Spice-Rubbed Braised Brisket Recipe (2024)

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golden hills

Trader Joe's has pomegranate juice much cheaper than PomWonderful. Buy your pistachios at TJ as well. Google Lynda Resnick or Stewart Resnick to see how much water their trees use (more than all LA homes) or how they got control of a water bank the CA tax payers spent millions on. They also own a bunch of other brands. I know this isn't the place to get political but please read a little about them before you give them your money.

Evan

Absolutely the place to get political if there's something relevant of concern! Thanks for letting us know.P.S. Avoiding problematic companies isn't political, really. It's just being a responsible consumer!

Prakash Nadkarni

Brisket is ideally suited for Instant-Pot cooking: just combine ingredients, turn cooker off when done. (Browning meat is nice but optional.) See lemonblossoms.com/blog/instant-pot-brisket/. It takes 75 min for a 4-5 Lb cut, less if you cheat and carve the brisket - into somewhat thicker slices - BEFORE cooking. (Use a VERY sharp knife). A little coffee (as here) and/or cocoa/chocolate adds pleasant complexity when combined with acid sources (tomato, vinegar, red wine): try it with chili.

Prakash Nadkarni

@Home Cook: It WILL work without coffee, but then you might want to use 1/2 - 3/4 cup pomegranate juice instead of 1 1/2 cups. Coffee, which is bitter, and the juice, which is acid/sour (as is the wine) sort of cancel each other out to yield a mellow, complex result. Without the coffee, the juice's sourness might dominate.

Luann

This is the only brisket I will ever make again! I had a smaller brisket and put the shallots in the dutch oven with the brisket rather than doing it 3 hours later. It came out perfect. I skipped the broiling part as well. My brisket looked just like the picture above.This was the most delicious brisket that I have ever made. The lemon juice and parsley add a nice touch. Thank you Susan Spungen and The NY Times. You always come though!

Jennie

Didn’t have pomegranate juice. Didn’t want to go to the store. Subbed juice from 1lb of sour cherries I had in the freezer plus about 2Tbsp pomegranate molasses. Rave reviews.

Claudia O'Connell

Made this for Hanukah dinner 2020 and it was the best pot roast recipe I have made. Sprinkling roasted pistachio nuts as a garnish gave such a wonderful compliment to the richness of the flavors. This will be my annual brisket recipe for the holiday.

Christine

If you are in the United States you can find “Pom Wonderful” brand juice in the refrigerated juice cabinet in most supermarkets

Prakash Nadkarni

@Jenn: You can certainly slow-cook. See recipetineats.com/slow-cooker-beef-brisket-with-bbq-sauce/ and dinneratthezoo.com/slow-cooker-brisket/. For the present recipe, follow steps 1-3; substitute slow-cooker for oven in Step 4,cook for 8-10 hours. Then follow the remaining steps of the recipe.The reason for cooking cipollini separately is that they would turn to mush if cooked with the meat.

Tasha

Is separating out the fat necessary? It seems fiddly. Happy Hanukkah to everyone making this on the first night.

Gina Ruben

They also have a very bad reputation for how they treat their employees.

Susan

Very good but still prefer the coffee brisket recipe in Zahav. Don’t need to put under broiler. Reheated on top of stove, removed brisket, and reduced liquid a bit.

Cooking in SF

My mom made this yesterday and it was delicious that it was on the saltier side. Having grown up in a household that uses less salt, we are also a bit more sensitive to the taste. Take that as you will! But overall delicious meal

Misha

I didn't have many things in this recipe, and it still came out delicious! my first time making brisket too. i used all red wine, because i did not have pomegranate juice; and i didn't have parsley or lemon to add at the end...and i didn't want to remedy that because - covid. I would like to make it again sometime with the pomegranate, to see how that is different. But even without it the brisket was delicious!

