I just posted this on the Passover thread last week. Since it was posted by MOM23cali in 2005, I've made it several times and it's always a hit. The sauce ingredients might sound kind of icky but believe me, it makes the most delicious sauce as it cooks.

BRISKET Posted by: MOM23cali (My Page) on Mon, Apr 11, 05 at 7:41

Ok- I make this from memory- It was my Mom's recipe year after year all my life.She did not cook with exact measurements:
1 3-5lb thin cut brisket
1 or 2 spanish onions
1 bottle heinz ketchup
1 cup Heavy Malaga Kosher Wine
1 box granulated brown sugar

coat the brisket in flour, salt, pepper and garlic powder and brown in skillet with olive oil

slice onions and lay MOST of them in glass baking pan
combine the ketchup, wine and brown sugar -stirring well
pour small amount over onions
place brisket ontop of onions and sprinkle remaining onions over top
pour remaining sauce to cover entire brisket
cover TIGHTLY with aluminum foil and bake at 325 degree oven for 5-6 hours
uncover for last 30-40 minutes
let cool about 15-20 mins. and slice
serve sliced with sauce and onions on top!

Lowsparks, is Malaga Kosher Wine a common item? Can I find it at the supermarket or is there a common substitution? What size bottle of ketchup? This one looks interesting too.

Sounds like it depends what you're looking for Joan -- the Sara Moulton recipe sounds more like a saucy BBQ brisket, while the Ina recipe sounds more like a pot-roast style brisket. For whatever reason that Sara Moulton recipe sounds really good to me...

I smoke them on my Weber grill. Nice sandwich and munchie meat. No particular recipe... just a bit of black pepper. Only buy them on sale and happen to have one in the freezer waiting for me to have time and desire.

: )
lyra

Or..... using a reynolds roasting bag. Put brisket into the bag, mix up 1 cup of bbq sauce and 1 pkg lipton beefy onion soup mix; Pour over brisket.. bake 3 1/2 hrs at 325.

Lowspark's recipe sounds great, but I don't recall seeing that type of wine. I use Sara Moulton's recipe with great success.

Joan,
It should be available anywhere kosher foods are sold. Around here there are lots of stores that have a kosher section and carry kosher wines. I've seen it made by two different brands but the more common is Manischewitz - you know, the wine that comes in the square bottle.

Extra heavy malaga is a very sweet wine. So if you can't find it, you might try substituting a port. The great thing about the malaga is that it costs about $3.79 a bottle or so.

As for the size of ketchup, the recipe doesn't specify and every year I can't remember what I did the previous year - you'd think I'd write it down! But honestly, I don't think it matters that much. I probably use the 28 oz bottle. The great thing about this recipe is that the combination of the three things, brown sugar, super sweet wine and ketchup meld together beautifully to make a wonderful sauce. If you add a bit more or less of one ingredient, I don't think it makes that much difference.

Even though the recipe calls for one cup of wine, I usually put in more than that. After all, that extra heavy malaga is simply too sweet to drink!

I'm new to briskets but had a disaster-turned-awesome with Joy of Cooking's Sweet and Sour Brisket recipe:

Spread 3 minced garlic cloves and black pepper on 3.5 lb trimmed brisket

Brown 3 min each side in 1 T oil in a flameproof roasting pan.

While searing add 2 large onions sliced.

Once browned remove brisket, continue with onions until very brown, around 4 min.

Deglaze with .5 cup each red wine and beef stock. Add 1 cup chili sauce, .5 cup cider vinegar, .5 cup dark brown sugar, bay leaf.

Cover tightly with foil and roast at 350 2-3 hours until fork tender.

Cool, fridge overnight, slice, reheat in sauce in 350 oven 30 min.

My disaster was that I used a dutch oven that apparently didn't seal well enough, so I wasn't left with a sauce but rather a thick glob of onions. So what I did was essentially start from scratch (without the meat) and then added whatever onions didn't have to be scraped from the first batch. Like I said, it ended up really good.

OK, that last post brought up a question. Do you trim the fat? Fat side down or up if it isn't cut off?

Thanks

fat side up for the one I make.

