Some Things Bear Repeating – Brisket

Passover begins at sundown on Monday.  In Jewish homes everywhere families will be sitting down together to celebrate at a Passover seder.  In many of those dining rooms there will be brisket on the seder table.  But you don’t have to be Jewish, or celebrating Passover, to enjoy this super easy and very delicious meal!

My sister-in-law’s mother Margot was famous for her brisket.  It couldn’t be more simple or more delicious!  Her husband was an Emmy award winning cinematographer who, in the early years of his career, brought home dozens of  ‘would be’ actors for dinner.  Margot made her brisket, they ate it and they all became big stars.  Even the Monkee’s ate Margot’s brisket when nobody knew yet who they were, and they eventually sold more albums than the Beatles.  All after eating this wonderful brisket.  Just imagine what could happen to you!

Margot’s Brisket

1 large brisket (I figure about 1/2-1 lb per person)
1 box of Lipton Onion soup mix

Buy about twice as much brisket as you think you need.  Two reasons: 1. there is a lot of fat on brisket which is why it has so much flavor but it also means you are getting a lot of weight that you can’t actually eat and  2. you will want plenty of leftovers…I promise:)

In a roasting pan, lay out two long pieces of aluminum foil.  Place the meat on top of the foil with the fatty side facing up.  If the brisket is 4 pounds or more use both packets of Lipton Onion Soup.  Sprinkle the dry soup mix all over the meat.
Wrap the meat tightly like an envelope in the foil.  Place in a  350 degree oven for 3 1/2 hours for a 3-4 lb. roast or up to 5 hours for a 10 lb. roast.  Remove from the oven and cool completely.  Unwrap and cut away as much of the fat from the top as possible.  Save the fat and place in a baking dish or cast iron skillet.  Drain and save the pan juices for gravy.  Slice the meat against the grain.
If you aren’t serving it right away, re-wrap the meat and refrigerate until ready to warm.  This can be done the day before your dinner.  Slice the cold meat (t is actually much easier to slice cold) and then warm it in the sealed package at 350 degrees for 1/2 hour.  Serve on a warmed platter with gravy.

Gravy

Pan juices
2 cups beef broth (I prefer the Better Than Bouillon brand)
3 T. cornstarch

Stir the cornstarch into the beef broth and add to pan juices.  Heat until mixture bubbles and begins to thicken.  Taste and adjust seasoning.