Kathy

I made this for New Year's Eve. Fabulous! My first time ever making brisket. The 5 lb cut was too big for my dutch oven, but I just folded it in to brown and made it work. I made it a day ahead, refrigerated the whole pot, removed the fat the next day and sliced it. I reheated on stovetop and did a 5" broil. It was exceptional; the flavors complex and the meat tender. The parsley adds a fresh note and the presentation is very festive with the pomegranate seeds. I wouldn't change a thing.

july 30, 2021

Made it in the Instant Pot, on the “Meat Stew” setting, for 40 min. Amazing. Was as good as when I braised it in the oven.

Scott

Absolutely the best braised brisket in my long life. Context: I grew up on briskets from my mother and grandmother that had tasty meat, but no seasoning so it required when I was younger ketchup, and later, with a more sophisticated palle horseradish to fully enjoy the meat.But not with this brisket, it is absolutely delicious and moist, but not greasy as the seasoning of the rub come through loud and clear.

emma b

Delicious recipe which I make for the holidays the past 3 years. For an even more festive flair - I added sliced star fruit when serving. Beautiful!

Andrea

With regard to "pomegranate juice," should one use sweetened or unsweetened? Thanks!

Becky

Can someone advise on how to reheat the second day, as suggested by the note?

Ben

Flavor is absolutely delicious. But I did this with a flat brisket a bit under 3 lbs and it came out somewhat tough. Anyone have ideas why it might turn out that way?

Catherine R

Made according to the recipe but didn’t have wine so used more pomegranate juice. When the brisket was tender, removed it and cooked the sauce down to be somewhat thicker. Didn’t have fresh pomegranates or small onions so it was just meat and sauce. Huge hit! Definitely a keeper.

rachael

This is one of my go-to crowd pleasers. Always make a double recipe - you’re going to need it! I also double the onions because they are spectacular!

Wendy

Would this work with lamb? Has anyone tried it?

ADM

I have made this on several occasions and this has become our "Go To Brisket Dish" for several Family members. A couple of tweaks (in addition to those previously mentioned) is that I:-Use WHOLE Prime vacuum Brisket (Costco--its $4 per lb vs. $8 for Flat trimmed vs. $12 for Prime trim)-up the dry wine from 8->12oz-Shallots & Chipopolini-initially roast for slightly less than 3 hrs. Let rest refrigerated overnight intact before removing the fat & then let soak sliced in fridge in juiceMMM!

Valerie

Has anyone seasoned the brisket the day before?

Olivia

Am I the only one that got a mouthful of coffee grinds with every bite? Don't get me wrong, the taste and texture of the brisket was EXCEPTIONAL, but I found the grinds off-putting. Any advice? I used finely ground. Also potentially a very silly question but is the coffee still caffeinated after such a long time in the oven? Can I feel this to my toddler? Thanks!

CSN

Fabulous. Followed directions including chilling in fridge for a while, up until broiling step. I just put it back in oven to warm back up,no broiling. Meat was perfectly tender. Used small shallots. What a fabulous flavor. Will add this to special occasion repertoire!

Clara

WARNING: this brisket is highly caffeinated. My fiancé and I were awake half the night after eating this (delicious) brisket. I used espresso in the rub and, what do you know, after 4 hours braising in espresso-saturated liquid, this beef had us wired. Consequently, I recommend either using decaf or enjoying this dish as part of a decadent Sunday lunch. Note: eating this brisket for lunch at the office the next day and was very productive in the afternoon.

marie

My local supermarket didn’t have brisket, so I substituted tritip. ‘Twas delicious! I took some pomegranate seeds out of the freezer ( our tree yielded about 60 pomegranates this year), whirred them in the blender and passed through a sieve to yield 1 1/2 cups of juice. So, so good. My son, who is a tough critic, objected to the pomegranate seed garnish as defiling the meat, but still loved it. I thought the garnish was essential - otherwise it would have looked very monochrome brown.

