This old-fashioned Brisket and Onions, cooked quietly in the slow cooker all day with just a handful of ingredients and a mess of caramelized onions, makes a rich broth and meat that melts in your mouth. Sunday dinner, weeknight supper — whenever you eat it, this is a classic dish both convenient and comforting.
Oven instructions: No slow cooker? Cook in the oven instead, in a baking dish covered tightly with aluminum foil or in a covered Dutch oven. Cook at 325°F until very tender, 3 to 4 hours. Can be done in one iron skillet: cook the onions, remove to plate; sear the brisket; put garlic on top of brisket, then onions and broth; cover with foil.
Serves 6
INGREDIENTS
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 pounds yellow or red onions (about 2 large), sliced into half moons
3 1/2 pounds beef brisket
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups low-sodium beef broth
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari
INSTRUCTIONS
Heat the oil in a large, deep sauté pan or cast iron skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onions and cook on medium-low to medium heat, stirring frequently, until the onions have caramelized lightly, about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, sear the brisket.
Pat the brisket dry with paper towels. Season generously all over with salt and pepper. Heat a large skillet or sauté pan over medium-high heat and turn on your vent or fan, if you have one. Add the brisket and sear, flipping once, until a golden-brown crust forms. Transfer to a 6-quart or larger slow cooker fat side up. Sprinkle the minced garlic over the brisket.
When the onions are ready, pile them on top and around the meat. Mix the broth, Worcestershire sauce, and soy sauce or tamari together and pour into the slow cooker.
Cover and cook until the brisket is very tender, 6 to 8 hours on the LOW setting. Switch to the WARM setting and let rest for at least 20 minutes. (If your slow cooker doesn’t have a WARM setting, transfer to a baking dish and cover tightly with aluminum foil while resting.)
The brisket can be sliced or shredded immediately and served with the onions and juices. Or, let the meat cool, then refrigerate overnight. Before reheating, scrape away and discard the layer of fat that has formed around the meat.
