Rosh Hashanah Brisket

B”H

You know I’m boring and I make the same things pretty much every year, right? I’m a creature of habit, what can I do. If it works, why change it! :-) This year, I’m happy to report that I already made my brisket and it’s sitting in my freezer. So are many of my deserts. Then it dawned on me that I’ve never showed you the brisket recipe that I’ve been making for Rosh Hashanah already a few years in a row. I learned it from Chef Melissa Mayo, who emailed it to me years ago, and I mentioned it in this Rosh Hashanah roundup here. But, just in case, I’m telling you now that it’s really divine. And for all of you who say you can never get a kosher roast or brisket right, this is your opportunity to get it right! Here’s my Rosh Hashanah Brisket, courtesy of the lovely Melissa Mayo.

Rosh Hashanah Brisket — Source: Chef Melissa Mayo

It’s called the Cranberry Onion Rosemary and Mushroom Braised Brisket, but hey, that’s a mouthful, so around here we just call it the Rosh Hashanah brisket. Here you go.

Ingredients:

1 4.5 to 6lb flat piece of Brisket – So, Melissa says that it’s very important that it should be the first cut (because the second or top flap is a much tougher meat and will take double the cooking time to soften). I say, listen to her because she’s South African and they know their meats! But, I may add that I definitely cook it much longer than she says here and also that I’ve made this with French Cut as well as Brisket and it’s just as divine!
2 large sliced onions
4 stalks of celery cut into 1/3 inch moons
3 cloves crushed garlic
1 pack of sliced white mushrooms
1 14 oz Tin whole berry Cranberry Sauce
¾ Tin Balsamic Vinegar (Use the Cranberry tin as your measurement)
¼ tin sweet chilli sauce (Use Cranberry tin as your measurement) (I have no idea what this is so I sprinkle a few red pepper flakes into the sauce and call it a day ;-) Sorry Melissa!)
1 Tin boiling water (Use Cranberry tin as your measurement)
2 TBS chicken stock powder
4 sprigs rosemary
½ cup thyme
5 bay leaves
Coarse salt & Black Pepper
Olive oil
1 bunch chopped chives to garnish

Procedure:

Preheat oven to 350 F / 180 C (*I actually do 300 degrees F and cook for 4 hours!)

Season the brisket with salt and pepper. Heat a frying pan/dutch oven on high heat. Add oil and sear brisket on all sides until nicely browned (8 minutes). Set aside.

In the same pan add olive oil. Sauté onions and celery on medium heat till soft and golden brown (10 mins). Add garlic and mushrooms and sweat till water cooks off and mushrooms are wilted.

Melissa Mayo Brisket — Source: Chef Melissa Mayo

In a separate bowl, add cranberry sauce, balsamic vinegar and sweet chili sauce (I skip the sauce and just sprinkle some red pepper flakes) to a bowl. Mix the chicken stock powder in boiling water to dissolve. Add to the bowl and whisk to combine.

Pour veggies into the bottom of oven proof baking dish/dutch oven. Place the seared brisket on top. Pour sauce over the meat. Tie the rosemary and thyme into a bundle and add along with bay leaves to the roasting pan. Cover with lid or parchment paper and foil. Seal well to create a steam bath.

Roast on the middle rack of oven roast for 2 ½ hours turning half way through. Brisket should be fork tender. (If meat resists cook for another ½ hour). Take meat out and cover with foil until cool. (I cook it for 4 hours)

If sauce is watery cook of excess liquid on the stove top till it’s thickens and is soupy.

Slice meat against the grain on the bias. Place back in an oven proof dish and top with the sauce. Cover with foil and reheat at 300 until warmed through (45 minutes). Serve with roasted potatoes and garnish with chopped chives.

CHEF’S TIP: Make the brisket 2 to 3 days ahead so sauce penetrate the meat. Freeze/refrigerate till ready to use.

You can refrigerate the cooled brisket overnight and slice in the morning. Don’t worry if the meat feels hard. It will after being in the refrigerator but it will soften up. Bring to room temperature before reheating.

Serves 8-10