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Spice-Rubbed Braised Brisket Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to moist tender brisket? ›

Texas Crutch Method: The Texas crutch method involves wrapping the brisket tightly in foil or butcher paper during the cooking process. This helps retain moisture and speeds up the cooking time, resulting in a tender and flavorful brisket.

How long do you leave the rub on a brisket? ›

While you can technically cook a brisket right after you apply the rub, we recommend letting the rub sit on the meat for up to 24 hours so the flavors are really absorbed into the meat.

How do you cook brisket so it's not tough? ›

Cook a brisket slowly, with some liquid, and the collagen turns into gelatin. A tender and moist brisket is the result.

Why is my brisket still tough in the slow cooker? ›

Brisket is a cut of beef that really needs a long, slow cook to break down all the connective tissue. Otherwise, it'll be tough and chewy.

What is the best liquid to keep brisket moist? ›

Add Moisture

After two or four hours of cooking, you can lightly spray your brisket with water, hot sauce, apple cider vinegar, or apple juice. You can do this every 30 minutes or every hour, based on preference.

Is dry rub or wet rub better for brisket? ›

Dry rubs are ideal if you need a sear but works just as well when you smoke or slow cook. And finally, wet rubs are perfect if you are going the slow route for cooking.

What is the 3 2 1 rule for brisket? ›

Try the 3-2-1 rule for brisket! This popular smoking method is simple: smoke the brisket at 225°F for 3 hours, wrap it in foil and continue cooking for 2 hours, then unwrap it and cook it uncovered for 1 hour.

At what temperature does brisket fall apart? ›

195°F to 205°F (90°C to 96°C): This is often considered the sweet spot for the internal temperature of brisket. When the meat reaches this range, it's usually tender, juicy, and bursting with flavor. The collagen has broken down, and the meat is no longer tough.

Should you rub brisket covered or uncovered? ›

It's important to let the brisket absorb the flavor of the rub for a long period of time prior to smoking. Wrap the rubbed cut of meat tightly in plastic wrap and then let it sit undisturbed in the refrigerator for at least six hours or overnight.

Why is my brisket at 200 degrees but still tough? ›

The meat still needs a couple of hours in a higher temperature range to fully render fat and dissolve collagen. Brisket can be done in a range of 200-210°F (93-99°C), but as a general rule, it's safe to bet on 203°F (95°C). Brisket should be tender but not so tender it's falling apart.

Does brisket get more tender the longer it cooks? ›

The temperature of the meat begins to rise again -- which you want because brisket gets more tender the longer you cook it.

Can you braise brisket too long? ›

Low and Slow

On the other hand, if you cook it too long, the result is dry meat. The fall-apart goodness of this delicious meat is worth every hour.

Is brisket better in the oven or slow cooker? ›

Honestly, we don't consider that the best way to cook brisket. Some ovens can be unreliable at the low temperatures required for such a long cooking time. If you want to cook a brisket overnight, do so in a slow cooker. Those instructions are below.

What should I spray my brisket with to keep it moist? ›

Classic ingredients include beef broth, water, apple juice, apple cider vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce. Avoid spices that could clog the spray nozzle. Start spraying the brisket 3-4 hours into cooking, every 30 minutes, until it's time to wrap the brisket.

How to make dry brisket juicy? ›

  1. Prepare your brisket with your dry rub.
  2. put the brisket plastic wrap and then put in the bath, set at 125 F.
  3. let it cook for 24–30 hours (the longer the more tender, but not more than this as the meat will become meat mush instead)
  4. at the end of the cooking, have a hot pan ready. ...
  5. Cut and enjoy the meat.
Feb 14, 2023

How to make brisket flat juicy? ›

Before you inject and smoke the brisket, trim the meat down a bit to help infuse it with moisture and extra flavor.
  1. Trim the top fat cap down to a 1/4 inch thick.
  2. Remove the tail on the end of the meat if any of the point has been left.
  3. Remove excess fat from the underside of the brisket.
  4. Square up the brisket flat.
Sep 8, 2022

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