Beef brisket is cooked low and slow in the oven with dark beer, beef broth, leeks, and carrots until fork tender. This Beer Braised Brisket is incredibly rich, savory, and hearty yet so EASY to make!
After browning the brisket, the braising liquid is poured into the pot and the whole thing goes into the oven. That’s it! Serve the brisket with mascarpone mashed potatoes for a show-stopping meal that’s equally perfect for weeknight dinners and special occasions.
“Made this for my family last evening! Was beautiful! Look forward to trying some of your other recipes in the future!” – Tanya, So Much Food reader
Table of contents
Braising Tenderizes Even the Toughest Cuts of Meat!
Braising might just be my all-time favorite cooking technique, as the slew of braising recipes on my website can attest (not to mention the 60 recipes I also developed for my cookbook, Braised).
And while I love braising chicken thighs in apple cider and lamb shanks in white wine, brisket remains one of my top meats for braising because it’s nice and fatty, fairly affordable, and has a rich, beefy flavor that just can’t be beat. Instead of braising brisket in red wine (a traditional choice for beef), I like using a dark beer to tenderize and flavor the meat.
If you’re new to the world of braising, rest assured that it sounds fancier than it actually is! At its core, it’s simply a combination cooking technique that uses wet and dry heat to break down the brisket’s tough muscle fibers until it’s fall-apart tender. The brisket is first seared for flavor and color, then submerged in an aromatic blend of dark beer and beef broth before being cooked at a low temperature.
This beer braised brisket recipe might have a lengthy cook time, but it’s mindlessly easy since your oven does all of the hard work for you. Near the end of the cook time, you can toss together a simple side salad and mash some potatoes, and dinner is served!
Jenny’s Tips for Braising Brisket with Beer
Always sear brisket in batches. If you crowd the pan, the beef will steam in the pan rather than sear. You want the brisket to develop a gorgeous golden crust, so be patient and brown it in two or three batches.
Use a darker beer that doesn’t have much bitterness to it. I went with Sam Smith’s oatmeal stout for mine, but realistically most brown ales, porters, and stouts can work. If you’re using a stout, try to stay away from ones higher in alcohol percentage as those will likely be sweeter and have more residual sugar. Aim for beers around 6% alcohol with a low hop profile and you should be good to go!
Yes, it’s possible to overcook the brisket. While the brisket braises, a thick layer of melted gelatin forms around the meat and that’s what locks in all the moisture. If you cook the beef for too long, that layer melts away and allows the juices to escape. It’s like a water balloon versus a sponge! When a water balloon pops, all the moisture disappears, but if you press on a sponge, a little liquid dribbles out but the sponge itself still retains moisture.
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Ingredient Notes
You can find the full list of ingredients, quantities, and method in the recipe card at the end of the page.
- Brisket. Look for a brisket that’s well marbled (because fat = flavor!).
- Beer. Choose a dark beer with an alcohol percentage around 6%. Open the beer about 30 minutes before starting this recipe to give it time to go flat.
- Flour. Tossing the brisket with a little flour helps it develop a thicker crust when seared and it also thicken the braising liquid as it cooks.
- Aromatics. I used a blend of garlic, onion, carrots, and leeks to flavor the braising liquid. You can swap the leeks for celery, if you have it on hand.
- Beef broth. Choose a high-quality beef broth for best results. Lower quality broths can taste overly salty, which would ruin the brisket.
Jenny’s Tip: If brisket isn’t your thing, another tougher cut of beef with a decent amount of fat in it may be substituted. Think: short ribs, beef chuck roast, chuck flap meat, etc.
How to Braise Brisket in Beer
- Sear the brisket. You’ll want to season and flour the cubed brisket before browning over medium-high heat. I prefer using my favorite cast iron braiser for this, which distributes heat evenly and can go straight from the stove to the oven. Transfer the brisket to a plate after it’s browned on all sides.
