This asian braised beef brisket is a well-loved, elegant, yet affordable dish I love to serve to a crowd – it’s incredibly tender, flavorful, and a perfect main dish to serve during the holiday season.
If you’re looking for a killer protein option this holiday season, I can’t recommend this asian inspired braised beef brisket. I first marinate the brisket in a flavorful spice mixture of brown sugar, fish sauce, paprika, garlic powder, and chinese five spice. The marinated brisket is then browned, then slowly cooked with stock, lemongrass, garlic, ginger, star anise, and cinnamon.
The beef braise has a combination of flavors inspired from vietnamese and chinese chinese cooking, and the final product is just *chefs kiss*.
I’ve found that the trick to getting a super tender, flavorful braise is to cook the beef low and slow (at 300F for 4.5-5 hours). Also cooking the beef the day before and allowing it to come to room temperature for another 4-5 hours really helps lock in the flavors.
One of the best sides to make with this asian beef brisket are my garlic noodles. The braising liquid sauce, brisket, plus the noodles are truly a match made in heaven.
Private Chef Tips:
- Keep the fat on the brisket. Even if you’re not a big fan of eating the fat, the fat helps keep the beef juicy. You can cut off the fat after braising and before plating.
- If there is silver skin on the brisket, you can either remove this, or score it in both directions. Thick pieces of silver skin can be tough to chew on, but thinner skin will break down during the braising process.
- Brown the brisket for extra flavor, fat side down – this creates a crust that locks in the flavor of the marinade and creates a nice brown edge while the brisket braises.
- Leave the brisket in the oven and let this come to room temperature overnight, or for at least 4-5 hours. This allows the meat to continue to absorb the flavor of the braise and maintain a juicy interior.
Ingredients:
Beef Brisket – a fatty, flat cut of beef that requires a long time to cook. Sometimes, brisket can be distinguished between a flat cut vs point cut. This braise would be best with a flat cut, but what’s most important is that there is a layer of fat (at least ¼” thick) above the lean layer of beef.
Brown sugar – a component of the marinade that helps balance out the savory, fatty, and acidic components of the dish, adding a caramel like sweetness.
Fish sauce – a savory component that contributes to the asian flavor.
Neutral oil – used in the marinade and also to brown the brisket and saute the onions.
Spices – Paprika, Garlic powder, Chinese five spice powder are used in the marinade and give it flavor and its asian flavor profile.
Ginger – used in both the marinade (grated) + in the braise itself, this aromatic is a key component in this dish.
Other Aromatics – garlic cloves, ginger, onion (diced and softened), lemongrass are all used to create deep umami and fragrant flavors.
Ketchup – Sweet, tangy, tomato-y, and the secret ingredient to this dish.
Braising Spices – star anise, cinnamon stick
Chicken broth – the base of the braise and another umami component.
Root vegetables – roll cut carrots and daikon are cooked in the braising liquid after the brisket is finished and removed from the pan.
Herbs for Garnish – thinly sliced scallions and cilantro leaves brighten the dish with a pop of green and fresh flavor.
FAQ – Asian Braised Beef Brisket
Q: How long do you need to braise brisket?
A: Brisket needs at least 3-4 hours in the oven to become tender. I have found that when I cook brisket, it needs at least 4.5-5 hours. The beef should be pull apart tender and soft when it’s done, but will still maintain its shape.
Q: What temperature do you cook braised brisket?
A: I cook the braised brisket at 300F for 4.5-5 hours.
Q: How should I store leftovers and how long will they last?
A: If there are leftovers, store the leftover brisket and sauce together. The beef will maintain more flavor while sitting in the sauce. This will last 4 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Q: What to serve with brisket?
Step by Step Instructions:
1. Preheat the oven to 300F.
2. Make the brisket marinade. Combine all the marinade ingredients together.
3. Season the brisket with kosher salt – make sure to get all the sides and edges.
4. Add the seasoned brisket to the marinade and let sit while you work on the next step.
5. Prep the onion. You can also chop the carrots and daikon, or wait until the next day to do so.
6. Heat a heavy bottomed pan on high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of neutral oil and brown the fat side of the brisket, about 3-4 minutes. Remove the brisket from the pan, or move it vertically on one side of the pan.
