Mama’s Famous Brisket Print Recipe Back to Website

Adapted by Amy Peele and Gracie Schatz from the book Out of Our Kitchen Closets: San Francisco Gay Jewish Cooking by Ron Moskowitz

Ingredients
  • 2-3 lbs. brisket, flat 
  • 1 ½ Tbsp Kosher Salt 
  • 2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper 
  • 2 Tbsp water
  • 3 Tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 2 Tbsp red wine vinegar 
  • 1 large onion, peeled and sliced
  • 2 stalks celery, peeled and cut into ½” slices 
  • 2 tsp molasses
  • 4 oz Heinz or Hunts chili sauce 
  • 4 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped 
  • ½ tsp paprika 
  • 2 bay leaves 
  • ¼ cup brown sugar, firmly packed 
  • ½ can of Guinness draught 
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 325 F with the rack in the lower third of the oven. 
  2. Season the brisket with salt, pepper, and paprika.
  3. In a large Dutch oven, over medium high heat, sear the brisket fat side down. Sear it until it is dark and crispy then remove it from the pot and set it aside.
  4. In the Dutch oven, add in the onions, celery, and all of the other ingredients except for the Guinness, stir well to combine and bring up to a boil.
  5. Reduce to a simmer and add the brisket back in, cover and transfer to the oven for 3 hours.
  6. After three hours, remove it from the oven, add in the Guinness, cover it back up and cook for two more hours.
  7. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly before slicing and serving.
  8. The brisket will be even better if it rests overnight in the braising liquid and then is sliced thinly against the grain and rewarmed.