Tangy Brisket With Ginger

Name: Tangy Brisket With Ginger
Total time: 6 h 30 min
Yield: 12 servings
Cuisine: jewish
Ingredients: 1 first-cut brisket, 6 to 7 pounds, rinsed and patted thoroughly dry; 1 medium onion, peeled and quartered; 1 2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled, cut into chunks; 6 large cloves garlic; 1 cup ketchup; 1/2 cup dry red wine; 1/4 cup cider vinegar; 1/4 cup soy sauce; 1/4 cup honey; 1/4 cup Dijon mustard; 1 tablespoon coarsely ground pepper, or to taste; 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves; 1 1/2 cups Coca-Cola or ginger ale; 1/2 cup olive oil

By Joan Nathan

Updated April 5, 2024

Tangy Brisket With Ginger — Bobbi Lin for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Maggie Ruggiero.

Total Time: About 6½ hours, plus overnight chilling
Rating: 4(3,796)
Comments: Read comments

Brisket in sweet-and-sour sauce is the Zelig of the kitchen. It takes on the character of whoever cooks it. In the early part of the 20th century, when ''The Settlement Cook Book'' reigned supreme in American Jewish households, recipes for savory briskets of beef with sauerkraut, cabbage or lima beans were the norm. As tastes became more exotic, cranberry or barbecue sauce, root beer, lemonade and even sake worked their way into recipes. Here, Coca-Cola is the secret ingredient, along with ginger.

The result is sublime and the dish only improves if it's cooked a day in advance of serving it. However, you can prepare and serve it the same day, if you'd like, though you may want to use a fat separator to strain the fat from the finished sauce. Several readers commented that the original cooking time and temperature on the recipe (3 hours, including 1 hour uncovered, at 350 degrees) was inaccurate. We've retested and adjusted the recipe, so the brisket now cooks for 5 to 6 hours, covered, at 325 degrees. Please also note that this recipe is not kosher for Passover.

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Ingredients

Yield:12 servings

1first-cut brisket, 6 to 7 pounds, rinsed and patted thoroughly dry
1medium onion, peeled and quartered
12-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled, cut into chunks
6large cloves garlic
1cup ketchup
½cup dry red wine
¼cup cider vinegar
¼cup soy sauce
¼cup honey
¼cup Dijon mustard
1tablespoon coarsely ground pepper, or to taste
¼teaspoon ground cloves
1½cups Coca-Cola or ginger ale
½cup olive oil

Ingredient Substitution Guide

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Preparation

Step 1
Let meat stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before cooking. Heat oven to 325 degrees.
Step 2
Place everything but the soda, olive oil and brisket into a food processor, and process with steel blade until smooth. Pour the mixture into a large bowl and whisk in soda and olive oil.
Step 3
Place brisket, fat side up, into a heavy baking pan just large enough to hold it, and pour sauce over it. Cover tightly and bake for 3 hours. Turn brisket over, cover pan, and bake 2 to 3 hours more or until fork-tender. Cool, cover brisket and refrigerate overnight in cooking pan.
Step 4
The next day, transfer brisket to a cutting board, cut off fat and slice with a sharp knife against grain, to desired thickness. Set meat aside. Remove any congealed fat from sauce and bring to a boil on top of stove.
Step 5
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Taste sauce to see if it needs reducing. If so, boil it down for a few minutes or as needed. Return meat to sauce and warm in oven for 20 minutes. Serve warm.

Ratings

4 out of 5

3,796 user ratings

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Comments

Emily Weinstein, Deputy Food Editor7 years ago

Hello, all — we noticed that several of you mentioned that the cooking time and temperature were inaccurate on this recipe. (The original version called for 3 hours, including 1 hour uncovered, at 350 degrees.) We've retested the recipe and have edited it accordingly. You'll see that the brisket now cooks for 5 to 6 hours, covered, at 325 degrees. We also adjusted the recipe so the soda and oil are whisked into the sauce mixture separately, to avoid a leaking food processor.

Trixie7 years ago

This is amazing. I've made it several times with one caveat-- the ingredients started to seep out of my cuisinart so now I blend the cloves, onion, ginger, garlic, wine, ketchup, honey and cider vinegar in there, then transfer it to a large bowl and whisk in the Coke and the olive oil. I also trim the fat off while it's warm, slice it and then return it to the sauce and let it refrigerate overnight (or longer) before serving.

Ivanna7 years ago

Does anyone know how to convert this recipe (reflecting the adjusted cooking instructions) for either a slow cooker or pressure cooker?

Marilyn2 months ago

Couldn't find brisket so bought tri tip roast will this work with this recipe?

Rachel2 months ago

I have made this twice, everyone LOVES it. Agree it is better to cook in a dutch oven with lid, that is important that the pan is "just large enough" as the recipe instructs. My husband couldn't believe that something that tastes that good was so easy to make!

Babs2 months ago

This is the only brisket I want to make, the taste and texture is fantastic. Also very easy to make. I use to struggle with tough meat (like others here have said) when making this with smaller cuts - 3 lbs came out like a hockey puck. Since switching to 6 lbs I find the amount of sauce is perfect. I don’t know why that would make a difference, but am mentioning it in case it helped anyone else. I doubled the sauce this time and just cooked it down to perfection. Not sure it was needed at all, but may try 150% next time.

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