Sweet and Sour Brisket Recipe

This sweet and sour brisket is full of amazing flavor and so perfectly tender. The brisket is slow cooked a day ahead of time so it’s ideal as part of a larger meal. A great turkey alternative for the holidays and perfect for feeding a crowd. An easy recipe with minimal prep time needed.

When it comes to cooking a big family meal I like to prep as much as I can ahead of time to allow myself less time in the kitchen and more time with the ones I love. This sweet and sour brisket is a great recipe to take the stress out of entertaining!

How to Make This Sweet and Sour Brisket Recipe

Please read through all instructions and notes before starting – this dish is best made a day ahead of time.

• Allow brisket to rest at room temperature 30 minutes before cooking.

• Heat oven to 325°F and spray a very large baking pan with nonstick spray. The pan should be just large enough to hold the brisket.

• Place all ingredients EXCEPT the brisket, soda and olive oil into a food processor fitted with the steel blade; process until smooth. Pour the mixture into a large bowl and add the soda and oil. Whisk to fully incorporate.

• Place brisket, fat cap up, into the prepared baking pan and pour the sauce evenly over it.

• Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake 3 hours without peeking. Remove brisket from the oven, and very carefully, remove the foil. Turn the brisket over, tightly cover and bake an additional 3-4 hours or until completely tender. It should easily cut with the side of a fork.

• Transfer the brisket to a cooling rack, fold the foil back and let the brisket cool to touch. Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight in the cooking pan and juice.

• The next day, 45 minutes before serving, heat oven to 350°F.

• Transfer the brisket to a cutting board and remove any rendered, solidified fat from the sauce and cut off the fat from the brisket.

• Heat oven to 350°F

• Slice the brisket, against the grain, to desired thickness.

• Place the brisket back in the pan with the sauce, and drizzle the sauce over the brisket.

• Cover the pan loosely with foil, and heat the brisket in the oven 30-40 minutes or until warmed throughout.

• Serve the sweet and sour brisket warm with extra sauce. (If the sauce is a little thin, transfer it to a small saucepan, bring to a boil and simmer until desired thickness.)

What is brisket?

Brisket is one of the main (primal) cuts of beef, and comes from the lower chest of the cow. It comes in two cuts, flat and point, and flat cut is best used for this recipe as it slices better. Brisket is a tough cut of meat and requires long and low cooking to make it perfectly tender. 

The Most Amazing Brisket Recipe!

This sweet and sour brisket recipe really is to die for! The sauce is so perfectly tangy and the beef is wonderfully juicy, tender and succulent. On the day of serving the beef, you really don’t have to do too much as all of the hard work has already been done. Slow cooking brisket is a fool proof way of making your brisket perfect every single time.

This sweet and sour brisket recipe is perfect for entertaining

Brisket is such a great alternative to turkey for Thanksgiving and Christmas, a 6 or 7 pound piece of beef will easily feed about 10 people so it’s perfect if you are hosting a big dinner. I love that all of the work is done the ay before, leaving you free to prepare the rest of the meal on the day.

Top Tips to Make This Sweet and Sour Brisket Recipe

• Allow yourself enough time to make this recipe, for the best results the brisket should be cooked the day before and left in the fridge overnight.
• Use flat cut brisket for this recipe.
• Allow the brisket to come to room temperature before cooking it.
• Slice the cooked brisket against the grain.
• Serve it with all of your favorite sides.

For more beef recipes:

Sweet and Sour Brisket Recipe

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: brisket recipe, sweet and sour

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 3 hours

Reheat before serving: 45 minutes

Total Time: 4 hours 5 minutes

Servings: 10 people

Calories: 613.85kcal

Author: Becky Hardin – The Cookie Rookie

This sweet and sour brisket is full of amazing flavor and so perfectly tender. The brisket is slow cooked a day ahead of time so it’s ideal as part of a larger meal. A great turkey alternative for the holidays and perfect for feeding a crowd.

• 1 flat-cut aka: first-cut (6-7 pound) brisket
• 1 medium yellow onion peeled and quartered
• 2 tablespoons ginger paste
• 6 cloves garlic halved
• 1 cup ketchup
• ½ cup dry red wine
• ½ cup cider vinegar
• ¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce
• ¼ cup honey
• ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 2 teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
• ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1½ cups root beer cola or ginger ale
• ½ cup olive oil

• Please read through all instructions and notes before starting.

• Allow brisket to rest at room temperature 30 minutes before cooking.

• Heat oven to 325°F and spray a very large baking pan with nonstick spray. The pan should be just large enough to hold the brisket.

• Place all ingredients EXCEPT the brisket, soda and olive oil into a food processor fitted with the steel blade; process until smooth. Pour the mixture into a large bowl and add the soda and oil. Whisk to fully incorporate.

• Place brisket, fat cap up, into the prepared baking pan and pour the sauce evenly over it.

• Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake 3 hours without peeking. Remove brisket from the oven, and very carefully, remove the foil. Turn the brisket over, tightly cover and bake an additional 3-4 hours or until completely tender. It should easily cut with the side of a fork.

• Transfer the brisket to a cooling rack, fold the foil back and let the brisket cool to touch. Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight in the cooking pan and juice.

• The next day, 45 minutes before serving, heat oven to 350°F.

• Transfer the brisket to a cutting board and remove any rendered, solidified fat from the sauce and cut off the fat from the brisket.

• Heat oven to 350°F

• Slice the brisket, against the grain, to desired thickness.

• Place the brisket back in the pan with the sauce, and drizzle the sauce over the brisket.

• Cover the pan loosely with foil, and heat the brisket in the oven 30-40 minutes or until warmed throughout.

• Serve warm with extra sauce. (If the sauce is a little thin, transfer it to a small saucepan, bring to a boil and simmer until desired thickness.)

• Enjoy!

NOTE: This brisket is best made the day before, allowed to sit in juices in fridge overnight, and then warmed the next day.

Calories: 613.85kcal | Carbohydrates: 20.01g | Protein: 57.57g | Fat: 31.19g | Saturated Fat: 8.58g | Cholesterol: 168.74mg | Sodium: 724.28mg | Potassium: 1030.19mg | Fiber: 0.55g | Sugar: 16.62g | Vitamin A: 137.94IU | Vitamin C: 2.45mg | Calcium: 29.7mg | Iron: 5.72mg