Traditional Jewish Beef Brisket (In the Oven)

Preheat your oven to 300°F. In a small bowl, combine paprika, pepper, and salt, to create the rub for the brisket. Pour over all sides of the brisket to let the dry rub set in, for at least 20 minutes at room temperature before the next step.

In the meantime, peel your onions. If you are using cipollini or pearl onions, peel them and leave them whole. If you are using a yellow onion, finely mince. Slice your mushrooms into quarters.

In a Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot with a lid (see slow cooker instructions in the notes), drizzle 1 tablespoon of the neutral oil until the pan is hot over medium-high heat. Sear your brisket on all sides, for about 10 to 15 minutes with the skin side down first, then flip and repeat. I will sometimes press down with something heavy to ensure it is getting nice and brown on all sides. Transfer the seared brisket to a plate, discarding the oil.

Add in your remaining neutral oil, and bring the heat to medium-low. Add in your onions and mushroom. Season with salt and pepper. Allow this to saute and bring on a slight brown color, for about 4 to 5 minutes. Then add in your garlic until fragrant.

Add in the brown sugar, balsamic vinegar, and red wine to deglaze the pan, and reduce the wine by half about 5 to 6 minutes.

Place the brisket back in the pot, skin side down, and then add in your broth. Do a light mix to just make sure all the flavors and broth are combined and the brisket is submerged. Bring to a gentle simmer for 2 to 3 minutes.

Transfer the brisket to the oven in the preheated oven, covered, for 3 to 3 ½ hours (depending on the size and thickness of your brisket), flipping the brisket halfway through.

Towards the last 30 minutes of cooking, bring the oven up to 400°F. Remove the lid carefully, and allow the brisket to finish cooking with the lid off.

Once the brisket is finished and very tender, remove it from the oven and pot, and transfer it to a cutting board to rest for at least 10 minutes.

Slice against the grain with a sharp knife to your desired thickness.

To plate, transfer your sliced brisket to a large platter (but not a plate or else the juices will spill over!), and pour over the juices with the mushrooms and onions from the pot. Finish with finely chopped parsley.