Beer Braised Brisket with Onion Gravy

Beer Braised Brisket with Onion Gravy

This post has been a long time in coming. And not just because it’s taken me a while to write it. But because it’s taken me a while to learn it. Like many home cooks, when it came to meat preparation, I was stumped. I didn’t understand the different cuts of meat or how to prepare them. After lots of reading, and a hands-on butchery class at The Center for Kosher Culinary Arts, I feel like I’m finally beginning to understand where my meat comes from and how to cook it. With the holidays upon us, I thought I should share some of that invaluable information with all of you!

So, without further adieu, I give you my Guide to Kosher Meat: Cuts & Cooking Methods!

In my guide, I speak about the different cuts of meat and where they come from on the animal. In a nutshell, tough cuts of meat requires slow, moist heat cooking to help break down the connective tissue and tenderize the meat. Braising, a combination cooking method involving dry and moist heat cooking, is a popular method used.

This deliciously tender brisket is braised with caramelized onions and beer, resulting in a mouthwatering gravy. First cut of brisket will yield a drier, less flavorful dish, while 2nd cut will yield a more tender flavorful meat. If you choose to use 2nd cut of brisket, don’t remove the excess fat until it’s done cooking. As the fat breaks down, it adds moisture and flavor to the meat, so if you want to remove it, it’s best to do so by refrigerating the meat after cooking and removing the congealed fat after it solidifies. In addition, cutting the brisket when it’s cold, minimizes it’s propensity for shredding.

Keep in mind, that since braising is the best method for cooking tough cuts of meat, you can use any tough cut in this recipe such as the French Roast, Chuck Roast, Shoulder Roast, or Deckle.

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99 thoughts on “Beer Braised Brisket with Onion Gravy

  1. I have a 5.5 lb brisket that I’m doing like this. But I don’t have a pot that can go in my oven. Can I just transfer it all to a different dish to put it in the oven?

  2. Loved how simple this was, but I would completely leave out the sugar next time – it was WAY too sweet for my family. Carmelized onions on their own + oktoberfest beer would be fantastic.

  3. Just wanted to let you know I made this last week, and everyone loved it! Lots of compliments and no leftovers :) Thank you so much!

  4. Quick question… I just made this recipe.. But think I might have done something wrong… When you write deglaze the pan… Does that mean I was supposed to take out the carmalized onions and just cook the meat with the beer and vinegar? Hope I didn’t mess up!

    1. Not at all – you just pour the beer right onto the onions and use a spatula to scrape any bits of meat or onions that are stuck to the bottom of the pan.

        1. I’ve never tried it without any sweetener but caramelized onions are sweet on their own. I can imagine it would still be good but I can’t vouch for it because I haven’t tried it. Good luck!

  5. hi chanie,

    i would like to make this. will it be ok for my first cut brisket? i dont want it to be too tough. also, will the meat have a bear taste to it? i need it for my children and adults

    1. Hi Suri. It doesn’t taste like beer so you definitely don’t have to worry about that. 2nd cut brisket is always better but first still works.

  6. I have made this a few times and the gravy doesn’t come out looking dark and thick like yours. Its comes out more light and thin. I have put the fire on high to let the sauce thicken but it doesn’t. What am I possibly doing wrong? Also I use regular onions not Spanish. Does that matter?

  7. How could a brisket come out good if it’s cooked at a temperature above 250 degrees. Brisket, however prepared, must be in an oven set at a temperature between 215 to 250 and cooked untill it reaches an internal temperature of 190 – 205 (it will usually take between 1 to 2 hours per pound)

    1. Hi Serokipa, I know many people only cook brisket low and slow but this recipe results in a tender brisket and many of my readers have told me it’s their favorite!

    1. Yes, definitely. Brisket is actually easier to slice the next day, and won’t shred as much if sliced when cold. You can freeze or refrigerate it, slice, and warm in the sauce.

    1. I find it to be quite tender, but make sure it’s not grassfed because grassfed chuck eye is very lean and comes out tough and dry.

    1. I’ve never heard of meat turning black when you warm it up….just warm in the gravy or add a bit of water or stock to the pot with the slices when reheating.

  8. This recipe looks delicious (and simple). I know the vinegar helps tenderize the meat — is rice vinegar ok to use? Will it still do the trick? Thanks.

    1. It wouldn’t be my first pick but I guess you can use it. Do you have any other vinegars at home? Red wine or even balsamic would work better with the flavors.

  9. Hi. You mentioned that 1st cut will be less flavorful and drier. Is there anything to do to make it softer and taste good? I wish I read your blog before buying the meat!

    1. I would suggest not overcooking it, cook until just tender and you can cover it with a few slices of kosher beef bacon to help keep it moist.

  10. I love this recipe- it’s no fail… I have never made brisket successfully until I started using this recipe.

    1. I’m fairly certain it would work but it will probably be very liquidy and not very saucy. I would cook it on low until it’s fork-tender, probably 6-8 hours or so.

  11. This is a dumb question–is the onion gravy a diff recipe, or is it whatever is left over in the pot after you cook the meat?

    1. yes, but you don’t need to bake it as long as the brisket. Also, just so you know, minute roast has a thick sinew down the middle that doesn’t break down during cooking.

  12. I made this and somehow the gravy came out very sour and almost bitter tasting…any idea what I might have done wrong? :(

  13. I want to try to make this brisket for Rosh Hashana. Can I add carrots to this recipe? I have like 4 family members who love the carrots I serve every year but truth be told I just throw them in the pot with my brisket and call it a day. Can I still do that with this recipe?

  14. Hi! If I don’t have an oven proof pot can I sear the meat on the stove and then cook it tightly in a 9×13?

  15. Can you please indicate how many this serves? I noticed that a number of your recipes-as tempting as they sound-fail to mention this (important) information. Thank you!

  16. Hi which beer do you recommend? Brand wise. I don’t know beer and I saw a comment that the brisket was t sweet because if a wrong kind of beer?

        1. I’ve never done in the oven, I usually simmer in a pot with plenty of water for 2-3 hours depending on how large the roast is, but until fork tender.

  17. Hello,
    I want to make this recipe for Purim but don’t have acsses to yoshon beer. Are there any alternatives I could use?

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