Barbecued Beef Brisket Dinner

Brisket the indoor way: low-and-slow oven braise in a tangy, horseradish-spiked tomato marinade. Three and a half pounds of beef brisket get an overnight soak in a punchy mix of ketchup, apple cider vinegar, prepared horseradish, and mustard, then bake covered with sliced onions for a couple of hours before carrots and potatoes go in for the final hour. Everything cooks together in one dish.

The overnight marinade does the heavy lifting on flavor. Brisket is a tough cut from the breast section that needs both time and acid to tenderize. The vinegar and tomato in the marinade slowly break down muscle fibers, while horseradish and mustard build sharp complexity that mellows during cooking.

Keep the brisket covered during the entire bake. The trapped steam keeps the meat tender; uncovered baking dries it out fast. Don’t be tempted to peek often.

Adding the vegetables for only the final hour is the right call. Long-cooked carrots turn to mush, and red potatoes lose their structure if simmered too long. One hour is enough for both to soften without falling apart.

Slice across the grain (you’ll see the muscle fibers running parallel) into thin slices. Slicing with the grain gives you stringy, chewy bites; against the grain gives you tender, sliceable beef.

Pro Tips

• Use the flat (or first cut) of brisket for cleaner slicing; the point cut is fattier but harder to slice neatly.
• Trim excess fat to about ¼ inch; some fat keeps the meat moist, too much makes greasy gravy.
• Reduce pan juices on the stovetop after slicing for a more concentrated sauce.
• Cooks better the next day; flavors deepen overnight in the fridge.
• Slice cold brisket more easily; reheat slices in the warmed sauce.

Variations

• Add Worcestershire sauce or liquid smoke to the marinade for smokier depth.
• Sub parsnips for carrots for sweeter root vegetable flavor.
• Use a chuck roast in place of brisket; reduce cook time slightly.