Search
Navigate to Food section

Brisket Braised in Pomegranate Juice

by
Joan Nathan
June 02, 2021

In the late 19th and early 20th century, middle-class Jewish communities in southern Germany, and their immigrant counterparts in the United States, would hold balls for the young adults several times a year. These parties were social events, but they were also occasions for the young people to meet potential mates—and, in no small part, to reconfirm their Judaism. These highly anticipated events were the predecessors of JDate.

Featured in: Brisket Power

Ingredients

  • One 4 ½-pound brisket
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
  • 2tablespoons olive oil
  • 2medium onions, peeled and coarsely chopped
  • 2leeks, cleaned, and chopped, using the white and light green only
  • 6cloves garlic, crushed
  • 2large carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped
  • 1celery stalk, peeled and coarsely chopped
  • 2½ to 3 cups pomegranate juice
  • 3sprigs fresh thyme
  • 2sprigs fresh rosemary
  • 2bay leaves
Yield: About 8 servings

Preparation

Adapted from Julio de Haro

  • Step 1

    Season the brisket with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a heavy pan or Dutch oven, brown the brisket on all sides, and set aside.

  • Step 2

    Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Add the onions and leeks in the pan in which you browned the brisket, and cook until soft. Add the garlic, carrots and the celery. Continue cooking for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

  • Step 3

    Add 1 1/2 cups of the pomegranate juice to the pan and bring the mixture to the boil, making sure to scrape the bottom of the pan as you stir. Add another cup of pomegranate juice, the thyme, rosemary and bay leaves to the pan and allow to simmer. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

  • Step 4

    Return the brisket to the pan, fat-side up, spooning the vegetables and juices over the meat. Cover the pan tightly (use foil if the pan doesn’t have a lid), and braise the brisket in the oven, basting every half hour or so until the meat is tender, for about 3 hours.

  • Step 5

    Allow the brisket to rest before slicing and serving. (I leave it overnight in the refrigerator. The next day I cut it thin, against the grain, on the bias.) Lay the brisket over the onions and leeks and the gravy, reheat, and serve with the onion confit (see below.)