- Sauté the aromatics. Don’t clean out the braiser before adding the garlic, leeks, carrots, and onion! All of the golden bits on the bottom of the pot are flavor gold, and we want to keep all of that in the dish.
- Add the brisket and braising liquid. I like to let the beer simmer for about 5 minutes to cook off some of the alcohol before popping the lid on and transferring the braiser to the oven.
- Braise for 2 1/2 hours. Then, remove the lid and cook the brisket for another 45 minutes or so. You want the beef to be super tender and for the braising liquid to have reduced.
Jenny’s Tip: If your brisket isn’t as tender as you’d like it after 3 1/2 hours, continue cooking it in 30-minute increments until it is.
- Let it rest in its juices before serving. Just 20 minutes or so gives the brisket time to reabsorb some of its moisture and for the muscle fibers to relax. You can finish assembling the side dishes while the brisket rests!
What to Serve with Oven Beer Braised Brisket
For the ultimate comfort food dinner, I love spooning the beer braised brisket over a bed of mashed potatoes or creamy polenta and pairing it with a fresh side salad or roasted veggies to complete the meal.
- Mashed potatoes. Caramelized Onion and Bacon Mashed Potatoes, Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Sour Cream and Onion Mashed Potatoes, or Herby Mascarpone Mashed Potatoes
- Salads. Kale Caesar Salad, Loaded Wedge Salad, or Roasted Delicata Squash Salad
- Veggies. Grilled Lemon Parmesan Asparagus, Roasted Carrots with Whipped Feta, or Loaded Twice Baked Potatoes
If you do give this recipe a try, be sure to let me know! Leave a comment with a star rating below. Be sure to subscribe to my weekly newsletter and never miss a new recipe! You can also snap a photo & tag @JENNYGOYCOCHEA on Instagram. I LOVE hearing about & seeing your SMF creations!
More Braised Beef Recipes You’ll Love
- Coconut Braised Beef
- Red Wine Braised Short Ribs
- Braised Beef Ragu
- Red Wine Braised Beef Shanks
- French Onion Braised Beef
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Beer Braised Brisket Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 lbs well-marbled beef brisket, cut into large chunks
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 1 yellow onion, diced large
- 2 leeks, sliced and rinsed (white and light green parts only)
- 2 large carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
- 8 cloves garlic
- 3 cups dark beer (let it go flat)
- 2 cups beef broth
- salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
- chopped chives, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat an oven to 350ºF.
- Sear the brisket. In a heavy bottomed dutch oven or braiser, heat oil over medium-high heat. Toss cubes of brisket with salt, pepper and paprika, and then the flour. Mix until evenly coated. Working in batches, sear the pieces of brisket until deep brown on all sides. Transfer to a plate.
- Sauté the aromatics. Add the onions and leeks to the pot, adding a little more oil if necessary. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are soft and have picked up some of the brown bits on the bottom of the pot (from searing the beef).
- Braise. Add beef back to the pot and nestle into the onions. Arrange cloves of garlic around the meat and evenly disperse carrots. Add beer and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 5- 10 minutes to temper some of the alchohol. Add the beef broth to the pot, cover with a lid and place in the oven for 2 1/2 hours.
- Uncover. Uncover the pot and cook for another 45 min to 1 hour, until beef is tender and browned. If beef still isn't tender, cook for another 30 minutes. Remove from the oven, cover, and let the beef rest in the juices for 20 minutes.
- Season before serving. Season the braising liquid with salt and pepper as needed before serving. Top with the minced chives. This brisket is great over creme fraiche mashed potatoes!
Nutrition
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Rate & Review This Recipe
[…] beer braised brisket beer braised carnitas tacos no knead focaccia bread […]
[…] the chicken is already tender. Some of my other favorite braising recipes are chicken adobo, beer-braised brisket, and instant pot carnitas […]
Made this for my family last evening! Was beautiful! Look forward to trying some of your other recipes in the future! Cheers!
So happy you enjoyed it!