Holiday Braised Brisket Recipe

Instructions

1. Combine 2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, the thyme, marjoram, and paprika in a small bowl. Rub seasoning all over brisket and let set at room temperature for 30 minutes.
2. Heat the oven to 500°F and arrange a rack in the middle. Pour olive oil into a large roasting pan and place in the oven to heat, about 15 minutes or until oil is shimmering and very hot. Carefully place brisket, fat side down, in the hot pan and return to the oven. Brown one side of the brisket (about 8 minutes) then flip and brown other side, about 5-8 more minutes. (I do this in the oven because I don’t have a frying pan big enough to accommodate a 6-pound roast. If you do, feel free to do this browning step on the stove-top.)
3. Remove pan from oven and reduce heat to 350°F. Transfer the brisket to a platter and pour off any excess fat from the roasting pan. Add wine, stock, tomatoes, and bay leaves to the pan and scrape up any browned bits that are stuck to the bottom. Return brisket to the pan, fat side up, and scatter the mushrooms, onions, and garlic over the meat and into the liquid. Cover and and braise in the oven for 1 hour.
4. Uncover and cook for 30 minutes. Spoon the onions and mushrooms on top of the brisket and cook for about 30 minutes longer to brown the vegetables. Push some of the vegetables back into the liquid, cover and braise for about 2 hours or until the meat is fork tender.
5. Transfer the brisket to a cutting board and cover loosely with foil. Simmer the sauce for another 10 minutes or so to thicken slightly. (You can do this by placing the roasting pan over two burners on the stove-top or transfer the sauce to a medium-sized pot and simmer that way.) Taste the sauce for seasoning and add more salt and pepper as needed. Discard the bay leaves.
6. Carve the brisket against the grain and arrange on a platter. Spoon the onion and mushroom sauce over the meat and serve.