Brisket (Jewish-American)

Jewish-American communities — adapted from the Ashkenazi pot-roast tradition; the tomato-based braise is a 20th century American innovation reflecting the availability of canned tomatoes; the dish became the defining American Jewish holiday food by mid-century

The Jewish-American brisket is a braised beef preparation — the collagen-rich flat cut of brisket seared and then slow-cooked for 3–4 hours in a sweetly aromatic tomato-onion-red wine braise until the collagen has entirely converted to gelatin and the meat slices cleanly while remaining moist and yielding. It is the centrepiece of Rosh Hashanah and Passover tables across American Jewish households, and its recipe is a matter of fierce family loyalty. The characteristic flavour is sweet-savoury: the tomato or tomato paste caramelises in the oven, the onions dissolve into the braise, and the resulting sauce is rich and glossy. Unlike Texas barbecue brisket (smoked, served whole) or Korean braised brisket, the Jewish-American version is explicitly a braise.

Served at Rosh Hashanah dinner with potato kugel and tzimmes (sweet carrot stew); at Passover seder with potato sides; the braising liquid served as a gravy; pairs with Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon; always preceded by matzo ball soup