Soup mix? If so, it'll also be heavy with salt. There's the classic sour cream dip--don't use the whole packet with only a pint of sour cream! Stir into the cream and let it set and hydrate in the fridge for at least an hour.

There's a traditional (20th C.) brisket recipe which is very good, and uses packaged goods that one can get with a kosher mark, thereby cutting down on flavorings one has to stock. But it doesn't have to be kosher. People love it. On a full brisket or two tips, in a deep roaster, score the fat cap down to the meat in two directions. Sear if you like, though it's not required. Pour and spread about 2/3-3/4 bottle Heinz "chili sauce" (a ketchup cousin), or as much as is needed to cover. Sprinkle most of a large (full pot sized) onion soup packet over the top. If it looks thoroughly sprinkled before it's all used up, save a little out. Pour one can of caffeine free, sugar-in Coke around the sides. Braise for an hour at 350° F to get the fat melting and browning, then reduce to 275° F for an additional 6-8 hrs (depending on weight and thickness). Chill overnight in the pan with juice. Remove the solidified fat. Take the brisket out of the juice and slice, taking care to go across the grain in all directions (there are three different muscles in a whole brisket). Return to the pan and spoon juice between each slice. Add the remainder of the sauce and soup mix to the top. Add more Coke if necessary. Again, depending on the size and weight, cook for 4-6 more hours at 275° F, and raise to 350-375° for the last hour, making sure there's still plenty of liquid.

The timing is highly variable. You want to render as much of the fat down as possible, while having a nice long cook to make the meat really tender, while keeping it juicy.

The chili sauce and Coke have the sugar necessary to help break down the connective tissue that can make brisket tough, as well as the acid. The large amount of salt and other flavoring in the mix and sauce should provide sufficient seasoning.

Plllog, that brisket recipe sounds yummy! I'm just curious, why caffeine free coke?

I use a bit of dried onion soup mix when I make hamburgers. I've actually never used it to make onion soup.

What a coincidence, I put together an oven beef stew earlier using it. Chuck, carrots, potatoes, mushrooms, some green beans I had in the garden, red wine, soup mix, salt, pepper, garlic powder, thyme, a small amount of ketchup, and just enough water to keep it from sticking. I usually don't make stew in the Summer but I sort of ran out of ideas and needed to get this chuck out of the freezer and use it.

I used to mix one packet of onion soup mix with one can of cream of mushroom soup and pour it over chicken in the crockpot...came out good...salty but good.

Ritaweda

what a great winter dish to buffer against the cold and snow. My attempts at this dish are similar. What kind of prep work do you do on the vegetables. Also, how much wine do you use. What kind of cooking time do you use. Stove top or oven.

Thanks

Paul, the beef, carrots, potatoes are all cut about 1 1/2 inch cubes. I also cut the beans about that size. Slice the mushrooms if you have fresh, I didn't have fresh so I used a can of stems and pieces this time. First I finely dice 2 strips of bacon in an oven proof pot and render it down on the stovetop, then I add the beef which has been patted dry and sear it on all sides. Then I add the seasonings and vegetables. Sprinkle 2 packs of onion-mushroom soup over the top. De-glaze with red wine, about 1 cup. Then I added some ketchup, not much, maybe 1/4 cup. Then I added only enough water to thin it out but not so much to completely cover. Cover and put in preheated oven 350 and then turn heat down to 300. I think I cooked it about 2 hours, checking occasionally to see if it needed a bit more liquid. It really came out good. I also do whole pot roasts the same way except of course I leave the roast whole and cut the vegetables larger size and use small whole button mushrooms. Sometimes I add cubed rutabaga or parsnips or butternut squash also. I really don't find the soup mix to be too salty, so I do add some salt but I guess people are using less salt nowadays, season how you like it.