Passover Brisket Recipes

BEEF BRISKET

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• On a cutting board, mash the garlic and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt together with the flat-side of a knife into a paste. Add the rosemary and continue to mash until incorporated. Put the garlic-rosemary paste in a small bowl and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil; stir to combine.
• Season both sides of the brisket with a fair amount of kosher salt and ground black pepper. Place a large roasting pan or Dutch oven over medium-high flame and coat with the remaining olive oil. Put the brisket in the roasting pan and sear to form a nice brown crust on both sides. Lay the vegetables all around the brisket and pour the rosemary paste over the whole thing. Add the wine and tomatoes; toss in the parsley and bay leaves. Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil and transfer to the oven. Bake for about 3 to 4 hours, basting every 30 minutes with the pan juices, until the beef is fork tender.
• Remove the brisket to a cutting board and let it rest for 15 minutes. Scoop the vegetables out of the roasting pan and onto a platter, cover to keep warm. Pour out some of the excess fat, and put the roasting pan with the pan juices on the stove over medium-high heat. Boil and stir for 5 minutes until the sauce is reduced by 1/2. (If you want a thicker sauce, mix 1 tablespoon of flour with 2 tablespoons of wine or water and blend into the gravy).
• Slice the brisket across the grain (the muscle lines) at a slight diagonal. Serve with potato pancakes.
• Using a box grater or food processor, coarsely grate the potatoes and onions. Put the grated potatoes and onions together in cheesecloth or a tea towel and twist it to squeeze out the excess liquid. Put the dry potatoes and onions in a bowl and season with salt and pepper. Fold in the egg whites and chives to bind the mixture together.
• Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium heat and coat with 1/4-inch of oil. For each pancake, take about 2 tablespoons of the potato mixture and drop into the hot oil; gently flatten with a spatula so they fry up thin and crispy. Fry for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, until golden. Remove to paper towels to drain; season with salt while the potato pancakes are still hot. Continue frying, adding more oil as needed, until all of the mixture is used up. Serve immediately with apple sauce, if desired.

PASSOVER BRISKET

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 500 degrees F.
• Using a paring knife and your finger, stuff brisket all over with garlic. Place brisket in a baking dish or casserole and bake until browned on top, remove from oven, turn brisket and return to oven until browned on both sides. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Add enough beef stock to casserole to come up 1 inch on sides, cover with foil and bake one hour.
• While brisket is cooking, heat a large skillet over medium high heat and saute onions in vegetable oil, stirring occasionally, until caramelized and most liquid has evaporated, about 20 minutes. Set aside.
• Remove brisket from oven after one hour and add caramelized onions and all remaining ingredients, moving meat around to combine ingredients. Cover and continue to bake until very tender but not falling apart, another 2 to 3 hours. Remove brisket to a carving board and slice. Strain reserved cooking liquids and pour over sliced brisket. Brisket may be returned to casserole dish and allowed to cool, then served the next day. (Reheated in oven.)
• Brisket is better if made a day in advance.
• Combine all ingredients thoroughly and store in an airtight jar or container.
• Recipe from New New Orleans Cooking, by Emeril Lagasse and Jessie Tirsch. Published by William and Morrow, 1993.

PASSOVER BRISKET

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
• Puree plum tomatoes with juice in a food processor; set aside.
• Trim any remaining excess fat from the brisket. Generously season both sides with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
• Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add brisket and brown very well, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
• Reduce heat to medium-low and add remaining olive oil, onions, and garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, until quite brown and very soft, about 25 minutes. Add red wine, raise heat to high, and bring to a boil. Cook for about 2 minutes, scraping the browned bits of food off the bottom with a wooden spoon.
• Add pureed tomatoes, carrots, and celery and stir well to combine. Return brisket to the pot, spooning some of the liquid and vegetables over it.
• Cover and transfer to the preheated oven. Cook until brisket is very tender, about 3 hours, carefully turning the meat halfway through.
• Remove from the oven and let cool slightly, 10 to 15 minutes. Carefully remove brisket to a cutting board and slice across the grain into 1/4-inch thick slices.
• Transfer sauce and vegetables to a food processor and process until smooth. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if necessary.
• Return sauce to the pot and place sliced brisket in the sauce. Warm over medium-low heat for 5 minutes before serving.

PASSOVER BRISKET

Steps:

• Heat oven to 300°F. In small bowl, mix brown sugar, garlic, wine, chili sauce, ketchup and vinegar with whisk until well blended. Set aside.
• Heat 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat 2 minutes. Pat beef brisket dry with paper towel; season with salt and pepper on each side. Sear beef 2 minutes on one side (beef will develop a dark crust). Turn beef; sear on other side.
• Place beef in large roasting pan. Cover with sauce, sliced onions and thyme sprigs. Cover with foil; bake 3 hours.
• Let beef stand 10 minutes. Cut across grain into slices. Serve with cooked onions and pan drippings.