Jewish Brisket Recipe for Hanukkah

Hanukkah Brisket

5.0

(4,437)

4 Reviews

Andrew Zimmern's holiday-worthy whole beef brisket is tender and meaty, with lots of delicious bites of sweet, caramelized fennel alongside.

Andrew Zimmern

Updated on December 10, 2023

Active Time:

1 hr 10 mins

Total Time:

8 hrs 45 mins

Yield:

10 to 12 servings

Frequently asked questions

What is the secret to moist brisket?

Andrew Zimmern likes to roast his brisket whole because the fatty nose of the wide end helps to keep everything moist. The meat is dry-rubbed with an aromatic blend of thyme, sweet paprika, and sage before it's quickly browned on the stove. It's then cooked low and slow in the oven alongside onions and fennel bulbs in a rich braising liquid made of beef stock, vinegar, tomato puree, garlic, peppercorns, and a bay leaf.

How far in advance should you rub a brisket?

For this recipe, the dry rub is applied an hour before before cooking. In this time, you'll leave the seasoned brisket out to warm to room temperature before it's browned on the stove and then transferred to the oven to braise.

Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen

Though this recipe only requires about an hour of active work time, cooking it is an all-day affair. If you'd like to prepare it ahead, the finished brisket and vegetables can be refrigerated in the braising liquid overnight and reheated gently before serving. It also freezes well when bagged with the vegetables and liquid.

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Ingredients

2 tablespoons dried thyme
2 tablespoons sweet paprika
2 tablespoons dried sage
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon fine sea salt, plus more for seasoning
1 (10-pound) whole beef brisket
1/4 cup grapeseed oil
8 medium onions (3 pounds), sliced
2 cups beef stock or low-sodium broth
1 cup Banyuls vinegar or aged red wine vinegar
1 cup tomato puree
10 garlic cloves, peeled
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
1 bay leaf
3 fennel bulbs, each cut through the core into 1 1/2-inch wedges

Directions

In a bowl, whisk the thyme with the paprika, sage, ground black pepper, and 1 tablespoon of sea salt. Rub the spice mixture all over the brisket and let stand at room temperature for 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 300°F. In a large flameproof roasting pan set over two burners, heat the oil. Add the brisket to the roasting pan and cook over moderately high heat, turning once, until browned, about 8 minutes. Transfer the brisket to a large baking sheet.
Add the onions and a generous pinch of salt to the roasting pan. Cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until the onions are softened and well browned, about 20 minutes. Add the beef stock, vinegar, tomato puree, garlic, peppercorns, and bay leaf; bring to a simmer. Return the brisket to the roasting pan, then nestle the fennel in the braising liquid around it.
Tent the brisket with foil and bake for about 6 hours and 30 minutes, until very tender. Transfer the brisket to a carving board, tent with foil, and let rest for 20 minutes.
Skim the fat off the braising liquid and discard the bay leaf. Carve the brisket and transfer to a platter. Serve with the pan juices and vegetables.