Prepare the brisket: Place the measured total amount of salt in a small bowl. If necessary, trim the brisket so that only a thin layer of fat remains – about 1/8-1/4 inch thick. With many grindings of salt and black pepper from the bowl, season it generously.
Brown Brisket: Heat a large Dutch oven (this is 6.5 quart oval; see notes on size options). Season the whole brisket (if it fits) or the first half of the brisket (if it needs to be split) into the hot pan and generously season it with more salt from the bowl and pepper. Cook for about 5-7 minutes per side until it’s crusty and brown on each side, repeat later in the brisket if you need to split it. Transfer to a plate for rest.
Prepare the onions while the brisket is brown. Peel each onion in half and slice 1/4 inch thick. You can easily make this using the slice blades of a food processor.
Cook the onions: Add the onions to an empty pot, season with salt from the bowl and pepper, stir frequently until the onions are soft and the rich brown colour develops for 10-15 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.
Prepare the stew: Remove the pan from the heat. If you need to transfer the onion and garlic to an oven-safe casserole dish, do so now. Place brown brisket on top of the onion and pour 1 1/2 cup (355 ml) of water on top of it, add the juice that has accumulated on the plate. Spread the tomato paste over the brisket, as if the cake was turned into ice. Sprinkle with additional black pepper on the brisket and salt you left on your plate. Sprinkle the carrots in the pan. Cover the pot (or use foil if the pot does not have a lid). Transfer to the oven.
Choose your next direction when you make a plan to spice up your brisket and offer it:
First Schedule: Brisket’s uplift served today. Cook the brisket and remove it from the oven for 1/2 hours, like untouched. Carefully transfer the brisket to the cutting board. Using a very sharp knife, slice the brisket thinly across the grain to slice approximately 1/8-inch to 1/4-inch thick. Return the slices to the pot and tilt them a little so you can see the top edge of each slice slightly. If the liquid appears low – Ideally, if you want liquid from 1/3 to 1/2 cup (120 ml) of water at this point. Replace the pot lid and return it to the oven for another 1 1/2-2 1/2 hours. Brisket is done when you can easily pull the slices apart with a fork.
Second Schedule: Serve your brisket tomorrow or the next day: Cook the brisket and remove it from the oven for 3 hours. If the liquid appears low – Ideally, you would want liquid from 1/3 in the middle of the meat. At this point add another 1/2 cup of water. Brisket is done when you can easily pull the slices apart with a fork. If not done yet, return it to the oven for another 30-60 minutes. This means check for 30 minutes if necessary, and add the last 30 minutes.
Make your brisket cold for overnight or two nights: Transfer the covered brisket to the fridge.
Approximately an hour before we plan to serve brisket: Heat oven to 350°F (175°C). Remove the lid from the pan and use a spoon to remove solidified fat from and around the meat. Carefully transfer the brisket to the cutting board. Using a very sharp knife, slice the brisket thinly across the grain to slice approximately 1/8-inch to 1/4-inch thick. Return the slices to the pot and tilt them a little so you can see the top edge of each slice slightly. Cover the pan and heat in the oven for 35-45 minutes. Until the slices get hot all over and the liquid is bubbled.
Serve (whether cooking schedule): Serve sliced briskets, spoon onions and sauce from the pot on each plate.
Note:
Let’s talk about the timing: The braised brisket is good on the first day, but the second and third days are great. I’ll make it as much as I can. Serve on the second or third day to make it easier to draw the steamed simmer. However, I’m sharing two schedules here in case you need to have it on the day you’re offering it. Let’s talk about salt: fill your home with a relaxed, nice aroma and nothing will crush it more than cutting into a gorgeous cooked stew that finds it bland and seasonless. I don’t want this to happen for us. Since we can’t taste the inside of the meat as we go, our best bet is to actually use a correctly measured amount of salt. I estimate that to consider the seasoning of the sauce, you’ll need one teaspoon of diamond kosher salt per pound of brisket and about a third of that extra. If the brisket is 6 pounds, I’m probably using a total of 8 teaspoons or 22 grams of salt. For 7 pounds, 9 1/2 tsp, or 27 grams in total. Kosher salt from Morton or another brand: 4 3/4 tsp total of 6 pound brisket. Use table salt or thin sea salt: 3 3/4 tsp. Does this make you feel very unwell? yes. But it makes me sad because seasonally, it is almost impossible to fix later. Find the right sized bread: Ideally, you’d like to use a large Dutch oven. Here, I cook in a black 6.25 quart oval shape, but I’m also very happy to grow up. In the photo above, about 2/3 of the total brisket from the small bread was reheated. This 2.25 quart casserole dish is gray. If you don’t have a large pot that can be moved from the stove to the oven, use the largest skillet instead and transfer it to an ovenproof baking dish if done on the stove. As shown here, if your brisket is too large to fit in the bottom of a Dutch oven or pan, cut it in two equal halves. Brisket Choice: “First Cut” or “Flat Cut” Brisket is a slimmer and larger portion of brisket, often resembling a thicker, larger flank steak, and is located under the fat “point” or “second cut”. In the UK, briskets are often sold and are commonly referred to as “roll briskets” or “pot roast briskets.” You need to uncook it here before cooking. Leftovers: Keep up to 6 days from the day you start simmering. Reheat at 350°F (175°C) for about 30 minutes. If it looks low in liquid, add another 1/2 cup of water. Make this brisket in an instant pot or an electric pressure cooker: Meat/stew or “high” setting for 75-90 minutes. Release pressure naturally for about 15 minutes. Make this brisket in a slow cooker: Cook low for 9-10 hours.
