Beef Brisket with Merlot and Prunes

Hands down best brisket I've made. I used a different brisket recipe and my whole family asked I go back to this one. Its so good! Make it you won't regret it.

• babyleaf

• Boston, MA

• 3/28/2018

I’ve made this a number of times. It’s always delicious.

• Anonymous

• Colorado

• 12/27/2017

St. Patrick's Day March 17,2015 Holistic Exercise & Nutrition Coach, 3things I live by: Food, Fitness, and Design. I can't wait to get started, but as I am printing this I am reading some of these reviews...You def' can see who cooks and who doesn't or ??? so the review Tried this, this stood out: ***Stupidly, I thought, maybe it would taste like something different. No, it tasted like prune-flavored meat. It might as well have been marinated in Dr. Pepper. but it still tasted like prune flavored meat!" LOL,ROTF! Really? maybe they thought it would taste like chicken...Anyway off I go!

• sfserano

• San Francisco

• 3/17/2015

I made this for the holidays - recommend making it the day before, let it cool and then have your butcher slice it the next day and put it back in all the juices and reheat for dinner. Two family members that refuse to eat brisket loved this. It's sweet, so if you don't like sweet meat your out of luck, but it's juicy and amazing.

• lyses

• Long Island, NY

• 9/14/2012

This brisket tasted like it had been cooked in prunes. It sounded pretty bad but I trusted the other reviewers. Stupidly, I thought, maybe it would taste like something different. No, it tasted like prune-flavored meat. It might as well have been marinated in Dr. Pepper.

• orinator

• 9/11/2012

Yummy! I used black cherry juice in place of wine since I don't drink.

• natashanese

• 4/8/2012

This was very good and frankly, the first success I've had with a brisket. Found I didn't have a lot of liquid left for sauce which ended up being rather thick, though tasty. More like a compote. Would thin it out in the future.

• tochefs

• Toronto

• 9/24/2011

Aaaah-mazing。我做了这个犹太新年最后year, and it was extraordinary AND easy. When my mother-in-law came into the kitchen before dinner, she told me that my father-in-law doesn't eat brisket. He had seconds.

• jenkasper

• short hills NJ

• 7/29/2011

oh I forgot to mention... if you are reheating your brisket after refrigerating it (sliced and draped with sauce), just reheat it for 10 minutes or until warm, at 350. The recipe says 30 minutes at 350, and that is just a recipe for drying out you meat.

• gr8cheff

• 4/26/2011

I wasn't crazy about this recipe. I'm a chef, and made this for a catered passover dinner. It was good but not excellent. Though it was tender, it wasn't juicy and flavorful. First if i made it again, I would cook it at a lower temp for a longer period, like how they cook brisket low and slow in texas. 250 degrees for 4+ hours or until fork tender. Next, I would NOT increase the liquid as many reviewers seemed to suggest. You don't want to poach the meat, braising liquids should just go 1/4 to 1/2 way up the meat. Lastly, I would not remove all the fat from the top of the meat, leave about 1/4-1/8 inch on there because the fat imparts flavor. Once the meat is done and has been cooled, you can cut that top fat layer off if you like. The sauce was jut ok, not excellent, but i have a pretty hight standard since I'm being paid to prepare this for my clients.

• Anonymous

• los angeles

• 4/26/2011

Most delicious beef brisket, I've ever made or tasted.Use recipe with no changes. Only regret is disgarding cooked prunes.

• catbirdfoodie

• 4/9/2011

I made this two years ago and it was a HUGE it. There were no left overs and the kids talked about it for a year. I made it again last year and doubled the recipe. Still no left overs. Going for triple this year. Look no further. This recipe is outstanding.

• Anonymous

• California

• 4/9/2011

Amazing dinner. As reviewers before my said it was a bit dry, i too modified the recipe, doubling the canned whole tomatoes and tripling or quadrupling the wine. The wine and tomatoe added so much flavor in the finished product. I made the day before and then heated on Christmas day. Everyone loved it.

• yum00yum

• 12/27/2010

I made this about a year ago for 70 people at a sadder dinner my church was having. It was interesting for me to come up with a traditional menu but I didn't have to be kosher. This recipe was the biggest hit ( no left overs) and I loved it because I made it ahead and then just had to reheat. Not only was it easy but it freed me up at the last minute for other things. Don't be put off by the time it takes to make. You can spread some of the chores out ( chop your veggies ahead) and then just pop everything into a pot and do something else. I don't really think that you have to puree the sauce. By the time you've cooked it is pretty much mush. I think doing it ahead is actually best. This is the sort of dish that gets better if allowed to sit and your meat cuts better if its cool. I came back to this recipe for another large group I will be serving soon. I may go with a different cut of meat to keep costs down but anything that needs braising will work. I remember when brisket was a cheap cut.

• Katmandu

• Shenandoah Valley

• 9/20/2010

This is the best brisket recipe ever! I pureed the veggies and some prunes right in the pan! A bit more thyme and a touch more balsamic at the end was need but otherwise perfect! I agree with other reviewers tht this should be made a few days early, and sliced with sauce around it to really get the flavor. Delicious!!

• lorianneg

• Woodbury, NY Lori

• 9/13/2010