Levantine Baharat Braised Brisket
Why? Cause you can never have enough brisket recipes :-)
This is a new'ish recipe, based on traditional Jewish Holiday Brisket or a French/CA Wine Country brisket .... with some riff on French Daube de Boeuf (Beef Stew) as well. It's basically my own creation, but I did look to Raichlen's Brisket Chronicles for some of the concepts and ideas. I did this for a Hanukkah dinner this year to be a bit different.
Serve with
A good red wine (of course)
Mashed potatoes or Potato/Parsnip puree or other good potato recipe. Or spaetzel/nokedli if you want to do the work. Or a pearled couscous
Green beans with almonds is my personal choice to go with it
Notes
Baharat - hopefully you have your own house mix/recipe. If not, you can get Baharat or 7 Spice from Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, Sadaf, Spice Jungle
Wine - the wine should be one that you want to drink, not something cheap or "cooking wine"
Tomato puree or paste - Cento, Mutti, and other Italian brands are much better than something made in a big Hunt-Wesson factory
Stock - Beef stock is best, and preferably your home made beef stock.
Pomegranate molasses - Sadaf, Whole Foods, Trader Joe's all sell it. Or you can make your own.
Ingredients
4 lb beef brisket flat
1/2 tsp Kosher salt per pound & fresh black pepper
3–4 Tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, thinly sliced
6 garlic cloves, minced or smashed
3 Tbsp baharat, divided
1½ tsp ground cumin
½ tsp ground allspice
1 cup dry red wine
2 cups tomato puree or 1/4 cup double concentrated tomato paste
2 cups low-sodium beef or chicken stock
2–3 bay leaves
2 Tbsp pomegranate molasses
Fresh parsley or cilantro, chopped (for garnish)
Optional add-ins
3-4 carrots, peeled and cut to fit in pot
3-4 celery stalks, trimmed and cut in 1/2
Directions
Season the Brisket (Day Before, Optional but Recommended): Pat dry thoroughly. Rub generously with salt, pepper, 2 Tbsp baharat, and cumin. Wrap and refrigerate overnight (or at least 4 hours)—this builds flavor and tenderizes.
Sear: Preheat oven to 300°F. Heat 2-3 Tbsp olive oil in a large Dutch oven or rondeau over medium-high. Sear brisket fat-side down first, 4–6 minutes per side until deeply browned. Remove to a plate.
Build the Base: Lower heat to medium. Add onions (add more oil if needed); cook 15–20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until deeply caramelized and golden (patience here = huge flavor). Add garlic, remaining baharat, cumin, and allspice—bloom 1–2 minutes until fragrant.
Deglaze & Braise: Pour in red wine; scrape up all browned bits. Reduce by half (~3 minutes). Stir in tomato puree, 2 cups stock (liquid should come halfway up the brisket—add more if needed), and bay leaves. Nestle brisket back in, fat side up.
Cook Low & Slow: Cover tightly (foil under lid for seal). Braise in oven 3–4 hours, checking at 3 hours. Flip once midway if desired. It’s done when fork-tender (internal 195–205°F) but still sliceable.
Rest & Finish (Best Overnight): Cool in liquid; refrigerate. Next day: skim fat, slice cold against grain (~¼–½ inch thick). Reheat slices in gravy (covered, 250°F ~45 minutes). Reduce gravy on stovetop if too thin; stir in pomegranate molasses/lemon for lift. Taste—adjust salt/pepper. You can serve immediately after it finishes cooking, but the overnight rest is amazing.
Serve: Fan slices on a platter, spoon over spiced gravy, garnish with herbs.
Pictures
This is a new'ish recipe, based on traditional Jewish Holiday Brisket or a French/CA Wine Country brisket .... with some riff on French Daube de Boeuf (Beef Stew) as well. It's basically my own creation, but I did look to Raichlen's Brisket Chronicles for some of the concepts and ideas. I did this for a Hanukkah dinner this year to be a bit different.
Serve with
A good red wine (of course)
Mashed potatoes or Potato/Parsnip puree or other good potato recipe. Or spaetzel/nokedli if you want to do the work. Or a pearled couscous
Green beans with almonds is my personal choice to go with it
Notes
Baharat - hopefully you have your own house mix/recipe. If not, you can get Baharat or 7 Spice from Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, Sadaf, Spice Jungle
Wine - the wine should be one that you want to drink, not something cheap or "cooking wine"
Tomato puree or paste - Cento, Mutti, and other Italian brands are much better than something made in a big Hunt-Wesson factory
Stock - Beef stock is best, and preferably your home made beef stock.
Pomegranate molasses - Sadaf, Whole Foods, Trader Joe's all sell it. Or you can make your own.
Ingredients
4 lb beef brisket flat
1/2 tsp Kosher salt per pound & fresh black pepper
3–4 Tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, thinly sliced
6 garlic cloves, minced or smashed
3 Tbsp baharat, divided
1½ tsp ground cumin
½ tsp ground allspice
1 cup dry red wine
2 cups tomato puree or 1/4 cup double concentrated tomato paste
2 cups low-sodium beef or chicken stock
2–3 bay leaves
2 Tbsp pomegranate molasses
Fresh parsley or cilantro, chopped (for garnish)
Optional add-ins
3-4 carrots, peeled and cut to fit in pot
3-4 celery stalks, trimmed and cut in 1/2
Directions
Season the Brisket (Day Before, Optional but Recommended): Pat dry thoroughly. Rub generously with salt, pepper, 2 Tbsp baharat, and cumin. Wrap and refrigerate overnight (or at least 4 hours)—this builds flavor and tenderizes.
Sear: Preheat oven to 300°F. Heat 2-3 Tbsp olive oil in a large Dutch oven or rondeau over medium-high. Sear brisket fat-side down first, 4–6 minutes per side until deeply browned. Remove to a plate.
Build the Base: Lower heat to medium. Add onions (add more oil if needed); cook 15–20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until deeply caramelized and golden (patience here = huge flavor). Add garlic, remaining baharat, cumin, and allspice—bloom 1–2 minutes until fragrant.
Deglaze & Braise: Pour in red wine; scrape up all browned bits. Reduce by half (~3 minutes). Stir in tomato puree, 2 cups stock (liquid should come halfway up the brisket—add more if needed), and bay leaves. Nestle brisket back in, fat side up.
Cook Low & Slow: Cover tightly (foil under lid for seal). Braise in oven 3–4 hours, checking at 3 hours. Flip once midway if desired. It’s done when fork-tender (internal 195–205°F) but still sliceable.
Rest & Finish (Best Overnight): Cool in liquid; refrigerate. Next day: skim fat, slice cold against grain (~¼–½ inch thick). Reheat slices in gravy (covered, 250°F ~45 minutes). Reduce gravy on stovetop if too thin; stir in pomegranate molasses/lemon for lift. Taste—adjust salt/pepper. You can serve immediately after it finishes cooking, but the overnight rest is amazing.
Serve: Fan slices on a platter, spoon over spiced gravy, garnish with herbs.
Pictures
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