FLYING DISKS

Steps:

• To make the Brisket: preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• Fill a small saucepan with water, and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the garlic, bring back to a boil, and cook rapidly until slightly softened, about 1 minute. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the garlic to a bowl of ice water. Peel when cool enough to handle.
• Combine the flour, salt, and pepper in a large shallow dish or large platter. Add the brisket and turn to coat on all sides. Shake off the excess. Heat the oil in a large covered casserole or Dutch oven over medium-high heat until almost smoking. Add the brisket and cook, turning often, until well browned, about 6 to 8 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate or platter and pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the fat. Stir in the onions and the peeled garlic. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring often, until golden, about 10 minutes. Pour in the wine and stir to pick up any browned bits on the bottom of the casserole. Stir in the tomato paste and add the bay leaves and thyme. Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Cook rapidly, stirring often, until almost all the liquid has evaporated. Pour in the stock and bring back to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and add the brisket. Cover tightly with a piece of foil, then cover the pot with the lid. Transfer to the lower third of the oven and cook until a fork comes out easily when pierced, 3 to 4 hours.
• To make the Horseradish Sauce: mix the horseradish, vinegar, mayonnaise, chives, and lemon juice in a small bowl. Stir well to blend and season with salt and pepper. You should have about 1 cup. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.
• To make the Disks: whisk the stock, eggs, and margarine together in a small bowl. Stir in the salt and matzo meal to form a soft dough. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until well-chilled, about 1 hour. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Working with 1 tablespoon of dough at a time, use wet hands to form the dough into disks about 1 1/2 inches wide and 1/2-inch thick. You should have about 18 disks. Drop them into the boiling water and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer until the disks are puffy and cooked through, 30 to 35 minutes.
• Transfer the brisket from the casserole to a cutting surface and cover loosely with foil. Let rest for 15 minutes. Gently skim the surface of the liquid in the casserole with a spoon to remove as much fat as possible. Remove and discard the bay leaves. Add the disks to the cooking liquid and cook on top of the stove over medium heat, covered, until they've turned dark and absorbed some of the sauce, about 10 minutes.
• Thinly slice the brisket on an angle, cutting against the grain. Arrange the slices on a warmed serving platter or plate and spoon on some of the horseradish cream. Place the disks on the side and ladle on the pan gravy. Serve warm.