Holiday Brisket Roast Recipe, What's Cooking America (2024)

What's Cooking America » Cooking Articles » Meat Recipe Collection » Beef » Beef Roast Recipes » Brisket » Holiday Brisket Roast Recipe

Holiday Brisket Roast Recipe

Oven and Instant Pot Pressure Cooker Instructions

Ellen Easton shares her recipe for a traditional holiday brisket roast that is a favorite to serve for Passover or any special occasion. The brisket is slowly oven roasted on low heat resulting in a tender meat that melts in your mouth. The flavor of the holiday brisket roast from Ellen’s recipe is slightly sweet with a nice tang from the tomato-based sauce and the dried fruit. Instructions have also been provided to cook in the Instant Pot Pressure Cooker if you are looking for a time saving option.

Find more Passover recipe ideas in Ellen’s Passover Dinner Menu.

Recipe and Photos by Ellen Easton ©2020 – All Rights Reserved
Brisket Guidelines and Tips by What’s Cooking America ©All Rights Reserved

Eastern European Jews could not afford expensive cuts of meat, so they would typically purchase the less expensive brisket which was a tougher cut of meat. Over the years, they learned the secret to a tender brisket was to cook the meat “low and slow”, meaning lower oven temperatures for a longer period of time. Brisket has become a favorite main dish served at most Jewish holiday meals.

Check out more of Ellen Easton’s Tea Travels™ articles and recipes.

Learn how to make Smoked Brisket.

Quick LInks:
Essential Kitchen Equipment
Preparing Brisket
Brisket Internal Temperature
How to Slice and Serve Brisket
Holiday Brisket Roast RecipeInstant Pot Pressure Cooker Directions

Types of Brisket:

Two different cuts of brisket are available. Unless the recipe specifies one or the other, either may be used in recipes calling for boneless beef brisket:

Beef Brisket Flat Half(also known as thin cut, flat cut, first cut, or center cut): With its minimal fat, this cut is generally the pricier of the two.

Beef Brisket Point Half(also known as front cut, point cut, thick cut, or nose cut): Aless expensive of the two. Withmore fat, and more flavor.

Brisket image from AggieMeat

Purchasing Brisket:

Look for a piece of brisket that is dark red in color, feels tender, and springs back to the touch. It is not recommended to use brisket that has been frozen as the the meat will not turn out tender when cooked. If the brisket feels stiff or flops over, then it’s a good indicator that it was previously frozen – do not purchase.

Look for a brisket that has a good layer of fat at the tip of the brisket (this is called the fat cap) and you also want to see that the fat is marbled throughout the entire cut of brisket. Look for a brisket that is laced with fat all over, as it will cook to fall-apart tender, which is the result that you want to achieve. The fat should appear bright white in color. If it has a yellowish appearance, then it’s not a fresh cut of meat.

Most briskets found at the store arebetween 3 1/2 to 6 pounds. Calculate about 3 to 4 ounces of meatper person.

Essential Kitchen Equipment:

Roasting pan
Food processor or Blender
Mixing bowls
Rubber spatula
Glass or Ceramic Baking Dish
Cutting board with well
Carving knife

Preparing Brisket:

Most brisket will have a layer of fat on the top. This is known as the fat cap and provides the flavor in the brisket. You want to leave most of the fat on. Use a sharp knife to trim away any excess fatto an even layer of about 1/4 inch.

The brisket can be sliced into smaller chunks if needed to fit into smaller roasting pans. Let the brisket come to room temperature before placing in the oven to roast.

Brisket Internal Temperature:

About 45 minutes before the estimated end of the roasting (bake) time, begin checking the internal temperature (use a good instant-read digital meat thermometer). Play it safe and start checking early, as you do not want anything to go wrong. This is even more important if you are adjusting for High Altitude Baking.

If you ignore every other bit of advice I have given, please pay attention to this: For a perfectly fall-apart tender cooked brisket, invest in a good meat thermometer. Internal temperature, not time, is the best test for doneness.

This is the type of cooking and meat thermometer that I prefer and use in my cooking. I get many readers asking what cooking/meat thermometer that I prefer and use in my cooking and baking. I, personally, use the Thermapen Thermometer shown in the photo on the right. To learn more about this excellent thermometer and to also purchase one (if you desire), just click on the underlined: Thermapen Thermometer.

When checking the temperature of your brisket, insert meat thermometer so tip is in thickest part of beef, not resting in fat. It is not until thebrisketreaches an internal temperature of 200 degrees F. and maintains that temperature for at least an hour during roasting that the collagen can break down for the meat to become tender. Remove brisket from oven, cover loosely with aluminum foil, and let sit at least30minutes to 1 hour. Cutting into the meat too early will cause a significant loss of juice. Do not skip the resting stage.

How to Slice and Serve Brisket:

Place the cooked brisket on a large Meat Cutting Board with a well at one end to hold the juice. Let the brisket rest for at least 30 minutes toretain the juices longer before slicing.

Usinga sharp carving knife, slice/carve brisket against the grain. Working from the thin, square end of the brisket, cut long thin slices about the thickness of a pencil. If the brisket is a little tough, cut it thinner. If the brisket starts to fall apart cut the slices thicker. As you work your way along, trim off any large pieces of fat and discard.

If serving the cooking juices alongside your brisket, use a large spoon to skim and discard any excess fat from the juices in the roasting pan. Using a heavy spoon, scrape all the dark drippings and any crunchy bits from the sides and bottom of roasting pan. Pour theextra juices and fixings into a saucepanreheat until sauce is hot (but not boiling). Pour the sauce over the top of the brisket right before serving.

TEA TRAVELS™ – Wishing You Happy TEA TRAVELS!™Tea is the luxury everyone can afford!™ and Good $ense for $uccess are the trademarked property of Ellen Easton/ RED WAGON PRESS

Ellen Easton, author of Afternoon Tea~Tips, Terms and Traditions(RED WAGON PRESS), a lifestyle and etiquette industry leader, keynote speaker and product spokesperson, is a hospitality, design, and retail consultant whose clients have included The Waldorf=Astoria, Plaza Hotels, and Bergdorf Goodman. Easton’s family traces their tea roots to the early 1800s, when ancestors first introduced tea plants from India and China to the Colony of Ceylon, thus building one of the largest and best cultivated tea estates on the island.

Purchase Ellen Easton’s Tea Books:

Each 5 x 7 book is $20 postpaid Continental USA only. Wholesale and fundraising accounts welcome. Include name, address, zip code, and phone number for shipping. All Sales Final. Check or MO order payable to: RED WAGON PRESS, 45 East 89th Street, STE. 20A, New York, NY 10128-1256. All inquires to teatravels@aol.com

AFTERNOON TEA…TIPS, TERMS and TRADITIONS
72 pages of how to’s, 27 photos, history, etiquette and FAQ about afternoon tea, serving styles and more.

TEA TRAVELS™ – FOR THE HOLIDAYS
64 pages, 21 color photos. A complete holiday menu includes 25 easy to prepare recipes; theme teas, decorating & gift ideas; invitation template and secret sources.

Related Recipes

Comments and Reviews