A delicious beef brisket family from the Zonna Family. Pick a good red with big fruit like a Zinfandel or Syrah for the wine ingredient. Read more recipes from the Wildwood Family Cookbook here. Bon Appetit!
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The Zonna Family’s Fave Beef Brisket
- Total Time: 3 hours 50 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
Description
A delicious beef brisket family from the Zonna Family. Pick a good red with big fruit like a…
Ingredients
- 4 large smashed garlic cloves
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt (add more if you like)
- 4 sprigs fresh rosemary, needles striped from stem and finely chopped
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) extra virgin olive oil
- 1 4ish lb beef brisket, first-cut
- ground pepper
- 4 large carrots, cut in 3-inch chunks
- 3 celery stalks, cut in same as carrots
- 4 large red onions, halved
- 2 cups (480 ml) dry red wine
- 1 (16 oz / 450 g) can whole tomatoes hand crushed
- 1 chunk / handful fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) all purpose flour (but this is optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
- On a cutting board, mash the garlic and 1/2 tsp of the salt together with the flat-side of a knife into a paste. Add the rosemary and continue to mash until incorporated. Put the garlic-rosemary paste in a small bowl and add 2 tbsp of olive oil; stir to combine.
- Season both sides of the brisket with a fair amount of kosher salt and ground black pepper. Place a large roasting pan or Dutch oven over medium-high flame and coat with the remaining olive oil. Put the brisket in the roasting pan and sear to form a nice brown crust on both sides. Lay the vegetables all around the brisket and pour the rosemary paste over the whole thing. Add the wine and tomatoes; toss in the parsley and bay leaves. Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil and transfer to the oven. Bake for about 3 to 4 hours, basting every 30 minutes with the pan juices, until the beef is fork tender.
- Remove the brisket to a cutting board and let it rest for 15 minutes. Scoop the vegetables out of the roasting pan and onto a platter, cover to keep warm. Pour out some of the excess fat, and put the roasting pan with the pan juices on the stove over medium-high heat. Boil and stir for 5 minutes until the sauce is reduced by 1/2. (If you want a thicker sauce, mix 1 tbsp of flour with 2 tbsp of wine or water and blend into the gravy).
- Slice the brisket across the grain (the muscle lines) at a slight diagonal. Serve with potato pancakes.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 hours 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 560
Frequently Asked Questions
What kind of red wine should I use in this brisket?
The article specifically advises picking a good red with big fruit — naming Zinfandel or Syrah. You’ll need 2 cups (480 ml) for the braise.
Why baste every 30 minutes during the 3–4 hour bake?
The foil-covered brisket braises at 325°F for 3–4 hours, and the instructions call for basting with the pan juices every 30 minutes. Regular basting keeps the exposed top of the brisket moist and builds the deeply flavored crust as the meat becomes fork-tender.
Why does the brisket need to rest and then be sliced across the grain?
The recipe says to remove the brisket to a cutting board and let it rest for 15 minutes before slicing across the grain (the muscle lines) at a slight diagonal. Resting redistributes the juices; slicing across the grain shortens the long muscle fibers so each slice is tender rather than stringy.
How do I thicken the pan sauce?
After the brisket comes out, the pan juices are boiled on the stovetop over medium-high heat for 5 minutes until reduced by half. If you want a thicker sauce, the recipe offers an optional step: mix 1 tbsp of flour with 2 tbsp of wine or water and blend it into the gravy.
