The Brisket Wars

                                                      

   That time if year again...Passover!  And every year the battle over the best brisket recipe is waged.  It begins in the meat department as shoppers vie for the perfect piece of meat.  There can be 50 packages of brisket in various sizes, shapes and weight, and everyone wants the same piece!  Women stand over the display and examine every piece of meat as if they were going to marry it!  

   Today I girded myself for battle and into the market  I went.  The entire meat departmment was packed, but at the area where the briskets were displayed, there was a virtual mob scene.  Women were standing two deep and waiting as one woman stockpiled about ten briskets and shouted, "Don't take that one...I am still deciding..." if anyone dared go near her stash.  I moved on hoping to come back when the back-up was over.  After doing the rest of my holiday marketing I returned to the meat department.  A butcher was re-loading the counter with briskets and thankfully just one woman and her daughter and I were the only ones there at the moment.  I did my due diligence and selected two briskets quickly as the woman took one and then another, putting back one, then the other.  As I moved on to the poultry she stopped me and said, "wait...please...you picked so fast...how did you know which one to buy?"  

I explained that I have made it for so many years and I sort of knew what I was looking for.  I asked how many she was having to her seder, and helped her select a nice, thick brisket with a bit of fat after the trimming.  As I began to walk away she stopped me again.  "Do you make it with onion soup mix?,  she asked.  I hope she did not see the shudder that ran through my entire body.  Praying that my face did not give away what was in my mind I politely told her that no, I did not use that recipe.  She asked which one I used and where could she find the recipe.  I told her that my grandparents had been caterers and that I used their recipe that both my mother and I had tweaked through the years.  "Is it a secret or could you tell me?, she asked.  I started to tell her and she put her hand up for me to stop, turned to search for her daughter who had started to walk on, and shouted..."Linda...Linda...give me a pen...this lady is a CHEF...she is telling me how to  make the brisket...NOT with the onion soup mix!!"  A chef?  Where did she even get that from?...(Perhaps because I said I used wine in the recipe!) In any case I walked her through the recipe as Linda furiously wrote.  A small group began to gather and women chimed in with their recipes...and this was it...The Great Brisket War was on!  

      One woman said the ONLY way to cook brisket was in a slow-cooker.  Another said she added cranberry sauce to the cooking liquid.  Texas style brisket, onions and carrots and ketchup, and of course, the ever popular onion soup mix recipe...and on and on.  Everyone has a favorite way to prepare a brisket that is traditional for their family.

  At our seder, after the gefilte fish and chicken soup and matzo balls, the "meal" is served.  It usually consists of chicken, carrot ring or tzimmis (cooked carrots, sweet potatoes, prunes, etc.) apple sauce, a green vegetable and, the jewel in the crown...The Brisket!  Dessert usually is sponge cake, macaroons, chocolate fondue with fruit, marshmallows and pieces of cake for dipping and coffee and tea.  

Some of my other Passover recipes can be found at: http://elsrecipiecollection.blogspot.com/2011/09/high-holy-daysfood-and-my-mother.htm

  I have posted my brisket recipe here before, but I will do so again.  The meat comes out tender and succulent with a flavorful, thick gravy. 

                                                  Brisket

1 whole or first cut brisket... trimmed but with some fat left on

1 med onion, rough chop
4-5 leaves of iceberg lettuce
4 carrots cut in 1/4's
1/3 cup tomato sauce or ketchup
1/2 cup good red wine
1 cup beef stock (1-2 cups  in reserve) (you can use beef consomme or broth)
2 small sprigs rosemary
3-4 sprigs thyme
6 leaves basil...just tear it in
salt...pepper...garlic powder...paprika

1-Season well both sides of the brisket with salt, pepper, garlic powder and paprika...then sear both sides under the broiler until brown
2- While meat is searing, spray a covered roasting pan with Pam and line bottom with lettuce leaves
3- Placed seared meat fat side up, on lettuce and place chopped onions on top of meat and put the carrots around the sides.  Pour ketchup or tomato sauce on top of onions...
4- Pour in the cup of beef broth  (put some broth in reserve in case it cooks out) 
5- Add wine and throw in herbs
6- Cover tightly with foil and then put pot cover on.  Cook ON TOP OF THE STOVE for 1 hour on medium-low to low. You may need 2 burners for a large roasting pan...make sure the flames match.
Cook for 1 hour, then turn meat over and re-cover and cook for another hour...add more stock and/or wine if liquid cooks out ...you will need the liquid for gravy. You may have to turn once more and cook  additional time until meat feels tender when a carving fork is inserted...
7-Remove from liquid, and let sit about 1/2 hour...then slice.  You can then wrap in foil and store if you wish.

Gravy

When the meat is done there should be a lot of liquid in the pot with the cooked vegetables...(if there is not enough liquid, just add some stock, if it is too thin reduce it over med high heat until it reduces)  Place a strainer over a large bowl and just pour the liquid and vegetables into the strainer.  With a potato masher or large wooden spoon, press the cooked vegetables through the strainer into the liquid and discard what does not go through the strainer (herbs, etc).  Refrigerate until fat comes to top and solidifies.

When you are ready to serve, remove the fat from the gravy, place the brisket in a pan to heat and pour the gravy over the meat,  Heat at 350 degrees for about 10-15 minutes and serve.