This Jewish Brisket Recipe is based on my family recipe and is a Passover favorite! We tweaked the recipe – it’s gluten-free, paleo and Whole30 compatible!
JEWISH BRISKET RECIPE
When it comes to Passover dinner, you must, must, must have brisket.
My Jewish brisket recipe is everything — it’s tender, falls apart, it’s loaded with flavor, and free of junk ingredients (have you seen those recipes where people put ketchup on brisket? Gag!!).
Plus, this recipe is based on my Mom’s old school traditional brisket recipe!
Every Passover that I can remember, my Mom makes her traditional, drool-worthy Jewish brisket. Everyone loves it, raves about it, and looks forward to it like crazy.
It must be noted that she was willing to let me riff off of her brisket!
Every time I get my mom to agree to let me share one of her recipes, it’s nothing short of a miracle. For all kinds of reasons, she is not a fan of sharing her most secret recipes.
This gluten-free Passover version is based on her famous brisket recipe but tweaked just slightly to be gluten-free, Paleo and even Whole30 friendly!
It’s absolutely fantastic served over Creamy Mashed Cauliflower and alongside a fresh Arugula Salad with Lemon Balsamic Dressing — just in case you are looking for a complete meal plan 😉
Let’s dig deeper.
HOW TO COOK BEEF BRISKET
- Season the meat with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Brown each side for a few minutes. Remove meat to a platter.
- Saute the vegetables.
- Begin the gravy with broth and some type of starch.
- Return meat to pot and cover about 3/4 of the way with liquid.
- Cover tightly, pop into the oven and let the magic happen!
There are essentially three main ways to cook brisket: braised (as noted above), brined (think corned beef), and barbequed (yum!).
A well-cooked braised Jewish brisket will be incredibly tender, literally falling apart when cut with a fork. The vegetables will be soft and the gravy will rich and loaded with flavor!
HOW TO PICK OUT A GOOD BRISKET
- A butcher usually cuts a whole brisket from the breast section of the cow and divides the meat into two “briskets”; the first cut and the second cut.
- The first cut is known as the “thin cut” or leaner cut and is usually flatter. The second cut or “point cut” has a larger fat cap and is considered more flavorful.
- Whichever piece you buy (they are both good!), you want to make sure that there is at least a 1/4 inch fat cap left intact. Ideally, that fat is spread out across the meat and the meat has good marbling overall. If the fat cap is extra thick, you may want to have it trimmed or trim it your self or it will be too greasy.
- I recommend you seek out pastured or grass-fed brisket to avoid the antibiotics and chemicals that are in cheap feed. Remember, you are what you eats EATS and a lot of toxins are stored in the fat of an animal.
RECIPE TIPS
- Ready for a secret? This brisket recipe is actually BETTER when prepared a day or two in advance. My Mom will sometimes make it a few weeks in advance, cool and then freeze until the holiday.
- If you prepare this in advance, you can easily skim excess fat off the top (best to freeze and scrape off before defrosting!)
- Make sure you slice the brisket against the grain or it will be tough and you will not have the tender, falling apart goodness that you want. The “grain” is which way the muscle fibers are aligned. So, when I say slice “against or across the grain”, I mean parallel to how the fibers are aligned and not with them. Does that make sense? I am going to do a tutorial on this for you all and link back to it – stay tuned!
- If you don’t have fresh thyme, you can use 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme.
- If you plan to cook a much larger brisket than called for in the recipe, make sure you use a dutch oven large enough to accommodate it. Alternately, you could brown the meat and cook the vegetables in a large skillet and transfer everything to a lasagna style Pyrex dish covered with tin foil.
- If you make this ahead of serving and plan to freezer, I recommend slicing BEFORE freezing.
- To Reheat: Defrost 24 to 48 hours before serving. Transfer to an oven-safe baking dish or pot and slowly reheat until warmed through (325F is good).
Do you have more questions about how to cook brisket? If so, leave me a comment and I will make sure that they get answered!
Did you make this recipe? Please give it a star rating below!
This Jewish Brisket Recipe is based on my family recipe and is a Passover favorite! We tweaked the recipe - it's gluten-free, paleo and Whole30 compatible!
- 2 Tablespoons avocado oil or other high heat oil, divided
- 3 pounds Brisket sprinkled with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 extra large yellow onion roughly chopped
- 2 large cloves garlic pressed
- 2 large carrots peeled and roughly chopped
- 1.5 pounds white button mushrooms stems trimmed and quartered
- 2 Tablespoons arrowroot powder
- 1.5 cups organic mushroom broth can substitute beef broth
- 3 sprig thyme
- kosher salt to taste
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
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Preheat the oven to 350F.
Generously salt and pepper each side of the brisket.
Place a large oven-safe dutch-oven over medium-high heat. Once hot, add 1 Tablespoon of the avocado oil and then brisket.
Brown 3 to 4 min per side until every side is seared. Remove from pot and set aside.
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Reduce heat to medium, add remaining 1 Tablespoon of avocado oil.
Once hot, add chopped onion, mushroom, carrot and garlic plus 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and 10 to 12 turns of freshly ground black pepper.
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Cook, uncovered, 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cover and continue cooking vegetables another 5 minutes.
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Remove lid and sprinkle arrowroot over vegetables and stir until well mixed and starting to thicken.
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Return brisket to pot and bury under vegetables.
Add 1.5 cups mushroom broth (or enough so that meat and vegetables are immersed 3/4 of the way) and a few sprigs of thyme to pot.
Bring to a boil.
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Once boiling, cover and place in oven on center rack.
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Cook for 3 hours, checking once about halfway through cooking.
