How to make a perfect brisket

Tonight is Rosh Hashanah, so of course I'm cooking. I keep seeing a bunch of brisket baking questions in my Facebook feed, so for anyone searching for how to make a perfect brisket, here's how.

Of course, there's no one way to make a perfect brisket so I should qualify this as my personal favorite way to make a perfect brisket. The recipe I use I think is the one often called Southern Brisket or Jewish Brisket, but to be honest this recipe didn't come from my family, so I really don't know how traditional, or non-traditional, Jewish, or southern, it is. The recipe actually comes from my brother's friend's grandma, who I think was Jewish, and also southern, but I'm not entirely positive.

Anyway, southern, Jewish, or not, this is a recipe for how to cook a perfect brisket every time.

Beef Brisket

Ingredients:
1 beef brisket, 6-8 pounds - get the best quality one you possibly can. I get mine from a specialty butcher.
1 jar Heinz chili sauce, 12 oz
1 packet Lipton onion soup mix
1 can of Coca Cola, 12 oz

Serves 8 to 10 people

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
2. Put the brisket in a strong cooking dish, approx. 13 x 9 inches. A disposable aluminum one will not work. Don't risk it and learn the hard way like I did, just trust me you need a real baking dish. I use a stoneware Le Creuset Baking Dish and love it, but any sturdy pan will work.
3. The brisket should be placed in the pan fat side up. Score the fat all over with a sharp knife.
4. In a bowl, whisk together the chili sauce, onion soup mix and can of coke. Pour over the brisket.

5. Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil, and put it the 325 degree oven.
6. Leave the brisket alone. THIS IS IMPORTANT. Do not turn, poke, prod or even open the aluminum foil. Again, I repeat, leave the brisket alone. I know this can be difficult, but trust me, you can't open it even once or you risk having all the heat escape and letting your lovely brisket dry out. I repeat one more time, leave the brisket alone. Cook for 3 to 4 hours; general rule is 30 minutes per pound.
7. Take the brisket out of the oven, cut off and discard the top layer of fat.
8.Slice the meat diagonally against the grain. Then, put the entire sliced brisket back in the pan with all the sauce, an make sure there is plenty of sauce covering the brisket slices. Let it rest at room temperature for 15-20 minutes, then serve. If it isn't quite done, you can re-cover the pan, and put it back in the oven to cook a little while longer, then remove and let rest at room temperature before serving.

That's it! Serve the brisket sliced with plenty of sauce covering each piece, and if you choose, you can serve additional sauce on the side as well.

Brisket is just as good - many argue better - the next day, so be happy if you have leftovers, of if you like to cook ahead, make the brisket the night before and just reheat in a 200 degree oven before serving.

For all those celebrating, L'Shana Tovah!

Happy Rosh Hashanah

For the Jews reading this: L'Shana Tova!

For the non-Jewish audience: today is Rosh Hashanah, the first day of the new year on the Jewish calendar. In case you're wondering, we're ringing in 5774, and we're doing so earlier than usual which means this year Hanukkah falls over Thanksgiving which should mean some fun holiday blending to look forward to in a couple months.

A few years back I made a Rosh Hashanah video, and I'm sharing it for the third year in a row.

'Cause listening to the sounds of a young child repeatedly blowing on a plastic shofar never grows old.

Wishing all celebrating a sweet year of health and happiness!

Shana Tova! Happy 5773!

Tonight at sundown marks a new year in the Jewish calendar.

A few years back I made a Rosh Hashanah video, so I figured why not share it again - I mean, who doesn't enjoy listening to a kid blowing over and over again on a plastic shofar?

I've got lots of ideas to Celebrate Rosh Hashanah with Kids at BaristaKids.com.

Wishing all celebrating a sweet year of health and happiness!

Ring in the New Year Twitter Style with MamaDrama!

I'm joining in on the fun this Thursday night when MamaDrama is hosting a #HighHolidayHappyHour on Twitter, and I hope you will, too!

We'll be sharing Rosh Hashanah traditions and ideas, and of course trading stories and recipes as well!

Here are the details:

When: Thursday, September 13, from 9-10 pm EST (8-9 pm CT; 7-8 pm MT and 6-7 pm PT)
Hashtag: #HighHolidayHappyHour
Moderators: @peekababy, @primetimeparent, @mommymusings001 and me - @Anna_Sandler

And there are prizes!
*Two (2) Manischewitz bundle of goodies, great for makin’ some fab Rosh Hashanah meals
*Two (2) copies of Get Cooking: A Jewish American Family Cookbook & Rockin’ Mama Doni Celebration
*Two (2) sets of Hot Mamalah: The Ultimate Guide for Every Woman of the Tribe and Cool Jew: The Ultimate Guide for Every Member of the Tribe by Lisa Alcalay Klug

RSVP:
Head over to MamaDrama's Ring in the New Year Twitter Style and share in the comments that you'll be at #HighHolidayHappyHour.

See you there!

I was not compensated for this post or for my participation in the Twitter Party.

 

Wishing All a Happy, Healthy & Sweet New Year

This Wednesday night at sundown begins the year 5772 on the Hebrew calendar. My newly school attending son brought home the symbols of the Rosh Hashanah holiday: a bee, a red tissue paper apple, a watercolored fish, and this adorable pomegranate-embellished photo:

With his wee little handprint on the reverse side.

It was a perfect way to start a new year.

And because I like to celebrate all holidays with Animoto videos, I made one with photos from a few years past.

~ Happy Rosh Hashanah ~



And to all those observing...
Shana Tova Umetukah.

Handprint Crafts for September - Apple Trees, Fall Foliage and the Rosh Hashanah Holiday

Here in the northeast, September is all about apples, much like October is all about pumpkins. (Note: I am not jumping on the Halloween-in-September bandwagon. There will be no talk of Halloween here until October 1 at the earliest.)

There is no shortage of handprint crafts focusing on apples. In addition to the back to school apple handprint craft featured here last month, there are also lots of great options for making handprint apple trees.

I love this family apple tree from I can teach my child, where each person can add a red painted-fingerprint apple to the tree made from green construction paper handprints - each person gets to add one of these, too.

I also love this handprint tree from Three Peas in a Pod which really captures the changes colors of the fall foliage, I know my kids would love to make this one. The leaves are made with fingerprints. Too cute.

I also love apples and honey to celebrate the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah. This year the holiday falls on September 28-30. Creative Jewish Mom always has the best holiday crafts, and Rosh Hashanah is no exception. Two of my favorites are:
the wine cork stamp apple cards:

and the bubble wrap apple cards:

To see lots more great Rosh Hashanah ideas, visit Creative Jewish Mom.

This month also brings the autumnal equinox on September 23, but I'm not sure how exactly to celebrate that with a handprint craft. So if you have any ideas, please let me know.

Happy September crafting!

Today is Rosh Hashanah

We had a great eruv Rosh Hashanah last night, photos to be posted soon. I also got a very kind email from one of Magpie's morahs that was really nice. It's here for everyone else to enjoy too:

Wishing you all a k'sivah vachasimah tova! shana tovah umesuka!May you all be blessed for a very good year with only brachos and happiness and only revealed good!!May we meet in Yerushalayim with Moshiach now!