Dara’s Holiday Brisket
This simple recipe for brisket is mostly hands-off but results in a very delectable and savory dish. I have heard countless times that it is the best brisket the eater has ever had! It might remind you of the brisket your Jewish grandmother used to make, but it is even better, I promise. It is absolutely perfect for Passover, Hanukkah, or any holiday, though also wonderful for any special dinner. If brisket is hard to find, you could also easily use a beef chuck roast as my grandmother did for her “pot roast.” If you use a chuck roast, you will likely only need to cook for about 3.5-4 hours, depending on its size. Check your local purveyor of high-quality, grass-fed and pastured meats and see what’s available. The size of your brisket or roast will of course determine how many servings this will make, so plan accordingly.
Please note that you will need to have a cooking vessel big enough to fit the brisket and all of its juices comfortably. I suggest a large, deep heavy stainless steel roasting pan (like you’d use for a turkey) or a very large Dutch oven cook pot. If you use the roasting pan, you will need enough foil (can be overlapping) to seal it tightly; if you use the Dutch oven, you can just cover it with the lid.
DARA’S HOLIDAY BRISKET
Season a 3-5 pound brisket or chuck roast very liberally with salt and fresh ground pepper. You won’t be searing (browning) the meat, so just lay it in the pan or pot for now
Cover with:
3-5 sliced yellow onions
optional: large prices of carrots and potatoes
In a blender, add:
one 28 oz can of tomatoes
1-2 cups red wine
2-3 tablespoons oregano (dried or chopped fresh leaves, including some thyme is nice too)
5 or more garlic cloves
4-5 medjool dates (or you can substitute prunes)
optional but highly recommended:
2-3 tablespoons crumbled dried porcini mushrooms (also could substitute dried shitakes or use 1 tablespoon Trader Joe’s umami powder, which will add a little spiciness too)
pinch or two of hot chili flakes
Purée all of the above ingredients together, then pour the mixture over the brisket. Seal the pan tightly with foil, or cover your Dutch oven with its lid.
Bake at 300 for 5-6 hours or until the meat is easily pierced with a knife, but not yet fall-apart tender. You will need to remove the pan/pot from the oven to check this
Once the meat is tender, cool the entire pot/pan to room temperature, and then chill in the refrigerator overnight.
The next day, take it out of the fridge and peel off some of the fat layer if desired. While it’s all still cold, remove the meat to a large cutting board. Using a sharp knife (a long flexible slicing knife is ideal), slice the meat on the bias and against the grain, about 1/2 inch thick. Be sure to roll up your sleeves and put on an apron on so you don’t splatter the fatty tomato-y juices on yourself!
Put the meat back in the pan with the juices, and place the pan back in oven to reheat.
To serve, you can either leave the meat in the pan and serve from there directly, or serve the meat on a platter separately, with the juices and vegetables on the side in a bowl or pretty dish.
ENJOY!