i made the brisket in the oven which i turned on earlier today after putting the air on in the kitchen. it's now cooling. i just wanted to know if it was a cut of meat that could be done in the crockpot. i never did before that's why i asked. i followed this recipe since i couldn't find my standard. season with S&P, sear it, lay it over a few onions (although i added a few potatoes and a couple carrots and a diced celery stalk to the mix), add two cups of red wine, 10 oz can chopped tomatoes (although i used fresh from the garden), herbs and let it slow cook. smells great, haven't cut into it yet. it will be either a very late night snack or a midday meal tomorrow. one of these days, maybe i'll try the crock pot and if the meat shreds too much, then i'll make "pulled brisket sandwiches" (or dog food) thanks maryanne

Who knew that brisket, of all things, could make people fight? At our house, a big brisket meal makes us pretty mellow. We even have a song that goes, "Oh, it's good to be a dog on yontif,* 'cause on yontif, a dog gets brisket." * Yiddish for holiday I'm not a food scientist or a chef or a cookbook writer or anything else special, food-wise. But I am a genuine Jewish mother. And I figure it's about time that one waded into this. I've made a lot of briskets. Very many briskets. And I've eaten many many many briskets, cooked all different ways, including smoked brisket, which was indeed very good. But that doesn't mean it's always the flavor you are going for, even if it were possible to say that it's somehow objectively superior to braising or roasting. To me, that argument is as silly as trying to prove that fried chicken is definitively, universally, always better than oven-roasted. Anyway, even if I do think one way is better, sometimes I don't want it to taste "better," I want it to taste like "home." I've always made mine in the oven, sometimes starting it on the cooktop. Here are two recipes we like a lot, one simple and old-fashioned and using onion soup and jam, one more fancy. We never get any complaints, and, the song notwithstanding, there isn't always any left for the dog. Brisket 5-10 lb. Brisket 2 8-oz. Jars apricot preserves 2 packets dried onion soup 2 T ginger salt, pepper, and garlic powder Mix jam, soup mix, and ginger in a bowl. Add 1/4 cup water. Sprinkle a little salt and pepper on the brisket and pour garlic powder on it. Rub sauce mixture all over roasting pan and brisket. Cover tightly and bake 350 for 2 1/2 - 3 1/2 hours. Remove from pan and slice. Spoon some of the gravy over it. Cover again and bake another 30 minutes before serving. *** BEEF BRISKET WITH MERLOT AND PRUNES 1 4-to 4 1/2-pound flat-cut (also called first-cut) beef brisket, trimmed of most fat 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 14 1/2-ounce can diced tomatoes in juice (preferably fire-roasted) 1 cup Merlot or other dry red wine 2 pounds onions, sliced 4 medium carrots, peeled, thinly sliced 16 garlic cloves, peeled 1 1/2 cups pitted large prunes (about 8 ounces) 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon prune juice 3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar 2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley Position rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 325 F. Pat brisket dry; sprinkle all over with salt and pepper. Heat oil in heavy extra-large skillet over high heat. Add brisket and cook until deep brown, about 7 minutes per side. Transfer brisket, fat side up, to large roasting pan. Add tomatoes with juice and wine to skillet. Remove from heat, scrape up any browned bits, and pour mixture over brisket. Distribute onions, carrots, and garlic around brisket. Add prunes and thyme; drizzle with 1/2 cup prune juice and 3 tablespoons vinegar. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Place pan over 2 burners and bring to boil. Cover pan with heavy-duty foil; place in oven. Braise brisket until tender, about 3 hours 15 minutes. Uncover and cool 1 hour at room temperature. Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover with foil and chill. Bring just to simmer over 2 burners before continuing. Remove brisket from roasting pan, scraping off juices. Place on work surface; cut across grain into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Spoon off fat from top of pan juices. Place 1 cup vegetables (no prunes) and 1 cup braising liquid from pan into processor and puree. Return puree to pan. Add remaining 1 tablespoon prune juice and 1 teaspoon vinegar to pan. Heat sauce; season with salt and pepper. Overlap brisket slices in 13x9x2- inch glass baking dish. Pour sauce over brisket, separating slices to allow some sauce to flow between. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; chill. Rewarm brisket, covered, in 350 F oven for 30 minutes. Sprinkle brisket with parsley; serve.

Sharon, it doesn't surprise me that you and brisket don't understand each other. Probably something to do with the fact that you really don't care much for beef. I think Clive would love a brisket dinner. I am surprised that brisket isn't readily available in your area. I never had a problem finding it in Ontario. It isn't common to find it here in the grocery stores either but my favourite butcher shop carries brisket and for some strange reason they roll it. Not the way I want it.

Brisket is one of our favorites on the smoker. We cheat a bit and take advantage of the oven some, but the meat always turns out tender and tasty. We generally cook our meat on a Friday night, for a Saturday dinner, so that's how I am writing up my instructions. 1. The night before (thursday night) you plan to smoke the brisket, season with a dry rub and wrap meat in a plastic bag. We've actually used a cajun or greek seasoning rub before...both are good...as well a a bbq rub. Refrigertate until about 1 hour before placing on smoker. 2. Friday night: smoke meat at a temp of 225-250 for about 2 hours. Place meat in an aluminum pan, cover pan with foil and place back on the smoker/grill for another 2-3 hours. (We start around 5pm, place in pan aroun 7:30). Around 10:30-11pm, I will preheat the oven to 200 degrees, pull the aluminum pan with meat off the smoker and place in the oven. (pan should still be covered with foil). 3. Allow the meat to cook in the oven all night, and part of the next day. We generally remove it from the oven around noon (Saturday), sometimes as late as 1pm. 4. Remove the meat from the pan and wrap it in foil. Now comes the unusual part: Take the foil wrapped brisket and wrap it in layers of newspaper until you feel very little heat coming through. Line the bottom of an ice chest (cooler) with crumpled newspaper. Put the wrapped brisket on top and pack the chest with more paper. 5. When it's time to serve dinner, remove the meat from the cooler and carve. It will still be hot...remember, newspaper is a great insulator!! Brisket cooks best with low temps and long hours. This method gives the meat the smokey flavor but eliminates the need to attend the grill for such a long time...and it's EASY!!!! IT's a method that has never failed us...the meat is tender and juicy. And the best part is that it's done...I have Saturday to do what ever else I need to do...clean, prepare side dishes, etc. v.