If too much liquid has evaporated, add 1/2 cup additional broth and mix before returning lid and continuing cook time.
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Remove from oven, allow to cool completely and thinly slice the meat against the grain. Taste sauce and adjust salt and pepper if necessary. Return sliced meat to gravy and vegetables and warm before serving. Enjoy!
Did you make this recipe? Tag @EverydayMaven on Instagram with the hashtag #EveryDayMaven and please give a star rating below.
UPDATE NOTES: Please note that this recipe was originally published in March 2015, but was updated in March 2019 with nutritional information, updated photos, recipe tips, and more helpful information.
I’ve made too many bad briskets over the years. So many, in fact, that my husband said he’d prefer fish for our 2019 seder. I decided to try your family recipe for the rest of us non-pescetarians, and it was a huge hit. We had hardly any leftovers — just enough for hubby to have some last night. He was blown away with how tender and delicious it was! We used baby cremini mushrooms instead of the button variety and perhaps extra onions and carrots, but everything else was to the letter, including cooking, cooling, and slicing 2 days before. Thank you for sharing your family recipe with our family!
Wow Cindy! Day Made!! Nothing I love more than hearing how this recipe brought joy to your family celebration! Thanks for taking the time to comment <3
What could be used in place of wine? Thank you.
Hey Marcy! There isn’t wine in this recipe – just broth!
We made this last year for Pesach and are making it again. It’s easy to follow and the taste is unreal. Thanks!
So great to hear Janet! Nothing makes me happier than knowing one of my recipes is bringing joy to your family!
Would you recommend slicing before freezing or freezing it whole? Thanks!
Hi Jaclyn! Great question – slice before freezing. I will add that in to the notes right now! 🙂
Thanks so much! I tried a bite as I was slicing it last night, before freezing, and it was AMAZING 😀 can’t wait to enjoy the rest on Saturday!
LOVE!!! So happy to hear this Jaclyn! Thanks for taking the time to come back and let me know <3
I would venture to say this is the best brisket recipe ever! Thanks for posting it! I will be making it again and again.
That is such high praise! Thank YOU and thanks for taking the time to comment and let me know!
There are not many things that are better than a slow cooked brisket. And I agree eating a day or two later is always better!
Yes! And, it makes having guests over so much easier when the main course is ready in advance!
Can I just say you had me at “mom’s brisket”! Those are always the best aren’t they:) and this one didn’t disappoint. So tender.
Love it Cindy!!! Thank you so much for letting me know 🙂
Where does one buy mushroom broth that is kosher for Passover and where does one buy arrowroot powder that is kosher for Passover?
Great question Stephen! I use Pacific Foods Mushroom Broth and usually Bob’s Red Mill arrowroot powder – both are Kosher but I am not sure about Kosher for Passover as that is a different set of rules. We don’t keep strict kosher so I would suggest checking here https://oukosher.org/product-search/ or wherever you usually buy your Passover products!
Looks great, and pretty much the way I make a Brisket. But going to try your way..
That said, Its really hard to read the Green typing and the black is light !
Is that the way its suppose to look?
Thanx..
Hi Annie! Hope you love the Brisket 🙂 I just did a little makeover on my site and changed the colors. The text is darker now but the green is supposed to be like that.
What does it mean to cut against the grain please!
Thank you
Hi Jacenta – this article should help you — http://www.seriouseats.com/2010/03/why-should-you-cut-meat-steak-against-the-grain.html
You might want to check this mans Twitter feed. I’m sure there’s many other people who can clearly explain “cutting against the grain” who don’t demonstrate intolerance by endorsing the boycotting of a restaurant (Chic-Fila) because of their religious values.
Hey Celeste, I don’t have any issue with his twitter feed. Kenji is one of the most knowledgable kitchen experts out there and his tutorial is on-point and useful to anyone wanting to learn how to properly identify and cut against the grain. Also, I think that it is actually Chic-Fila that uses religion as an excuse to practice intolerance. If anything, he is just calling them out.
Well said Alyssa! I agree. All the more reason to follow Kenji.
YES!!!! Thanks for your support Amy!
All the more reason to follow Kenji… Knowledgeable and conscientious! Standing up for what’s right is never wrong.
EXACTLY!
This is a great brisket recipe Alyssa! Love that it’s your family’s recipe and now we can all enjoy your tradition too. Family values are everything and sharing traditional food with your family is a special way to pass that on, which leads me to Kenji.
Not only his meticulously researched knowledge compares to no one else in the food industry but his belief in equality for all, regardless of race, gender, religion, national origin, citizenship, disability, age, sexual orientation, and sexuality makes me respect him even more. Chick-Fil-A has the right to do what they want, cowardly hiding behind “religious freedom,” but so does Kenji and the rest of us who believe in the him. That’s what makes this country so beautiful. P.S. I also love Tom Colicchiio. He’s such a great chef but his integrity is so admirable, especially in this trying times.
Thank you so much Karen! Well said!! And, so much yes about Tom C. – he is amazing and an incredible advocate! <3
I was never a brisket fan, but your recipe is so easy and simple I should give a try.
You should Norma! It is so simple so so loaded with flavor!
Brisket can be such a good meal! And this looks wonderful. Good reminder on how to slice — I’ve had brisket that wasn’t sliced against the grain, and it was no fun to eat!
That is the worst John!
Awesome recipe! However to thicken the gravy, I usually add extra carrots, celery and sweet pepper. After those veggies cook with the brisket I simply puree the veggies into the gravy to thicken the gravy.
Definitely another option Gina! I like to see the veggies and I hate that the carrots turn the gravy an organe-ish color.