The key to the best brisket rests on one thing: a slow-cooking method. Whether that be smoking a Texas-BBQ-style cut of meat or simmering a holiday-ready version in an herby red wine braise (as we do here), depends on the mood you’d like to evoke. Either way, fork-tender brisket can be yours, whether it’s your first time hosting dinner or your 50th.
Look for a 5-pound brisket labeled “flat cut” or “first cut.” It’s leaner than the point or deckle, but it does come with a fat cap. If your butcher hasn’t cut away this excess layer of fat, trim it yourself to no more than ¼” thick. Use a pan with plenty of space to brown the large piece of meat (if you don’t have one, cut the brisket in half and brown one piece at a time), and a roasting pan that can accommodate the aromatics and braising liquid.
As with most beef brisket recipes, this one has a long cook time (about 3½ hours), but it’s mostly hands-off. Let the meat rest for at least 30 minutes on a platter or cutting board with a well or grooves before slicing it against the grain into thin ribbons.
One vital step before serving: Discard the vegetables used to flavor the sauce. After such lengthy cooking, they’ll be mushy and flavorless, having given everything they had to the broth. Cooking fresh young carrots and pearl onions to serve alongside may feel superfluous, but this ensures you have a crisp-tender, golden-browned side dish. You’ll also want some mashed potatoes, polenta, or crispy potatoes to soak up the richly flavored jus.
Once you’ve got the handle on braising brisket, try corned beef or flash-grilling brisket slices with a bunch of garlic cloves and a brown sugar-soy marinade.