Red Wine Braised Brisket
Tender red wine braised brisket slow-cooked with carrots, onions, garlic, and herbs. As the dish braises, the brisket absorbs layers of flavor while the sauce develops into a silky, savory glaze. It’s a rich, flavorful, make-ahead main perfect for holidays and cozy dinners.
There are a lot of brisket recipes out there, including my own Moroccan-Inspired Jewish Brisket. This one is designed to be approachable, reliable, and deeply flavorful without too many ingredients or much prep at all.
The technique ensures a well-browned crust before braising (key for flavor), a properly reduced sauce at the end, and vegetables that hold their shape while soaking up all that richness. It’s the kind of recipe you’ll come back to again and again.
This recipe is great for Passover, Hannukah, Rosh Hashanah, or even just a Shabbat dinner. Of course, it would be fabulous on Thanksgiving or any other holiday!
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Why You’ll love this recipe
- Deep, rich flavor from slow braising in red wine and aromatics
- Foolproof method that yields tender, sliceable brisket every time
- One-pot cooking makes cleanup manageable
- Perfect for make-ahead meals—it gets even better the next day
- Flexible ingredients allow you to adapt based on what you have
Ingredients
- Brisket (second cut preferred) – Second cut is more fatty and tender, and preferred. First cut is more lean and will work too.
- Salt & pepper – Essential for seasoning; enhances all other flavors in the dish.
- Onion – Adds sweetness and depth as it softens and caramelizes.
- Carrots – Bring natural sweetness and balance the acidity of the wine.
- Celery – Adds a subtle savory backbone to the braise.
- Garlic – Provides aromatic depth and richness.
- Tomato paste – Intensifies umami and adds body to the sauce.
- Red wine – The backbone of the braising liquid; cabernet sauvignon or côtes du rhône are ideal for their structure and flavor.
- Bone broth (or water) – Adds richness and helps create a full-bodied sauce.
- Sweetener – honey, maple syrup, date syrup, or brown sugar all work!
- Olive oil (if needed) – Used only if the brisket does not render enough fat for sautéing.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to make red wine braised brisket
Full step-by-step instructions are found below in the recipe card. Find here a summary of steps with photos.
Sear and season the brisket on both sides. Remove from pan. Add the vegetables and tomato paste and soften.
Add the brisket back into the pan, nestling it in with the vegetables. Add the wine, broth, and sweetener.
Bring to a boil, then cover and let braise in the oven for 3.5 hours. Remove the brisket and vegetables from the pan.
Let the red wine sauce reduce to a thick glaze. It should coat the back of a spoon.
Add the vegetables to the serving platter, then add the sliced brisket in the center, leaving some vegetables on the side.
Pour the red wine glaze over the brisket and serve.
how to slice brisket “against the grain”
Slicing brisket against the grain is the key to achieving tender, melt-in-your-mouth pieces. Brisket is made up of long muscle fibers (the “grain”), and cutting across them shortens those fibers, making each bite significantly easier to chew.
To identify the grain, look for the lines running through the meat after it has rested. Position your knife perpendicular to those lines and slice into thin, even pieces. For best results, use a sharp knife and aim for consistent slices.
Pro tip: Brisket contains two muscles (the flat and the point), and the grain may run in different directions. If needed, separate them and slice each one against its own grain for the most tender result.
Storage
Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days
Make ahead: This dish is ideal for making 1–2 days in advance; flavors deepen over time!
Reheating: Reheat covered in the oven at 300°F or gently on the stovetop
Related
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Rate this recipe
If you make this red wine braised brisket, I’d love to hear how it turned out. Leave a rating and a review below, your feedback helps others find and trust this recipe.
Red Wine Braised Brisket
Ingredients
- 4 –5 lbs brisket second cut preferred
- Salt and pepper
- 1 onion chopped
- 4 carrots sliced diagonally
- 2 stalks celery sliced diagonally
- Olive oil if needed
- 5 cloves garlic chopped
- 3 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 bottle red wine
- 2 cups bone broth or water
- 2 tablespoon sweetener honey, maple syrup, date syrup, or brown sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven Preheat to 325°F and adjust oven racks to fit a large Dutch oven.
- Sear the brisket Season one side of the brisket with salt and pepper. Place it seasoned-side down in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Season the side facing up. Sear for about 7 minutes per side until deeply browned, then remove and set aside in a large sheet pan.
- Sauté the vegetables Add onion, carrots, and celery to the pot. If there isn’t enough rendered fat, add a bit of olive oil. Cook for about 5 minutes until slightly softened. Stir in the garlic and tomato paste, coating the vegetables. Cook for about 2 minutes until the paste darkens slightly.
- Build the braising liquid Return the brisket to the pot, nestling it into the vegetables, so that the brisket isn't just floating on top of the vegetables. Add back any juices that pooled as well. Add the red wine, bone broth (or water), and sweetener. Season lightly with additional salt and pepper. Brisket should be mostly submerged. If one or both ends stick up slightly that's okay – just spoon some liquid over the exposed edges.
- Braise in the oven Bring the liquid to a boil, cover with the lid, and transfer to the oven. Cook for 3.5 hours. About halfway through, spoon some liquid over the exposed portions of the brisket, recover, then return to the oven.
- Reduce the sauce Remove the brisket and let it rest on a cutting board set over a sheet pan. Transfer vegetables to a serving platter. Boil the remaining liquid for 15–25 minutes until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
- Slice and serve Slice the brisket against the grain (cutting across/through the muscle fibers rather than along them) to ensure the meat is tender and easy to chew.. Arrange over the vegetables and pour the reduced sauce on top.
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