Florence Martin, originally from Paris and now residing in Baltimore, was looking for a recipe for making a traditional American Jewish style beef brisket. Delores Keene from Baltimore sent in her favorite brisket recipe, which comes from "Mama Cooks California Style, New Twists on Jewish Classics," a 1997 cookbook put out by the Jewish Home for the Aging of Los Angeles.
I liked the way this recipe sounded so I decided to test it out on my family for Rosh Hashanah dinner this year. It received rave reviews. The key to this recipe, as with most traditional brisket recipes, is advance planning. In this one, the meat needs to marinate overnight before it is cooked. Also, it is best to make this a day or two before you intend to serve it that way the fat can be removed easily and flavors have time to intensify. This brisket was a wonderful choice for our holiday meal and it is so tasty and easy to make there is no reason it could not be served any time of year.
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BARBECUED BEEF BRISKET
Makes: 8 servings
1 (4-pound) first-cut beef brisket, trimmed of most of its fat
1 cup ketchup
1 cup water
1 tablespoon instant minced onion
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 tablespoon prepared white horseradish
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Salt to taste
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 large onions, sliced
4 to 5 carrots, sliced into 2 inch chunks
5 medium potatoes, quartered
In a bowl, combine ketchup, water, instant onion, vinegar, horseradish, mustard, salt and pepper. Place brisket in a large, non-aluminum casserole dish, fat side up. Pour mixture over brisket. Cover tightly and allow to marinate in the refrigerator overnight.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Place onions on top of brisket and marinade. Cook, covered, for 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Add carrots and potatoes. Continue cooking, covered, for 1 to 1 1/2 hours more. Cool and refrigerate. Remove any accumulated fat from top. Slice meat across the grain, reheat and serve with vegetables, using pan juices as gravy.
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REQUESTS
Bonnie Wilkins from Bend, Ore., is searching for a lost recipe that ran in the Tampa Tribune in the 1980s for a dressing for turkey made with wild rice dressing and water chestnuts.
Susan Fisher from South Bend, Ind., is searching for a recipe for a cheese ball like the one she used to purchase every year in Mishawaka, Ind. She said they were made by a local sorority there and sold around the holidays. The cheese balls were a creamy color and rolled in nuts and parsley.
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