Nach Waxman's Brisket of Beef

A classic Jewish-style brisket recipe featuring tender beef slow-cooked with onions, tomato paste, and aromatic vegetables. The unique technique of slicing the meat midway through cooking ensures the flavors penetrate deeply while maintaining the perfect texture.

8 servings

4 hr 22 min

Published October 4, 2025

Ingredients

•1 piece first-cut beef brisket
•¼ cup all-purpose flour
•1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
•3 tablespoons corn oil
•8 medium onions
•3 tablespoons tomato paste
•1 tablespoon kosher salt
•4 cloves garlic
•1 whole carrot
•peeled and trimmed

Cooking Instructions

1.
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
5 min
2.
Lightly dust the brisket with flour, then sprinkle with pepper to taste. Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a large ovenproof enameled cast-iron pot or other heavy pot with a lid just large enough to hold the brisket snugly. Add the brisket to the pot and brown on both sides until crusty brown areas appear on the surface here and there, 5 to 7 minutes per side. Transfer the brisket to a platter, turn up the heat a bit, then add the onions to the pot and stir constantly with a wooden spoon, scraping up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pot. Cook until the onions have softened and developed a rich brown color but aren't yet caramelized, 10 to 15 minutes.
30 min
3.
Turn off the heat and place the brisket and any accumulated juices on top of the onions.
2 min
4.
Spread the tomato paste over the brisket as if you were icing a cake. Sprinkle with salt and more pepper to taste, then add the garlic and carrot to the pot. Cover the pot, transfer to the oven, and cook the brisket for 1 1/2 hours.
90 min
5.
Transfer the brisket to a cutting board and, using a very sharp knife, slice the meat across the grain into approximately 1/8-inch-thick slices. Return the slices to the pot, overlapping them at an angle so that you can see a bit of the top edge of each slice. The end result should resemble the original unsliced brisket leaning slightly backward. Check the seasonings and, if absolutely necessary, add 2 to 3 teaspoons of water to the pot.
15 min
6.
Cover the pot and return to the oven. Lower the heat to 325°F and cook the brisket until it is fork-tender, about 2 hours. Check once or twice during cooking to make sure that the liquid is not bubbling away. If it is, add a few more teaspoons of water-but not more. Also, each time you check, spoon some of the liquid on top of the roast so that it drips down between the slices.
120 min
7.
It is ready to serve with its juices, but, in fact, it's even better the second day.

Nach Waxman's Brisket of Beef

8 servings

4 hr 22 min

Published October 4, 2025

Cooking Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

5 min

Lightly dust the brisket with flour, then sprinkle with pepper to taste. Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a large ovenproof enameled cast-iron pot or other heavy pot with a lid just large enough to hold the brisket snugly. Add the brisket to the pot and brown on both sides until crusty brown areas appear on the surface here and there, 5 to 7 minutes per side. Transfer the brisket to a platter, turn up the heat a bit, then add the onions to the pot and stir constantly with a wooden spoon, scraping up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pot. Cook until the onions have softened and developed a rich brown color but aren't yet caramelized, 10 to 15 minutes.

30 min

Turn off the heat and place the brisket and any accumulated juices on top of the onions.

2 min

Spread the tomato paste over the brisket as if you were icing a cake. Sprinkle with salt and more pepper to taste, then add the garlic and carrot to the pot. Cover the pot, transfer to the oven, and cook the brisket for 1 1/2 hours.

90 min

Transfer the brisket to a cutting board and, using a very sharp knife, slice the meat across the grain into approximately 1/8-inch-thick slices. Return the slices to the pot, overlapping them at an angle so that you can see a bit of the top edge of each slice. The end result should resemble the original unsliced brisket leaning slightly backward. Check the seasonings and, if absolutely necessary, add 2 to 3 teaspoons of water to the pot.

15 min

Cover the pot and return to the oven. Lower the heat to 325°F and cook the brisket until it is fork-tender, about 2 hours. Check once or twice during cooking to make sure that the liquid is not bubbling away. If it is, add a few more teaspoons of water-but not more. Also, each time you check, spoon some of the liquid on top of the roast so that it drips down between the slices.

120 min

It is ready to serve with its juices, but, in fact, it's even better the second day.