Rosh Hashanah Recipes: Brisket

Jewish holidays always seem to revolve around family and good food. The Jewish New Year, called Rosh Hashanah, is no different.

In many households the main course when the holiday begins at sundown on Sunday may be brisket.

Here are two recipies you'll want to make a day ahead. And you don't have to be Jewish to enjoy them.

Beer-Braised Brisket

Braising tenderizes beef brisket and makes a gravy full of vegetable beef flavor and enriched by beer.

Serve the finished dish of meltingly tender beef and its accompanying rich sauce over a bed of egg noodles or mashed potatoes. Fresh vegetables are all you need to round out this meal.

Makes 10-12 servings

• 1  brisket or London Broil (5 to 7 pounds)
• 2  teaspoons seasoned salt
• 1/2  cup brown sugar, packed
• 2  tablespoons cider vinegar
• 1  package onion soup mix
• 1  cup chili sauce
• 1  can beer (12 ounce)

Season brisket with seasoned salt. Rub meat with brown sugar, drizzle with vinegar, and cover with chili sauce, soup mix and beer. Bake at 325° uncovered for 2 hours. Cover and continue cooking till done (1 1/2 to 3 hours). Remove meat from gravy and cool in refrigerator overnight. Skim fat from gravy, add small amount of water to dilute gravy. Slice meat and put in an oven-proof casserole. Cover with gravy and seal with foil. Heat at 325°F for 1 hour.

Slow Roast Brisket

• 8 - 10 lb brisket 1 quart low salt beef stock (or veg. stock)
• 3 large onions, sliced
• 3 tbsp oil
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 cup ketchup
• 1 cup chili sauce
• 1 cup brown sugar prunes, carrots and peeled potatoes

Preheat oven to 500°. Place the brisket in a baking dish and brown on top, turn over and brown on all sides. Reduce heat to 350° and add enough stock to come up 1 inch on all sides, cover with foil and bake 1 hour.

While brisket is cooking, heat large skillet on medium high and saute onions in oil until caramelized, about 20 minutes (stirring occasionally). Add all remaining ingredients to the onion skillet and set aside. After brisket has cooked first hour, pour onion mixture into brisket dish and move around. Cover and bake another hour.

Remove brisket and slice it (best with electric knife) then put back in your casserole dish, cover and cook another hour. At this point you can add prunes, carrots and cut-up peeled potatoes. Don't be in a rush because you could even cook it another couple of hours to make the brisket VERY tender. Why not make it a day ahead, because it tastes even better after sitting in the refrigerator all night.

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