Braised Brisket with Apples & Onions
For us, Thanksgiving is the holiday with the locked down menu. We’re not experimenting with different ideas each year. We know what we like, we know how to cook it perfectly, we look forward to it all year long! Christmas is a bit different. We love trying different “special meals” each year. I also love that you have two opportunities to enjoy a meal, once on Christmas Eve and once on Christmas Day. There’s even New Year’s to celebrate! This is the type of meal we like to enjoy on Christmas. We’re home all day which means I can stick it in the oven and let it cook low and slow. Right before eating we can slice it up and serve family style with whatever sides we decide on!
Ingredients:
Makes 6-8 servings
3 pound brisket
salt and pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, thinly sliced
1 apple, thinly sliced
1 ½ cups broth
1 ½ cups apple cider or juice
2 tablespoons tomato paste
½ teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon paprika
Directions:
Preheat your oven to 300 degrees F. Heat a wide oven proof skillet or dutch oven (with a lid) over medium heat. Salt and pepper the brisket liberally. Add the olive oil to the pan and brown the brisket on all sides until golden. Take the brisket out and place it on a plate. Add a splash of the apple cider and scrape the bottom of the pan to get the tasty stuck on bits off so we can use the flavor! If the oil is black and burnt, don’t do this! Use a paper towel to wipe it out before adding the rest of the ingredients. Pour the apple cider and broth into the skillet with the tomato paste, cinnamon, and paprika. Give it a stir. Add the apples and onions. Place the brisket back in the pot and give it a good jiggle to nestle it in the broth and veggies. Add the lid and pop it in the oven for 4 hours. You can check it to make sure it's super tender and give yourself a 30 minute buffer in case it needs more time! It can rest in the pot for about 30 minutes before slicing.
