Black Pepper Brisket
Sometimes simple is truly best
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Hello The Jewish Table readers,
In my ongoing quest to introduce my wonderful (but also rather picky) children to the delights of Jewish cuisine, I think I found a winner in this week’s recipe: Black Pepper Brisket.
When you have children (or anyone in your household) who eats selectively, every meal is a challenge. But Passover is by far the most challenging. No bread, no noodles (Passover pasta is irredeemably gross), no cereal (Passover cereal is perhaps even worse than the noodles)—the holiday’s restrictions knock out virtually all of their regular standbys.
It’s honestly quite stressful feeding my kids during the week of Passover, but it also inspires me to get creative. Over the years I have developed Passover-friendly, kid-approved recipes for banana bread and chocolate zucchini muffins that mimic the tender crumb and taste of the real thing while also packing in some actual nutrients. This week’s brisket recipe accomplishes a similar feat.
Now personally, I love a zhuzhed up brisket with all the bells and whistles, and slumpy, slow-braised vegetables, and tomato paste depth, and woodsy herbs, and contrastingly sweet-tangy flavors. My kids do not. Bea won’t come near any brisket regardless of what else is in the pot. (I guess it’s fruit, matzo, and cheese for her!) But Max is theoretically open to brisket as long as it is free from extraneous, overly spicy, or otherwise offensive-to-him ingredients. I can work with that. This recipe keeps the flavor profile simple and streamlined so the brisket itself shines through, adding just enough savory boosters, plus a generous amount of black pepper to add compelling, but not overpowering, bite.
And you know what? I might just like it even better than the fanicer, fussier briskets I’ve made over the years. The Passover seder meal, followed closely by Rosh Hashanah dinner, is arguably the most Thanksgiving-adjacent Jewish meal. It is a meal that matters. The one you pull out all the stops for. And this brisket, which at least one of my kids will willingly (even happily) eat, is also unimpeachably great on its own merits. That feels like a triumph.
Many older recipes for Jewish-style, pot-roasted brisket call for adding no water (or broth, wine, tomato sauce, or other liquid) at all. Instead, the meat slowly braises in the savory juices released by the heap of sliced onions braising along side it. You can theoretically go this route. But I prefer to add some beef broth to the mix in order to ensure there’s an ample amount of umami-rich soup in the pot to spoon over the meat at the table.
No Kings Rally - March 28
Did you sign up for a march yet? If not, consider this your gentle reminder: On March 28, let’s show up together again. Let’s continue to stand strong, though our knees may feel weak from exhaustion or fear. Let’s walk, in strength and solidarity with our neighbors and our fellow Americans. Let’s continue to beat the drum—despite the daily terror and unbelievable corruption coming from the Trump administration—for justice, safety, and freedom for all Americans. Let’s enter our Passover celebrations by standing up to a tyrant. Find the No Kings event near you.
Black Pepper Brisket
Three quick notes before you starting cooking:
Coconut aminos are a gluten-free soy sauce substitute that taste remarkably similar to their soy counterpart, but with less sodium. They are available in most supermarkets and online. Heaven & Earth brand is Passover-certified. If you don’t keep Passover or are making this at another time of year, you can use soy sauce for this recipe instead. But I like keeping a bottle of coconut aminos in the fridge all year round (it keeps for months) to make things like stir-fry and fried rice.
If brisket is too expensive (grocery prices continue to be insane!), a chuck roast braises beautifully at a slightly more modest price point. Chuck roasts tend to weigh less than a side of brisket, so buy two if you need to—they will still be comparatively cheaper by weight.
Brisket is easiest to slice when cold, and tastes even better the second or third day after it is cooked. I recommend making this recipe a day or two before your seder and chilling it in the fridge. When you’re ready to serve, slice it cold, against the grain, then reheat it in the braising liquid with the onions and celery.
Serves 6 to 8