7. Add the diced onion to the pan along with a pinch of salt. Let this cook for 5-6 minutes on medium high heat, then add the smashed garlic and let this cook for another minute. Add the brisket back into the pot, fat side up. Also add in the ketchup, sugar, and broth. Cover with aluminum foil or a lid and transfer into the oven. Cook for 4.5-5 hours. I recommend doing this the night before the dinner party because after the 5 hours, flip the brisket and turn off the oven. Let it cool and rest in the oven overnight, or for at least 4 hours.
8. When you’re ready to finish the dish, remove the brisket from the pan. Slice into 1” thick slices against the grain and lay onto an oven proof serving plate. Wrap and set aside until ready to reheat for serving.
9. Bring the braising liquid back to a boil and add in the daikon and carrots. Simmer the carrots and daikon until tender, about 20-25 minutes. Reserve about 2 cups of the liquid for the beef, and plate the remaining vegetables in a bowl.
10. Reheat in the oven at 350F for 15 minutes, or until hot. Pour the reserved braising liquid over the brisket. Top with sliced scallions and cilantro, and serve.
VIDEO TUTORIAL: Will Post HERe when it’s Live
PrintAsian Braised Beef Brisket
- Total Time: 6.5 hours
- Yield: 8–10 servings 1x
Description
This asian braised beef brisket is a well-loved, elegant, yet affordable dish I love to serve to a crowd – it’s incredibly tender, flavorful, and a perfect main dish to serve during the holiday season.
Ingredients
For the Brisket:
For the Brisket Marinade
- 6–7 lbs Beef Flap Brisket
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1/4 cup fish sauce
- 2 tbsp neutral oil
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon chinese five spice powder
- 1 teaspoon minced ginger
For the Braise
- 8 garlic cloves, smashed
- 2” knob of ginger, sliced
- 1 onion, diced
- Neutral oil
- 6 tbsp ketchup (+ more to taste)
- 2 star anise
- 2” long cinnamon stick
- 1 stalk Lemongrass
- 4 cups of chicken broth or water
For the Braised carrots and daikon
- 2 large carrots, chopped into 1–1.5in chunks
- 1 daikon, chopped into 1-1.5in chunks (optional)
For Garnish:
- 1 bunch of scallions
- 1/2 cup of picked cilantro leaves
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300F.
- Make the brisket marinade. Combine all the marinade ingredients together.
- Season the brisket with kosher salt – make sure to get all the sides and edges.
- Add the seasoned brisket to the marinade and let sit while you work on the next step.
- Prep the onion. You can also chop the carrots and daikon, or wait until the next day to do so.
- Heat a heavy bottomed pan on high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of neutral oil and brown the fat side of the brisket, about 3-4 minutes. Remove the brisket from the pan, or move it vertically on one side of the pan.
- Add the diced onion to the pan along with a pinch of salt. Let this cook for 5-6 minutes on medium high heat, then add the smashed garlic and let this cook for another minute. Add the brisket back into the pot, fat side up. Also add in the ketchup, sugar, and broth. Cover with aluminum foil or a lid and transfer into the oven. Cook for 4.5-5 hours. I recommend doing this the night before the dinner party because after the 5 hours, flip the brisket and turn off the oven. Let it cool and rest in the oven overnight, or for at least 4 hours.
- When you’re ready to finish the dish, remove the brisket from the pan. Slice into 1” thick slices against the grain and lay onto an oven proof serving plate. Wrap and set aside until ready to reheat for serving.
- Bring the braising liquid back to a boil and add in the daikon and carrots. Simmer the carrots and daikon until tender, about 20-25 minutes. Reserve about 2 cups of the liquid for the beef, and plate the remaining vegetables in a bowl.
- Reheat in the oven at 350F for 15 minutes, or until hot. Pour the reserved braising liquid over the brisket. Top with sliced scallions and cilantro, and serve.
Equipment
Notes
- Make sure to cook the brisket in the braising liquid with the fat side up.
- I like to start the brisket in the late afternoon, then let it sit in the oven overnight to come to room temp and soak in the braising liquid.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 6 hours
- Category: Easy gourmet
- Method: Oven, stove-top
- Cuisine: Asian
Susanna says
This is another one of my favorites from Jackie! So incredibly fall-apart tender, packed with savory flavor, and the best part is the liquid it braises in. It’s so tasty over noodles or rice! A crowdpleaser dish for sure.