It's Manischewitz? I didn't realize that! Of course our market should have it. I normally buy their Concord Grape. (only for the haroset!)
The size of the ketchup is inconsequential. Just a normal size is fine. My actual recipe calls for two jars of chili sauce (I like Heinz) and one bottle of water in addition to the beer.
One last thing, don't trim the fat unless it's an extremely fatty brisket. Too lean will not make for a great end product. I make mine one day ahead, refrigerate the meat in the sauce and then skim off the hard pieces of fat the next day. It's easier to slice the meat when cold and then you can warm the sauce, puree it (with the stick blender) and pour over the sliced meat. Heat in a 325 oven for 30-60 min. Make sure the sauce is heated between the slices for a juicier end product.

I use Cook's Illustrated recipe for brisket with some personal modifications. I trim ALL the fat off the top 'cuz I don't like the texture of fat at all. I find that browning the meat for 6 minutes per side adds more flavor. I do this recipe in a LC 6-3/4 qt oval and it's perfect. Goes really nice with mashed potatos or over soft polenta. I also prepare this through step 4 and let the whole thing cool, storing it overnight in the fridge. Next day, defat (if any) and throw it in a low oven (300) for an hour or so. It has more flavor the next day.

1 beef brisket, about 3 pounds (CI recomments the point cut trimmed; I use the flat cut trimmed and don't care too much about weight. Typically 4 pounds.)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 pounds yellow onions, sliced thin (I also add about a pound or more of mushrooms)
2 tablespoons brown sugar
6 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through a garlic press
1 teaspoon tomato paste
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup dry red wine
1 cup low-sodium beef broth
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
4 bay leaves
4 springs fresh thyme
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1- Heat over to 300 degrees and adjust racks so your cooking vessel is somewhat centered in the oven.
2-Sprinkle the brisket generously with salt and pepper to taste. Heat the oil in a large ovenproof Dutch oven over high heat until smoking. Cook the brisket until dark brown on the first side, about 5 minutes. Turn and repeat. Transfer the brisket to a large plate; set aside.
3-Reduce the heat to medium. Add the onions, brown sugar and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Using a wooden spoon, scrapte the browned bits from the pan bottom. Cook, stirring frequently until the onions are softened and lightly browned, about 10 minutes. (I add the mushrooms at about 7 minutes and cook until their liquid has evaporated.) Stir in the garlic and tomato paste and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Slowly stir in the wine to dissolve the flour and cook until almost dry, about 1 minute. Stir in the beef broth, chicken broth, bay leaves and thyme. Return the meat to the pot, nestling it in the liquid, and bring to a simmer. Cover the pot, transfer it to the oven and cook until a fork slides easily in and out of the center of the roast, 2-1/2 to 3 hours.
4-Transfer the brisket to a cutting board, tent with foil, and let rest for 15 minutes. Remove and discard the bay leaves and thyme from the sauce, stir in the vinegar, and adjust the seasonings with salt and pepper to taste. Slice the brisket thinly across the grain, arrange on a warmed platter and spoon some of the sauce over it. Serve, passing the remaining sauce at the table.

My experience is with the point end of the brisket. Oooh, polenta, I like that idea!

Ya, I do the same. Don't trim the fat, fat side up so that it drips down over the meat as it cooks. Like compumom, I cook it in advance. I then refrigerate the meat separately from the sauce. The next day I skim the fat off the sauce and slice the meat. Before I reheat, I pour the sauce over the meat.

I find that if I refrigerate them separately it's easier to slice the meat, and it's easier to skim the fat off the sauce.

Thanks for the tips. Three experts mention making it the day before and the slicing and reheating. I should probably follow the experts tips here.

Thanks!

I love Ina Garten's recipes, most of them anyway. But what is with the HUGE amount of salt she always calls for. 2 tablespoons? This would make the whole thing inedible for me. I always cut thse salt in her recipes by more than 1/2. I might use 2 teapoons for 6-7 pounds of brisket. Ketchup and chili sauce are also loaded with sodium.

My brisket recipe takes a few days..

Marinate in red wine (merlot or other red is fine- I use kosher wine at passover time - baron herzog is $8 or $9 at Trader Joe's); garlic; maybe some sliced onions-- put it all in a plastic bag overnight.

Next day: sear brisket on each side and then put brisket with marinade and onions in glass baking dish;

cover with foil and bake at 325 for 3 hours or so. Let cool and refrigerate (preferably overnight); defat; slice and warm up in oven.

I always get rave reviews. I'm not sure why recipes that have a marinade don't do the searing step?? I do both and it seems to work well.

I watched Ina make that recipe on her show. She used a HUGE piece of meat. The rub looked good for the cut she was using. I would probably need less for the smaller piece of brisket. I think the one with the brown sugar and ketchup is calling me. I just have to go look for that wine.