At Chanukah, brisket and latkes on the menu

The turkey carcass is picked clean, the pecan pie is gone and now we can all look forward to the cold, dark winter ahead. Not my favorite time of year, but there is one bright light in all the cold and darkness. Actually, there are nine bright lights that warm my kitchen and add lots of fun and deliciousness to the cold months ahead.

Chanukah, just around the corner, is such a wonderful time of year. I love the candles and the singing. I love the parties and playing dreidel for pennies or chocolate candy gelt. I even love the gift giving (who does not like to receive a token of someone’s love and affection?).

And then there is the food. I love the latkes and soofganiyot and, of course, the brisket.

Brisket and latkes just seem to go together so perfectly. In fact, several Jewish delis offer brisket sandwiches between two giant latkes. Might be a bit over the top, but, still, how delicious must that be?

Brisket is actually a very tough cut of meat, until you cook it “low and slow” for several hours. I have even cooked a very large brisket overnight at 250 degrees which produced meat that was so tender, it flaked apart with a fork. Delicious.

Just as I have no idea who decided latkes were the go-to dish for Chanukah, I also have no idea who decided brisket was the traditional accompaniment to those crispy latkes.

All I can say is thanks for starting a delicious tradition!

Chag sameach!

Texas Rubbed Brisket (Meat)

2 large onions thinly sliced

10 to 12 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1/4 cup canola oil

1 to 2 Tbsp. chili powder, to taste (Do not use hot chili powder)

1 to 2 tsp. kosher salt

1 Tbsp. garlic powder

1 Tbsp. onion powder

1 Tbsp. freshly ground black pepper

2 Tbsp. dark brown sugar

2 tsp. dry mustard powder

1/3 tsp. ginger powder

1 bay leaf, crushed

4 lbs. brisket

1-1/2 cups beef stock

1/2 cup dry red wine

Heat a large skillet and add the oil. Add the onions and sauté over medium-low heat until golden brown. Add the garlic and continue to cook. Adding a tablespoon of water every so often to deglaze the pan. Cook until the onions are deep brown and caramelized. Scrape into a bowl.

While the onions are cooking, mix the next nine ingredients together to form a dry rub. Set aside.

Add the brisket to the skillet and sear the meat on both sides. Place on a platter.

Add the onions and garlic to a deep roasting pan and pour the stock and wine over the onions. Push most of them to the sides of the pan leaving a thin layer on the bottom.

Rub the brisket with the dry rub and place in the roasting pan. Cover tightly with a double thickness of aluminum foil and place in a 300 degree oven for about 4 hours. If not tender, cook covered for another hour, adding a bit of water if needed. Then, uncover, turn the heat to 375 and roast for another 20 to 30 minutes, until the top is crusty and browned.

Remove from the oven. Let rest for 15 minutes before cutting. Serve with the sauce.

Slow Cooker, Old-Fashioned Brisket with Onions, Garlic, Potatoes and Carrots (Meat)

2 large onions, thinly sliced

4 to 6 cloves garlic, minced

3 Tbsp. canola oil

1 (4 to 5 lbs.) brisket (single preferred, but double is OK)

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1 can (3 oz.) tomato paste

1 Tbsp. dark brown sugar

2 cups beef stock or broth

1/2 cup dry red wine, or water

1/3 cup ginger ale or cola

3 large potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks

4 to 6 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced

Heat a large skillet and add the oil. Add the onions and sauté until deep golden brown. Add the garlic and mix until fragrant. Remove from heat to cool.

Place the onions in the bottom of the crock pot,

Rub the meat with the salt and pepper and place over the onions. Add the potatoes and carrots.

Mix the tomato paste and sugar with the broth, soda, wine or water, and add to the crock pot.

Cook on low for 4 to 7 hours, until the meat is tender and the potatoes and carrots are cooked through. Serves 6 to 10.

Spicy Southwestern Brisket (Meat)

This is adapted from a friend’s recipe that was a bit too spicy for me. You can add hotter or more pepper if you like it more heat. The recipe won a food Network Sandwich contest.

3 to 4 lbs. double beef brisket

Kosher Salt and Freshly ground black pepper

4 Tbsp. canola oil

6 to 8 large cloves garlic, peeled and smashed

1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced

1 Tbsp. chili powder, to taste

2 tsp. ground coriander, to taste

2 tsp. cumin, to taste

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

1 1/2 cups water

1 (14-1/2 oz.) can whole tomatoes with their juices or crushed tomatoes

2 whole canned chipotle chiles adobo, to taste

4 Tbsp. molasses

Sear the meat in a large skillet. Remove to a platter when fully browned.

