Cooking the Chronicle – Oct. 18

What I’ve always liked about recipes in The Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle is that it’s just a grab bag of dishes and you never know what you’re going to get. Maybe a dessert, maybe something traditional, something Israeli, maybe the perfect white rice. When I opened the paper this week and saw a recipe for brisket, my eyes got wide. Most ambitious recipe yet. And on the eve of another holiday. I knew I would need to race to Murray Ave Kosher to grab a small cut of brisket before they run out.

Unlike Jessica Grann, I have toiled over the years and nearly perfected my family’s brisket recipe. I feel pretty confident. I know exactly where I like to order my brisket from (Grow and Behold), what cut I like (first cut, trimmed), how much (a 5-6 lb. cut) and when to prepare for maximum flavor and ease of cutting and serving (cook the day before, lowish and slowish, put it in the fridge to cool, cut cold, and reheat slowly on the plata).

But admittedly, I have only ever made this one brisket recipe in my whole life. It’s cooked in a thick, sweeter sauce made from a combination of ketchup, BBQ sauce, duck sauce, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, and onion soup mix. So I was excited to try something new and potentially add a new recipe to my repertoire—this recipe felt more classic and timeless.

While I was reading about Grann’s journey to this brisket, I started worrying—have I been doing it wrong this whole time? Would my brisket be that better if I chose a double brisket, rather than a first cut? Am I cooking my brisket at too high of a temperature? Should I be adding more liquid to my brisket to braise?

Here’s what worked for me. A double brisket, not just the first cut. Overall it was softer and had more flavor. I was worried it would feel fattier, but it all melted away and was delicious.

But here’s what didn’t work. The cooking time. One hour at 280 F and then 2 hours at 200 F. It felt too low to me at first read, and, ultimately, it was. Even with the recommended 30 extra minutes, my brisket never got soft and shreddy. Grann did mention this could just be the cut of meat. But I had a hunch and decided to go wild and experiment. I cranked up the heat to 350 F for an extra hour. This did the trick. The brisket became soft and tender. Ultimately, I would do this recipe again, but for the 3-3.5 hours at a temperature like 325 F.

Searing and braising a brisket is not the most toddler-friendly cooking experience, so I put our daughter to work on mashing the potatoes. And at the end of the day, my family enjoyed this recipe and it was perfect for the three of us, with a little bit of leftovers for the week. Admittedly, I am not sure I can break up with my family’s recipe for this brisket, but this is a solid place to start if you don’t know where to start or don’t have a favorite family recipe for the holidays.