• Make-Ahead

Ingredients

1. One 4-pound beef brisket with a 1/3-inch layer of fat
2. Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3. 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
4. 5 garlic cloves, smashed
5. 2 medium onions, coarsely chopped
6. 2 medium carrots, coarsely chopped
7. 1 celery rib, coarsely chopped
8. 3 bay leaves
9. 2 rosemary sprigs
10. 2 small dried red chiles
11. 2 cups dry red wine
12. One 14-ounce can whole plum tomatoes, drained
13. 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 325°. Season the brisket with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, heat the oil. Add the brisket, fat side down, and cook over moderately high heat until richly browned, about 5 minutes. Turn and brown on the other side, about 5 minutes longer. Transfer the brisket, fat side up, to a roasting pan.
2. Add the garlic, onions, carrots and celery to the skillet and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 10 minutes. Add the bay leaves, rosemary and chiles and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the wine and boil over high heat until reduced by half, about 6 minutes. Add the tomatoes and simmer over low heat for 15 minutes. Pour the mixture over and around the brisket.
3. Add the broth to the skillet and bring to a simmer over high heat. Pour the broth around the brisket. Cover the roasting pan with foil, transfer to the oven and braise until the brisket is very tender, about 3 hours. Transfer the brisket to a platter and cover with foil.
4. Strain the contents of the roasting pan through a coarse strainer set over a large saucepan, pushing the vegetables through as much as possible. Boil the sauce over high heat until reduced to 3 1/4 cups, about 20 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Carve the brisket into 1/3-inch slices. Pour some of the sauce over the brisket to keep it moist and serve, passing the rest of the sauce at the table.

Make Ahead

The sliced and sauced brisket can be refrigerated for up to 2 days. Cover with foil and bake in a 350° oven until heated through, about 30 minutes.

Serve With

Buttered egg noodles.