serves 6-8 

3 hours, 45 minutes 

Ingredients 

• 2 tsp. kosher salt 
• 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper 
• 1 Tbsp. paprika 
• 1 tsp. cumin 
• 1 (1.5 KG.) beef brisket, trimmed of some of its fat 
• 3 Tbsp. olive oil 
• 3 1⁄2 cups stock or water 
• 1 (14 1/2-oz.) can chopped tomatoes 
• 2 bay leaves 
• 2 medium yellow onions, peeled and thinly sliced 
• 2 carrots sliced 
• 1 leek sliced 
• 2 stalks celery sliced 
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped 

Instructions 

• Preheat oven to 200C. 
• Combine salt, pepper, paprika, and cumin in a small bowl, then rub all over brisket. 
• Heat oil in an ovenproof enameled cast-iron pot or other heavy pot with a tight-fitting lid, just large enough to hold brisket snugly, over medium-high heat. 
• Add brisket to pot and brown on both sides, about 10 minutes per side. 
• Transfer brisket to a platter. 
• Add additional olive oil to the pot and sauté onions 
• Add stock, tomatoes, garlic and bay leaves to pot and scrape any browned bits stuck to bottom of pot with a wooden spoon. 
• Return brisket and any accumulated juices to pot Cover pot, transfer to oven, and braise brisket for 1 hour. Uncover pot and continue to braise brisket for 1 hour more. 
• Check meat for tenderness by piercing center with tip of a sharp knife; it should slide in easily when fully cooked. Cover pot, return to oven, and continue to braise brisket, checking on tenderness of meat occasionally, until very tender when pierced, up to 2 hours more. 
• Transfer brisket to a cutting board and loosely cover with foil.
• The onions and garlic in the pot should be very soft, and braising juices should be rich and saucy.
• Transfer pot to top of stove and simmer over medium heat until juices thicken, about 5 minutes.
• Slice brisket across the grain and transfer to a warm serving platter.
• Spoon gravy / juices on top. Discard bay leaves before serving 
• (Alternatively blend the juices and vegetables with a stick blender to produce a smooth silky sauce)