Add 3 tablespoons of the oil and add the onions. Cook until golden and scrape over the meat. Add the remaining oil and add the garlic, onion, chili powder, coriander, and cumin. Stir constantly until fragrant. Add the vinegar and simmer until it is almost gone. Add the water and mix well. scraping up any browned bits with a wooden or silicon spoon or spatula.

Place the meat and onions in a slow cooker or in a roasting pan. Scrape the aromatic liquid over the meat and onions. Add the tomatoes, crushing them a bit with your hand and add the liquid from the can, the chipotles, and bay leaves and then drizzle the molasses over all.

Cover and cook, set on low for a slow cooker, or covered tightly in a 325-degree oven. Cook until the brisket pulls apart easily with a fork. About 8 hours in a slow cooker and about 4 to 5 in the oven, Check one or twice and add more water if needed, Serves 6+.

NOTE: This is a great pulled brisket for sandwiches for an informal brisket and latke party.

Spicy, Sweet-Hot, Slow Cooker Brisket (Meat)

4 lbs. brisket

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

4 Tbsp. Canola oil, divided

5 to 7 cloves garlic, minced

2 large Spanish onions, cut in half and thinly sliced

1 Tbsp. chili powder

1 to 2 tsp. coriander

1 to 2 tsp. cumin

Cayenne pepper, to taste

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

3 to 4 Tbsp. (generous) blackstrap molasses

1 to 2 Tbsp. dark brown sugar

1-1/2 to 2 cups water, more if needed

1 can (14 oz.) diced tomatoes with liquid

2 chipotle chilies (canned is fine), coarsely chopped

3 to 4 bay leaves

1 to 2 Tbsp. honey

Season the meat with salt and pepper on both sides. Heat a large skillet, add half the canola oil and sear the meat on both sides, 8 to 10 minutes total time. Place the beef in a crock pot.

Add the rest of the oil to the pan and add the onions. Sauté until golden. Add the garlic, chili powder, coriander and cumin. Add a pinch of cayenne pepper, to taste. Stir constantly until fragrant, about 1 minute. Slowly add the cider vinegar and boil until the liquid is reduced by three-quarters. Stir constantly to scrape up any browned bits. Add the brown sugar and molasses and mix well. Add the water to the pan. Mix until blended. Turn off the heat.

Add the tomatoes, chilies and bay leaves to the crockpot. Add the onions and liquid from the skillet. Drizzle the honey over the top, cover, and cook on low for 6 to 10 hours. Taste the sauce after 3 hours and adjust the seasonings for sweet or heat. The brisket is done when it pulls apart easily with a fork. Remove bay leaves before serving. Serves 8 to 12.

Joni’s Signature Brisket (Meat)

I first had this brisket in Florida when I was at a friend’s for dinner while on our honeymoon! My husband loved it and after the first Rosh Hashana for which I made it decades ago, I have made it almost every year on Passover and/or Rosh Hashanah. I would love to make a new one, but no one will let me! So many of my kids’ friends, relatives and our friends have asked for it, that it has been made in England, Israel, Canada and several US states! And it was once emailed to China right before Passover. I hope it becomes a family favorite for you also.

3 to 6 lbs. double or single brisket

2 lbs. onions, thinly sliced

2 to 3 cloves garlic, finely minced

4 Tbsp. canola oil

1/2 cup white vinegar

3/4 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed

3/4 cup ketchup – a bit less is fine

1/4 tsp. black pepper

3/4 cup water.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Sear the meat on both sides in a large frying pan. When fully seared, place in a roaster with a tight-fitting lid, or use a half steam table aluminum pan. (I use two pans for support, as one is too flimsy.)

Add the oil to the frying pan. Add the sliced onions and cook until golden. Mix in the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds. Spread the onions, over, under and around the meat.

Mix the vinegar and brown sugar together in a large bowl. Add the ketchup, pepper, and water and mix evenly. Pour over the meat and mix with the onions a bit.

Cover the pan tightly with foil and place in the oven. Cook for 4 to 7 hours or until the meat easily falls apart when pulled with a fork.

Remove from the oven and let cool for 20 to 30 minutes. Skim off any visible fat from the top of the gravy.

Cut up the meat on a platter. Don’t cut in the aluminum pan to avoid puncturing it. I cut the meat into chunks as it is usually too soft to cut properly against the grain.

Ladle some of the sauce and onions over the meat and ladle the remainder into a bowl. Serves 6+.

Write: Columnist@TheJewishStar.com