Mom's Brisket

This brisket recipe is built on a marinade that does almost all the work while you sleep. Soy sauce, white vinegar, ketchup, paprika, and crushed garlic get whisked together and poured over a pepper-crusted brisket in an oven cooking bag. Overnight in the fridge, then 3-4 hours in the oven. That’s the whole plan.

A full half cup of coarsely ground black pepper coating the meat sounds aggressive, but it mellows significantly during the long braise. What you end up with is a peppery bark on the outside that gives way to tender, deeply seasoned beef underneath. The soy sauce provides the salt, the vinegar tenderizes, and the ketchup adds a touch of sweetness that helps the surface caramelize.

The oven cooking bag is the secret to hands-off brisket. It traps all the steam and braising liquid around the meat, essentially pressure-cooking it in its own juices. No basting, no checking, no dried-out edges.

Chef Tips

• Marinate the full overnight; the vinegar and soy need time to penetrate a cut this thick
• The bag puffs up during baking; make sure there’s room above the brisket in your oven
• Let the brisket rest 20 minutes before slicing; slice against the grain for tender pieces
• Save the bag juices; they reduce into an incredible gravy on the stovetop

Variations

• Smoky version: Add 1 tablespoon of liquid smoke to the marinade
• Sweet heat: Replace the ketchup with 2 tablespoons of brown sugar and add a teaspoon of cayenne
• Beer brisket: Add a bottle of dark beer to the bag along with the marinade