There’s something very pleasant about putting a brisket in the oven to braise for hours. Just knowing it’s in there is so comforting, so reminiscent of home and holiday, and of course it smells wonderful.

Here we’ve tucked garlic cloves, tomatoes, bay leaves, thyme, and carrots around the brisket and braised it in wine. As it cooks, all the savories mingle in the juices, so the meat emerges from the oven moist, fork-tender, and intensely flavorful. We especially love the light acidity those tomatoes add — it’s the perfect complement for all the potatoes and fruit on our Passover table.

Brisket is perfect for seder because you can pop it in the oven early in the day and basically forget about it while you set the table and hide the matzo. It makes for a very relaxing day, one that ends with you sitting down to enjoy a special meal, a nice glass of wine, and good conversation with your partner — while the kiddos tear apart the house looking for that matzo.

Our tips: If you really want to relax on Passover, or you need to free up the oven for other goodies, you can make this brisket several days in advance and warm it up before the meal. And for wine, we’d recommend Yarden Mount Hermon Red, a vibrant blend with fruit and herb notes.

Servings: 10 to 12

Ingredients

1 5-lb untrimmed flat-cut brisket
Kosher salt, to taste
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
2 Tbsp safflower oil
2 large onions, thinly sliced
3 celery stalks with leaves
5 garlic cloves, smashed
6 sprigs thyme
2 bay leaves
1 28-oz can whole peeled tomatoes
1 Tbsp tomato paste
1 750 ml bottle full-bodied red wine
8 small carrots

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Season brisket with salt and pepper.
3. In a large ovenproof pot, warm the oil over medium-high. Cook the brisket, turning it occasionally, until browned all over, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer the meat to a plate, and discard the fat from the pot.
4. Place the onions, celery, garlic, thyme, bay leaves, tomatoes, tomato paste, and wine in the pot and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Place brisket on top of the veggies and herbs, fat side up. Cover and braise in oven, spooning juices, onions, and tomatoes over brisket every 30 minutes, until the meat is fork-tender, about 3 to 3 ½ hours.
6. Uncover the pot, nestle the carrots around the brisket, and cook until the carrots are tender, the top of the brisket is browned and crisp, and the sauce has thickened, about 30 minutes.
7. Skim fat from the surface of the sauce and discard it. Remove the brisket from the pot and slice it against the grain to serve.
8. If you’re not serving the brisket immediately, transfer it to a large bowl and pour braising liquid over it. Let it cool in the sauce. Cover and chill it for at least 4 hours and up to 4 days.
9. To serve, preheat oven to 325°. Skim the fat from the surface of the sauce again and discard it. Cover and reheat the brisket in the sauce for 1 to 1 ½ hours.
   

Recipe source: Bon Appetít