Tangy Brisket with Fennel

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Pulled brisket
If you’re looking for a different take than the usual tomato-sauce based brisket at your next holiday meal, try this one and you’ll never go back. This just might be the best brisket you’ve ever had. Inspired by a recipe I once clipped from Bon Appetit, this brisket is so easy to make, but takes a little bit of planning ahead. By allowing the meat to dry out in the refrigerator seasoned with salt and freshly cracked pepper, it seasons the meat beautifully and gives it a bit of outer crust. The first part — searing the meat and getting the vegetables started — is quick. But the magic happens by letting it cook for a few hours. This is a great main dish for a holiday gathering, or just a Sunday when you want some comfort food. It may seem weird to add garlic cut in half without removing the papery skin, but the garlic cloves will caramelize during the cooking process, and before you shred the brisket, the cloves will easy pop out and you can discard the paper shell that’s left behind. Strange, I know… but it works! The garlic cloves lend so much to this. If you really love garlic, feel free to use more than one bulb. As far as I’m concerned, the more, the better.
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Pulled brisket

Tangy Brisket with Fennel

  • Author: Yael
  • Total Time: 4 hours 35 minutes
  • Yield: 8 servings
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Description

A Dutch Oven is ideal for this, but if you don’t have one, a large, heavy-bottomed pot that’s both stovetop and oven-safe will work well.  If you have any leftovers (doubtful!), these make for excellent sliders the next day!

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 4-5 lb. piece of flat-cut brisket
  • Kosher salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 4 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
  • 1 medium onion, peeled, trimmed, and cut through from tip to root into 1”-thick wedges
  • 1 large fennel bulb, washed, top stalks trimmed off, cut through root end into 1”-inch wedges
  • 3 celery stalks, cut into 2” pieces
  • 3 large carrots, peeled and cut into 2” pieces
  • 1 head garlic, halved crosswise (skin on)
  • 1/2 bunch thyme
  • 3/4 cup distilled white vinegar
  • 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce or Worcestershire sauce

Instructions

  1. The day before: Season brisket on all sides with kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper in a baking dish and chill, uncovered.
  2. When you’re ready to cook the brisket, Preheat oven to 300°.
  3. Heat 2 Tbsp oil in a Dutch Oven or large, heavy pot over medium heat. Cook the brisket, fatty side down until deeply browned. The brisket might be snug in the pot but the meat will shrink as it cooks.
  4. Cook 10-12 minutes or until very brown. Carefully turn. Cook the other side. Transfer to a platter.
  5. Pour off any fat. Add 2 tablespoons of oil, set heat to medium and add onion and season with salt and pepper. Cook until softened and beginning to brown.
  6. Add fennel, carrots, celery, garlic, and thyme. Toss to coat. Add vinegar, soy sauce, and 4 cups water. Place brisket back in the pot, arranging with the fatty side up. It should be submerged. If everything can’t be submerged, let the vegetables be what pokes out.
  7. Bring to a simmer, cover, and put in the oven. Cook without peeking for 3 hours. Check brisket. It should be very tender. If not, cook for another 20 minutes and check again.
  8. Uncover brisket and raise oven temp to 425°. Roast for about 50-60 minutes until ¾ liquid has evaporated and the top of the brisket is crisp and deeply browned.
  9. Allow to cool slightly, then transfer to a cutting board. Slice with a serrated knife or shred using two forks. Skim any fat from the surface of the gravy. Arrange on a platter, spooning vegetables and braising liquid around the meat.

Notes

A Dutch Oven is an amazing pot to cook in and if cared for properly, will last you a lifetime.  For this recipe, I use an enameled round 7.25 quart Le Creuset pot (in the color “Flame”, because I’m sucker for orange!).  Staub and Lodge make a great ones as well.  Cast iron heats evenly and your pot should never warp.  From my days working at Sur la Table, I’d heard that Staub’s black unpolished interior was better for searing, but I am partial to my Le Creuset.  The Lodge Dutch Oven also has a black interior, and is well priced.  You can never go wrong with anything they make.

Recommended tools & equipment:  7 – 7.5 quart Enameled Dutch Oven (such as Le Creuset, Staub, or Lodge), 6″ or 8″ chef’s knife, vegetable peeler, paring knife.

  • Prep Time: 35
  • Cook Time: 4 hours
  • Category: main dish, beef
  • Method: braising
  • Cuisine: American

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