Beef
Smoke-Braised Holiday Brisket with Sweet Wine and Dried Fruits
Smoked-Braised Holiday Brisket with Sweet Wine and Dried Fruits is a flavorful centerpiece perfect for festive gatherings. The tender brisket pairs beautifully with the sweetness of apricots, prunes, and golden raisins, all enhanced by a rich, savory broth and a hint of sweet wine. The result is a balanced, melt-in-your-mouth dish that brings warmth and comfort to any holiday table.
This recipe calls for a technique that may surprise all you barbecue buffs out there. You carve the brisket midway through the cooking process when it’s still firm enough to slice neatly. The slices finish cooking in the braising liquid.
Smoke-Braised Holiday Brisket
Smoke-Braised Holiday Brisket with Sweet Wine and Dried Fruits
Recipe Notes
- Active Prep: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 4 to 6 hours, or as needed
- Yield: Serves 6 to 8
- Method: Smoke-braising
- Equipment: A smoker, charcoal grill, or pellet grill
Ingredients
- 3 to 4-pound brisket flat
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 2 carrots, finely chopped
- 2 stalks celery, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
- 1-1/2 cups sweet Jewish wine (Concord grape wine, like Manischewitz) or port
- 2-1/2 cups beef or chicken broth (preferably homemade) or water, or as needed
- 2 dried bay leaves
- 1-1/2 cups dried apricots
- 1-1/2 cups pitted prunes
- 1 cup golden raisins
- 1 lemon, thinly sliced and seeded
You’ll also need:
- a dutch oven or roasting pan just large enough to hold the brisket; gravy boat with a fat separator
Recipe Steps
1: Set up your smoker following the manufacturer’s instructions and heat to 275 degrees F.
2: Trim any excess fat off the brisket, leaving a 1/4-inch layer intact. Generously season the brisket on all sides with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in the dutch oven medium-high heat. Brown the brisket on both sides, 5 minutes per side. Transfer the meat to a platter and pour out and discard all but 3 tablespoons of fat.
3: Add the onion, carrots, celery, garlic, and 3 tablespoons of parsley and cook over medium-high heat until browned, 5 minutes.
4: Return the brisket to the pan, spooning half the vegetables on top. Add the wine, broth, and bay leaves. Place the brisket in the smoker and cook, uncovered, for 2 hours. Add stock or water as necessary to keep the meat covered.
5: Transfer the brisket to a welled cutting board and thinly slice it across the grain. (An electric knife works great for slicing.) Stir half the apricots, prunes, and raisins into the roasting pan juices. Using a spatula, lay the sliced brisket on top. Pour in any cutting board juices and arrange the remaining dried fruits on top. Season with salt and pepper. Add stock as needed to cover the meat and fruit.
6: Continue smoke-braising the brisket until the meat is tender enough to cut with a fork, another 2 hours, or as needed. Add stock or water as needed to keep the meat and fruits moist.
7: Transfer the brisket to a platter. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the fruits and to the platter around the meat. Pour the pan juices into a gravy boat with a fat separator (the sort that allows you to pour the broth off from the bottom, leaving the fat on top). If you don’t have one of these, pour the gravy into a bowl or measuring cup and skim the fat off the top with a ladle. Spoon some of the gravy over the meat and fruit, serving the rest on the side. Sprinkle the remaining 1 tablespoon parsley over the meat and dig in.
