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French Onion Brisket
4.7 from 12 votes

French Onion Brisket

This recipe is my way of taking poetic license with brisket, drawing inspiration from French onion soup for a braising liquid of caramelized onions and garlic, deglazed with apple brandy.

Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
4 hrs 45 mins
Total Time
1 d
Servings: 10 servings
Calories: 425 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

  • 1 (5 to 6 pound) beef brisket fat cap intact
  • salt Kosher salt and freshly ground
  • black pepper Kosher salt and freshly ground
  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil mild
  • 5 large (2 1/2 lbs) sweet onion thinly sliced
  • 12 garlic smashed and peeled, cloves
  • 1 cup calvados or dry sherry
  • 3 cups chicken broth canned or homemade chicken stock
  • 6 prigs thyme fresh
  • 4 prigs sage fresh

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Preheat oven to 325°F (165°C).
  2. Season each side of the brisket with 2 heavy pinches each of salt and pepper. In a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, warm the oil. Add the brisket to the Dutch oven and sear, turning it occasionally, until golden brown all over, 15 to 20 minutes. Move brisket to a platter.
  3. Reduce heat to medium, then add the onions and garlic to the Dutch oven. Cook, stirring often, until softened and beginning to caramelize, 20 to 25 minutes.
  4. Pour in the Calvados or sherry, then stir continuously with a wooden spoon for 1 minute to scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pot.
  5. Stir in the stock and 2 heavy pinches each of salt and pepper, then return the brisket to the Dutch oven.
  6. Tie the thyme and sage sprigs together with a small piece of butcher’s twine (tying is optional, but it makes it much easier to remove the herbs after cooking) and nestle the herb bundle in the pot.
  7. Bring to a simmer, then cover the Dutch oven and move it to the oven. Cook until very tender when pierced with a fork, about 3 1/2 hours.
  8. Remove from the oven and let cool completely, then refrigerate overnight.
  9. The next day, skim off and discard any fat, if desired, and discard the herbs. Transfer the brisket to a cutting board and cut it across the grain (perpendicular to the fibers you’ll see running through the brisket) into 1/4-inch (6-mm) thick slices.
  10. Return the meat to the sauce and heat over medium heat until warmed through.☞ TESTER TIP: While rewarming the meat, give it a nudge every so often to make sure the onions aren’t burning on the bottom of the Dutch oven.
  11. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper, then serve.

Nutrition Information

Serving 1serving Calories 425kcal (21%) Carbohydrates 11g (4%) Protein 50g (100%) Fat 17g (26%) Saturated Fat 6g (30%) Monounsaturated Fat 8g (40%) Cholesterol 141mg (47%) Sodium 211mg (9%) Fiber 1g (4%) Sugar 6g (12%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 10 servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 425

% Daily Value*

Serving 1serving
Calories 425kcal 21%
Carbohydrates 11g 4%
Protein 50g 100%
Fat 17g 26%
Saturated Fat 6g 30%
Monounsaturated Fat 8g 40%
Cholesterol 141mg 47%
Sodium 211mg 9%
Fiber 1g 4%
Sugar 6g 12%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.