Bubbe’s Holiday Brisket

Bubbe’s Holiday Brisket recipe is smothered in sauce made from sautéed onions, spices, ketchup and horseradish and slow cooked until it’s perfectly tender. My bubbe only spoke a few words of English, but her cooking was one of the many ways she showed her love and this holiday brisket recipe is one of our family’s favorites. Bubbe’s smothered brisket recipe transforms a few very simple and very basic ingredients into a delicious and unique holiday brisket with an incredible sweet and savory sauce that’s sure to please your holiday guests!

Cooking methods: stovetop/oven or slow cooker

Bubbe’s holiday brisket can be cooked on the stovetop and the oven or in the slow cooker. I tend to use the slow cooker so I can set-it-and-forget-it. There is plenty to tackle before a holiday dinner and this method gives me a chance to prepare my other dishes. But both methods produce a similar outcome…perfectly fork-tender brisket in a delicious sauce. Here’s how it’s done.

What’s in Bubbe’s Holiday Brisket

• Olive oil or butter – I prefer this recipe with butter but oil is a great option if you keep kosher
• Flat cut (sometimes called first cut) brisket – Adjust the amount of sauce you make according to the size of your brisket.
• Onion – Any type of onion will do but I typically use yellow onions
• Paprika or smoked paprika to add a little bit of a smoky flavor
• Salt
• Black pepper
• Ketchup – This creates the best sweet and savory sauce when combined with the pan drippings from the brisket
• Water
• Yellow mustard – While yellow mustard is generally considered kosher, it’s important to note for Ashkenazi Jews that this is considered kitniyot and can be left out of the recipe is necessary.
• Prepared horseradish

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Which cut is best for my Bubbe’s holiday brisket?

Brisket is sold in two types of cuts, the flat cut (sometimes called first cut) and the point cut (second cut). The flat cut is leaner and although you can use either cut for Bubbe’s holiday brisket, I prefer flat cut as it’s easier to slice. I prefer to use the fattier point cut for recipes where the meat will be shredded like BBQ pulled beef.

Add vegetables for a one-pot meal

My Bubbe’s recipe truly is perfect just the way it is, so I prefer to pair this brisket with a light and healthy steamed vegetable and serve it on the side. A few of my favorite veggies that pair nicely with brisket are roasted asparagus, steamed broccoli or steamed carrots.

If you prefer to add the vegetables directly into the brisket for a one-pot meal, try adding thick sliced carrots or thick sliced celery (about 1-inch pieces) and sauté them along with the onions. I like to cut them nice and thick since they’ll slow cook for several hours and a thick cut keeps them perfectly tender (not soggy).

Looking for more recipes?

• Flourless Chocolate Orange Cake
• Passover Banana Flips

Bubbe’s Holiday Brisket

Bubbe's Holiday Brisket is smothered in sauce made from sautéed onions, ketchup and horseradish and slow cooked until perfectly tender.

5 from 1 vote

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Course dinner, Main Course

Cuisine American, jewish

Ingredients

  

• 2 tablespoons olive oil or butter Use olive oil if you keep kosher
• 5-6 pounds flat-cut brisket Approximately 1/2 lb per person
• 1 large onion liced thin
• 1 teaspoon paprika or smoked paprika to add a little bit of a smoky flavor
• ½ teaspoon salt more to taste if necessary
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 2 cups kethup
• 2 cups water
• 3 tablespoons yellow mustard
• 4 tablespoons prepared horseradish

Instructions

 

Slow Cooker

• If your slow cooker has a sauté setting, you can brown the meat directly in the slow cooker. If it doesn't have a sauté setting, you'll need to brown your beef in a pan on the stovetop before transferring it to the slow cooker. Turn on the slow cooker sauté setting (or medium heat if you're using the stovetop), add the oil or butter and the sliced onions and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Add the brisket to the slow cooker and sprinkle each side with the paprika, salt and pepper. Brown the brisket on all sides.
• While the brisket browns add the ketchup, water, mustard, prepared horseradish in a bowl and stir until it's throughly combined.
• Once the brisket is browned on all sides, pour the sauce into the slow cooker and stir to combine.
• Slow cook on high heat for 6 hours or low heat for 10 hours or until the meat is perfectly tender.
• Rest the brisket by allowing it to cool for at least 20 minutes prior to serving. Slice the brisket into 1/4-inch – 1/2-inch slices. Slice against the grain.

Stovetop/Oven

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• Add the oil or butter to a large dutch oven and sauté the sliced onions on medium heat for about 5 minutes.
• Add the brisket to the dutch oven and sprinkle each side with the paprika, salt and pepper. Brown the brisket on all sides.
• While the brisket browns add the ketchup, water, mustard, prepared horseradish in a bowl and stir until it's throughly combined.
• Once the brisket is browned on all sides, pour the sauce into the dutch oven and stir to combine.
• Transfer the dutch oven to the preheated oven and bake at 350 degrees for 4-5 hours or until the brisket is very tender. Baste the brisket every 2 hours using the ladle to pour the sauce over the beef.
• Slice brisket and serve with sauce.
• Rest the brisket by allowing it to cool for at least 20 minutes prior to serving. Slice the brisket into 1/4-inch – 1/2-inch slices. Slice against the grain.

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