Brisket - 2 Ways

Fresh brisket is an inexpensive boneless cut that requires long, slow cooking to break down the collagen in the connective muscle tissues achieve tenderness. The long piece is cut in half for marketing. You'll find it sold as a flat cut or a point cut. The flat cut is leaner, but the point cut has more flavor due to a bit of extra fat (called the deckel). Any of the traditional recipes can be modified to use in the crock pot. If you try either of theses recipes you will not be disappointed. This dish is best prepared in advance so that the fat can be easily skimmed from the surface when it has cooled. When ready to serve, slice and reheat in the strained pan marinade.
Note: You can also put all the ingredients in a covered casserole and bake in a 200-degree oven overnight, for about 9 hours


MY FAVORITE BEEF BRISKET ~ TRADITIONAL
From JEWISH COOKING IN AMERICA by Joan Nathan (Alfred A. Knopf, 2001)

2 teaspoons salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste
1 5-pound brisket of beef, shoulder roast of beef, chuck roast, or end of steak
1 garlic clove, peeled
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 onions, peeled and diced
1 10-ounce can tomatoes
2 cups red wine
2 stalks celery with the leaves, chopped
1 bay leaf
1 sprig fresh thyme
1 sprig fresh rosemary
1/4 cup chopped parsley
6 to 8 carrots, peeled and sliced on the diagonal
Sprinkle the salt and pepper over the brisket and rub with the garlic. Sear the brisket in the oil and then place, fat side up, on top of the onions in a large casserole. Cover with the tomatoes, red wine, celery, bay leaf, thyme, and rosemary.Cover and bake in a preheated 325-degree oven for about 3 hours, basting often with pan juices.Add the parsley and carrots and bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes more or until the carrots are cooked. To test for doneness, stick a fork in the flat (thinner or leaner end of the brisket). When there is a light pull on the fork as it is removed from the meat, it is "fork tender."

This dish is best prepared in advance and refrigerated so that the fat can be easily skimmed from the surface of the gravy. Trim off all the visible fat from the cold brisket. Then place the brisket, on what was the fat side down, on a cutting board. Look for the grain - that is, the muscle lines of the brisket - and with a sharp knife, cut across the grain.
When ready to serve, reheat the gravy.Put the sliced brisket in a roasting pan. Pour the hot gravy on the meat, cover, and reheat in a preheated 350-degree oven for 45 minutes. Some people like to strain the gravy, but I prefer to keep the onions because they are so delicious.

Serve with farfel (boiled egg barley noodles), noodle kugel, or potato pancakes. A colorful winter salad goes well with this.Yield: 8 to 10 servings
Tip: Try adding a jar of sun-dried tomatoes to the canned tomatoes. They add a more intense flavor to the brisket.

CROCKPOT BEEF BRISKET

Start by putting some halved baby potatoes on the bottom of the crock-pot. I then put some raw baby carrots on top of that. I then put the brisket on top of the whole thing. I have a 6 qt crock-pot, and I have found that a 5 pound bag of potatoes, 2 lbs of carrots and a 4 lb brisket will JUST fit. In a separate bowl, I add the following ingredients:
1 pkg onion soup mix
¼ C ketchup
2 T Worcestshire sauce
1 tsp minced garlic (I used bottled)
½ tsp cinnamon
2 C water
dash of pepper
Mix these ingredients all together and then pour it into the crock-pot. Cook the brisket on low for 8-10 hours. When you are ready to serve, the meat will be very tender and will basically fall apart on your fork. We put the brisket on a large platter and surround it by the carrots and potatoes. You really don’t even need a knife for this melt in your mouth meal!