Paula Deen Braised Beef Brisket

Paula Deen braised beef brisket turns a 3 1/2 pound brisket, sweet Vidalia onions and dry red wine into a fork-tender Dutch oven dinner in 3 hours 35 minutes. It's an easy Sunday dinner brisket for the holiday table, church supper or a big family gathering, and it's a true Southern comfort food.

Cook the sliced Vidalia onions the full 10 to 15 minutes, until they turn tender and caramel colored. Hurry them and the sauce tastes thin and sharp, with none of the sweetness that balances the wine and tomatoes.

Paula browns the brisket for only about 2 minutes per side, then braises it covered at a low 325°F for 3 hours. Once the meat is out, she whisks flour into a little of the tomato mixture before stirring it back in, so the sauce thickens without lumps.

Paula Deen Braised Beef Brisket

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Course: DinnerCuisine: American, SouthernDifficulty: Medium

Servings

8

servings

Prep time

10

minutes

Cooking time

3

hours 

25

minutes

Calories

380

kcal

Slow braising in red wine and tomatoes turns the brisket meltingly tender, and the pan juices thicken into a rich sauce with a flour slurry. Sliced thin across the grain, every piece soaks up that sweet onion gravy.

Ingredients

• 1 3 1/2 lb trimmed beef brisket
  

• 1 teaspoon salt
  

• 1 teaspoon freshly ground Black pepper
  

• 3 tablespoons Olive oil
  

• 3 large thinly sliced Vidalia onions
  

• 2 cups dry red wine
  

• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
  

• 2 bay leaves
  

• 1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes
  

• 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
  

Directions

• Preheat the oven: Preheat the oven to 325°F. Then sprinkle the 3 1/2 pound trimmed brisket evenly with 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper.
• Brown the brisket: Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the brisket and cook about 2 minutes on each side until browned, then set it aside.
• Caramelize the onions: Add the 3 large thinly sliced Vidalia onions to the same Dutch oven. Cook them 10 to 15 minutes, stirring often, until they are tender and caramel colored.
• Build the braising liquid: Stir in 2 cups dry red wine, 2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary, 2 bay leaves and one 28 ounce can of diced tomatoes. Then nestle the brisket back into the pot.
• Braise in the oven: Cover the Dutch oven and bake for 3 hours. The brisket is ready when the meat is very tender.
• Thicken the sauce: Lift the brisket out and keep it warm. Whisk 2 tablespoons all purpose flour into 1/2 cup of the tomato mixture until smooth. Then stir it into the pot, bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook 2 to 3 minutes until thickened.
• Slice and serve: Cut the brisket across the grain into thin slices. Then spoon the tomato sauce over the top.

Tools for this recipe

• Lodge 6-quart enameled Dutch oven, Victorinox Fibrox 8-inch chef's knife, OXO 11-inch balloon whisk, Partanna Sicilian extra virgin olive oil, 1 liter. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

Do I have to use Vidalia onions?

Vidalias give the sauce its sweetness, so they are worth seeking out. Other sweet onions work in a pinch, though plain yellow onions will taste sharper, so cook them a few minutes longer.

Can I make braised brisket ahead of time?

Yes, and many cooks say braised brisket tastes even better the next day. Store the sliced meat in its sauce in the fridge, then reheat it gently, covered, in a low oven so it stays moist.

Can I use a slow cooker instead of a Dutch oven?

You can, but brown the brisket and caramelize the onions on the stovetop first, since that is where the flavor starts. Then move everything to the slow cooker, and thicken the sauce on the stove at the end.

Why slice the brisket across the grain?

Brisket has long, tough muscle fibers, and cutting across them shortens each one. That makes every slice tender to chew instead of stringy.

What's the most common mistake with braised brisket?

Pulling it from the oven too early is the biggest one, because brisket stays tough until the connective tissue breaks down. If a fork still meets resistance, cover it and give it another 20 to 30 minutes.