Photo by Olive & Mango
Classic beef brisket, while delicious, is a time commitment: It takes hours for it to turn fork-tender in the oven or slow cooker. Cook it in your electric pressure cooker like your Instant Pot, however, and you can serve the same sweet and sour brisket in a fraction of the time.
Classic Beef Brisket in the Instant Pot
Beef brisket is a staple on the holiday table, and for good reason: Its ample size feeds a crowd, and it’s relatively inexpensive. But what you save in dollars you make up for in hours — brisket is notoriously tough, and takes a long time to tenderize when slow cooked in the oven (or slow cooker). Brisket cooked under high pressure in the Instant Pot, however, is ready in about 1 1/2 hours. You’ll start by browning the beef right in the pot to build the base of flavor, then you’ll soften the onions and add the tangy liquid that will cook the brisket and form a delicious gravy.
What Is Classic Beef Brisket?
Brisket is a hearty cut of beef (requiring time and technique to tenderize) that comes from the rib area of the cow. While you’ll see beef brisket served as corned beef in the spring and smoked down in Texas, the classic holiday beef brisket is braised in a sweet and sour gravy.
You’ll need less liquid for an Instant Pot brisket than what’s required for a traditional braise. Here, we’re combining equal parts beef broth, red wine vinegar, and ketchup to give the brisket its notable sweet and tangy flavor. Don’t be tempted to substitute tomato paste for the ketchup — the classic condiment adds concentrated tomato flavor and sweetness.
Instant Pot Brisket
Yield: Serves 6 to 8
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 large yellow onion
- 1 (3-pound) beef brisket, preferably flat-cut
- 2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1/3 cup low-sodium beef broth
- 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
- 1/3 cup ketchup
- 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- Fresh parsley, for serving (optional)
Instructions
Thinly slice 1 large onion and place in a medium bowl. Trim off the surface fat from a (3-pound) beef brisket if the fat is more than 1/4-inch thick. Cut the brisket in half if needed to fit in an electric pressure cooker or Instant Pot. Season the brisket all over with 2 teaspoons of the kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper.
Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in the pressure cooker with the Sauté function until shimmering. Add the brisket (sear in 2 batches if needed) and sear undisturbed until browned on the bottom, 5 to 6 minutes. Flip the brisket and brown on the other side, 5 to 6 minutes more. Transfer to a large plate.
Add the onion and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt to the pressure cooker and sauté until onions are tender, scraping brown bits from the bottom of the pot, 4 to 6 minutes.
Stir in 1/3 cup low-sodium beef broth, 1/3 cup red wine vinegar, 1/3 cup ketchup, 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon paprika, and 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder. Return the brisket to the pot, overlapping the pieces if needed.
Lock the lid on and check that the valve is set to seal. Set to cook for 70 minutes under HIGH pressure. It will take 5 to 7 minutes to come up pressure.
When the cook time is up, let the pressure naturally release, which will take 20 to 25 minutes. Carefully open the pressure cooker and transfer the brisket to a cutting board.
Slice the brisket across the grain into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Serve the brisket with the onions and gravy. Garnish with fresh parsley, if desired.
Recipe Notes
Make ahead: The brisket can be cooked up to 3 days in advance. Store the brisket covered with the gravy. Reheat in a baking dish covered with aluminum foil in a low oven.
Storage: Leftovers keep well for up to 5 days. Store the beef covered in gravy to keep the meat moist.
Kosher: For kosher cooks, make sure the ketchup is corn-syrup free.
Sauce variation: For a smooth sauce, strain the gravy through a fine-mesh strainer into a large bowl. Return the onions and garlic to the Instant Pot. Pour gravy into a fat separator, then pour the gravy back into the Instant Pot. Use an immersion blender to blend the sauce until smooth.
Patty Catalano is a freelance recipe developer who worked as Alton Brown’s Research Coordinator & Podcast Producer and in the Oxmoor House test kitchen.