My aunt’s brisket consistently delivers—well, almost every time. Her cooking is no-fuss: nothing overly complicated, but always, I mean always, delicious. Her brisket recipe is straightforward, demanding very little from the cook except patience and time in the oven.

The first time I attempted to recreate it, I followed the recipe to the letter—or so I thought—and it came out rock solid and inedible. Aunt Eudice took one look at it, recited all the ingredients, and we couldn’t figure out what went wrong. Then it hit me: I had forgotten to cover the brisket in the oven. That moment taught me the importance of reading recipes carefully. To this day, I include “covering the brisket” as its own step, so I never forget again.

Brisket is the ultimate make-ahead dish. It actually improves with time: it needs to be thoroughly chilled before slicing and can be easily reheated or frozen. It’s perfect for Yom Tov, Shabbat, or feeding a hungry crowd.

Tip: Brisket cooking times depend on thickness, not just weight. The recipe below is based on a brisket about 2–3 inches thick. If yours is much thinner or thicker, adjust the cooking time accordingly.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 – 2.5 kilo (about 5 lbs) fresh brisket
• 6 medium onions, peeled and finely sliced
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 tbs ketchup
• Coarse ground pepper
• Coarse salt
• 500 ml (about 2 cups) orange juice
• 500 ml (about 2 cups) sweet red wine

METHOD:

1. Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F).
2. Layer the onions: Place half the sliced onions in the base of a large roasting tin.
3. Season the brisket: Rub both sides of the brisket with garlic, ketchup, and a generous amount of salt and pepper.
4. Assemble: Lay the brisket on top of the onions. Cover the top of the meat with the remaining onions. Pour in the orange juice and red wine.
5. Now cover it—really tightly. This step matters! Use foil or a tight-fitting lid to seal in the moisture.
6. Bake for 3½ to 4 hours, or until very soft. To test for doneness, insert a fork into the brisket. If it pulls out with no resistance, it’s ready. If there’s still resistance, re-cover tightly and cook for another 30 minutes before checking again.
7. Cool completely before slicing. The colder the brisket, the easier it is to slice neatly.

MAKE AHEAD:

Cooked and cooled brisket can be made up to 3 days in advance and stored in an airtight container in the fridge.

For freezing, slice the brisket before freezing—it makes defrosting and reheating much easier. Brisket can be frozen for up to 1 month.

To reheat, place the sliced brisket in a baking dish with its sauce, cover tightly, and warm in a hot oven until heated through.