📝 About This Recipe
This exquisite brisket is a centerpiece designed for the Jewish New Year, symbolizing a sweet and fruitful year ahead through the use of honey and pomegranate. The beef is slow-braised until it reaches melt-in-your-mouth perfection, bathed in a rich, velvety sauce that balances savory aromatics with deep, fruity sweetness. It is a soulful, celebratory dish that tastes even better the next day, making it the ultimate stress-free holiday main course.
🥗 Ingredients
The Meat
- 5-6 pounds Beef Brisket (First cut or flat cut preferred; fat cap trimmed to 1/4 inch)
- 2 tablespoons Kosher Salt (plus more to taste)
- 1 tablespoon Black Pepper (freshly cracked)
- 3 tablespoons Vegetable Oil (for searing)
Aromatics and Base
- 4 large Yellow Onions (halved and thinly sliced into half-moons)
- 4 medium Carrots (peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks)
- 6 cloves Garlic (minced)
- 3 tablespoons Tomato Paste (adds depth and color)
The Sweet Braising Liquid
- 2 cups Beef Stock (low sodium)
- 1 cup Pomegranate Juice (100% pure juice)
- 1/2 cup Honey (clover or wildflower)
- 1 cup Red Wine (dry red like Cabernet or Merlot)
- 2 tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar (to balance the sweetness)
- 4 sprigs Thyme (fresh)
- 2 pieces Bay Leaves (dried)
For Garnish
- 1/2 cup Pomegranate Arils (fresh seeds)
- 1/4 cup Fresh Parsley (chopped)
👨🍳 Instructions
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1
Preheat your oven to 325°F (165°C). Pat the brisket completely dry with paper towels to ensure a proper sear.
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2
Generously season both sides of the brisket with the kosher salt and cracked black pepper, pressing the spices into the meat.
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3
Heat the vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed roasting pan over medium-high heat. Sear the brisket until deeply browned, about 6-8 minutes per side. Remove meat and set aside on a plate.
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4
In the same pot, add the sliced onions. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 10-12 minutes until they are soft and golden brown.
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5
Add the garlic and carrots to the onions, cooking for another 2 minutes until fragrant. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute to take off the raw edge.
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6
Deglaze the pan with the red wine, scraping up all the brown bits (fond) from the bottom with a wooden spoon.
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7
Whisk in the beef stock, pomegranate juice, honey, and apple cider vinegar. Bring the liquid to a gentle simmer.
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8
Return the brisket (and any juices from the plate) to the pot. The liquid should come about halfway up the side of the meat. Nestled the thyme and bay leaves into the liquid.
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9
Cover the pot tightly with a lid or a double layer of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Transfer to the oven.
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10
Braise for 3 to 3.5 hours, or until the meat is fork-tender. Every hour, carefully spoon some of the braising liquid over the top of the meat.
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11
Once tender, remove the brisket to a cutting board and tent loosely with foil. Let it rest for at least 20 minutes (or chill overnight for cleaner slices).
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12
While the meat rests, strain the braising liquid into a saucepan (discarding herbs but keeping the carrots and onions if desired). Simmer the liquid over medium-high heat for 10 minutes to reduce and thicken into a glossy sauce.
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13
Slice the brisket against the grain into 1/4 inch thick slices. Arrange the slices on a warm platter, tucking the carrots and onions around them.
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14
Generously pour the reduced sauce over the meat. Garnish with fresh pomegranate arils and chopped parsley before serving.
💡 Chef's Tips
For the best results, make the brisket a day in advance; the flavors meld and the fat is easier to skim off once chilled. Always slice against the grain—look for the lines of muscle fiber and cut perpendicular to them to ensure maximum tenderness. If the sauce is too thin after reducing, whisk in a teaspoon of cornstarch dissolved in cold water and simmer until thickened. Don't rush the searing process; that deep brown crust is where the savory 'umami' flavor of the gravy begins. If you cannot find pomegranate juice, cranberry juice (unsweetened) makes a great tart-sweet substitute.
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
Serve alongside classic Potato Latkes or a creamy Potato Kugel to soak up the extra sauce. A side of roasted Brussels sprouts with honey-glazed walnuts complements the sweetness of the dish. Pair with a bold, fruit-forward red wine like a Kosher Cabernet Sauvignon. A simple green salad with a lemon vinaigrette provides a necessary acidic crunch to cut through the richness of the beef. Fresh Challah bread is essential for mopping up every last drop of the pomegranate-honey gravy.