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meat shabbat yom-tov instant-pot

Instant Pot Brisket with Onions and Red Wine

A rich, tender brisket made faster in the Instant Pot, with deeply flavored onions and red wine sauce.

Prep
20 min
Total
2 hr 30 min
Servings
6
Jump to ingredients
sliced beef brisket in rich onion and red wine sauce

Ingredients

For 6 servings

  • 3–4 lb beef brisket (first cut), cut into 2–3 large pieces to fit
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 3 large onions, thinly sliced
  • 4 garlic cloves, smashed
  • 1 cup dry red wine
  • 1 cup beef or chicken broth
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • Salt and black pepper
  • Fresh thyme sprigs (optional)

Instructions

  1. Pat the brisket dry and season generously with salt and pepper.
  2. Set Instant Pot to Sauté (High). Add oil and sear the brisket pieces for about 3–4 minutes per side until well browned. Work in batches if needed. Remove and set aside.
  3. Add the onions to the pot. Cook on sauté for 10–15 minutes, stirring often, until softened and starting to brown. (You won’t get full caramelization like the oven version, but this is enough for depth.)
  4. Stir in garlic, tomato paste, and paprika. Cook for 1 minute.
  5. Pour in the wine and broth. Scrape the bottom well to deglaze (very important to avoid burn warning).
  6. Return brisket to the pot, fat side up. Liquid should come about halfway up the meat. Add thyme if using.
  7. Seal lid. Cook on High Pressure for 75 minutes.
  8. Let pressure naturally release for at least 20–30 minutes, then release remaining pressure.
  9. Remove brisket and rest 10–15 minutes. Slice against the grain.
  10. Optional but recommended: set pot to sauté and reduce the sauce for 5–10 minutes until slightly thickened.
  11. Return sliced brisket to sauce and serve.

Notes

Allow about 2 hours 30 minutes total with one searing batch and the shorter stage times, including 20 minutes of prep, about 100 minutes for searing, cooking the onions, coming to pressure, and pressure cooking, a 20-minute natural release, and a 10-minute rest. Reduce the sauce while the brisket rests if desired. If the pieces need separate searing batches, the cooker pressurizes slowly, or you use a longer release, allow more time. For best results, make a day ahead. Chill, slice cold, then reheat in the sauce. Instant Pot brisket is good same day, but still improves overnight.

Variations

  • Add 2 medium carrots and 2 celery stalks with the onions.
  • Use sweet red wine for a more traditional flavor.
  • Add a can of diced tomatoes for a richer, tomato-forward sauce.