Passover Brisket (Kosher Barbecue Style)

Ingredients

• 4 lb Flat cut brisket (first cut) (Trim excess fat if very thick)
• 0.25 cup Light brown sugar (Adds sweet note)
• 2 medium Carrots (Peeled, cut into 1‑inch chunks)
• 5 stalks Celery stalks (Cut into 1‑inch pieces)
• 1 medium Onion (Peeled, sliced thick on mandolin)
• 4 cloves Garlic cloves (Crushed and peeled)
• 4 sprigs Fresh thyme sprigs (Divided, some for braise, some for garnish)
• 1.5 tbsp Tomato paste (Cooked briefly to develop flavor)
• 2 tbsp Potato flour (or all‑purpose flour) (Kosher thickener; toast before deglazing)
• 2 cup Dry red wine (Divided for deglazing and braising)
• 1.5 cup Beef broth (Low‑sodium preferred)
• 0.5 cup Ketchup (Provides sweet tang; can substitute with 1 cup Coca‑Cola for novelty)
• 1 cup Crushed tomatoes (Adds body to sauce)
• 0.25 cup White wine vinegar (Adds acidity)
• 3 Bay leaves (Dried)
• 1 tbsp Paprika (Sweet paprika)
• 1 tsp Cayenne pepper (optional) (Adds heat if desired)
• 2 tbsp Honey (Balances acidity)
• 2 tbsp Dijon mustard (Sharp flavor)
• to taste Kosher salt
• to taste Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Prepare the brisket

   Trim excess external fat if the piece is very thick, then place the brisket fat‑cap down in a cold stainless‑steel roasting pan.

   Time: PT5M

2. Brown the brisket

   Heat the pan over medium‑high heat. Once hot, let the brisket brown for 4‑5 minutes, then flip and brown the other side for another 4‑5 minutes. Remove brisket and set aside on a plate.

   Time: PT10M

   Temperature: medium‑high

3. Prep vegetables

   While the brisket browns, peel and cut carrots into 1‑inch chunks, slice 4‑5 celery stalks similarly, peel and slice the onion thickly on a mandolin, and crush the garlic cloves.

   Time: PT15M

4. Degrease pan

   Pour off all but about 2 Tbsp of rendered fat from the pan (reserve the rest for flavor).

   Time: PT2M

5. Caramelize onions

   Add the sliced onion to the pan and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until golden‑brown, about 8‑10 minutes.

   Time: PT10M

   Temperature: medium

6. Add carrots, celery and sweetener

   Stir in the carrot and celery pieces, then sprinkle the quarter‑cup light brown sugar. Cook 1‑2 minutes until they just begin to color.

   Time: PT2M

   Temperature: medium

7. Add garlic and tomato paste

   Add the crushed garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant, then add 1½ Tbsp tomato paste and cook another 30‑60 seconds.

   Time: PT1M

   Temperature: medium

8. Toast flour

   Sprinkle 2 Tbsp potato flour (or all‑purpose flour) over the vegetables, stirring to coat. Toast for about 1 minute until the raw flour smell disappears.

   Time: PT1M

   Temperature: medium

9. Deglaze with wine

   Increase heat to medium‑high and pour in 1½ cups dry red wine, scraping the browned bits from the pan. Let reduce slightly, about 3 minutes.

   Time: PT3M

   Temperature: medium‑high

10. Build the braising liquid

    Add 1½ cups beef broth, another ½ cup red wine, ½ cup ketchup, 1 cup crushed tomatoes, ¼ cup white wine vinegar, 3‑4 bay leaves, thyme sprigs, 1 Tbsp paprika, optional 1 tsp cayenne, 2 Tbsp honey, and 2 Tbsp Dijon mustard. Stir, season with kosher salt and pepper, and bring to a gentle simmer.

    Time: PT5M

    Temperature: medium

11. Braise the brisket

    Nestle the browned brisket into the liquid, skin side up. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and place in a pre‑heated 300°F oven for 4 hours, or until the meat is fork‑tender and the sauce has thickened.

    Time: PT4H

    Temperature: 300°F

12. Cool and de‑fat (optional but recommended)

    If you have time, remove the brisket and sauce, discard bay leaves and thyme sprigs, and refrigerate the sauce for at least 1 hour (overnight is best). The fat will solidify on top and can be easily scraped off.

    Time: PT1H

13. Slice the brisket

    Carve the brisket across the grain into very thin slices. This shortens muscle fibers for melt‑in‑your‑mouth texture.

    Time: PT10M

14. Reheat and finish

    Place half of the braising liquid in a casserole dish, lay the sliced brisket on top, then pour the remaining sauce over. Cover tightly and bake in a 375°F oven for about 45 minutes until bubbling and heated through.

    Time: PT45M

    Temperature: 375°F

15. Serve

    Plate generous portions of sliced brisket, spoon extra sauce over, and serve with a light spinach salad or your favorite Passover side.

    Time: PT5M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

500

Protein

30 g

Carbohydrates

20 g

Fat

30 g

Fiber

2 g