Brisket

These succulent stews, roasts, and piquantly spiced meat dishes are among our heartiest entrées. Slowly baked in casseroles or simmered in large stockpots, they’ll suffuse your kitchen with wonderful aromas. Most of these well-stewed entrées were developed by Eastern European Jews, because the tough and sinewy cheaper cuts of meat they could afford required hours of cooking to become tender. But that’s not the whole story; other meat recipes hail from the abundant sheep- producing regions of the Middle East, where lamb is traditional spring fare and the featured entrée at Sephardic Seders. Some entrées in this chapter are suitable for an elegant dinner party, while others consist of everyday dishes like meat loaf, corned beef hash, and potted meatballs.
Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons onion powder
• 3 tablespoons garlic powder
• 3 tablespoons paprika
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 teaspoon celery salt
• 1 4-pound brisket
• 4 tablespoons corn oil
• 1/2 cup water
• 3 cups chopped onion
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped or crushed fresh garlic

Instructions:

1. In a bowl, combine onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, salt, pepper, and celery salt; mix thoroughly. Dredge the brisket in this spice mixture making sure every part of it is well covered. Place in a deep dish covered with aluminum foil, and refrigerate for 1 or 2 days. Heat 2 tablespoons of the corn oil in a large skillet, and brown the meat on both sides. Transfer brisket to a Dutch oven, add 1/2 cup water, cover, and simmer for 1 hour.
2. While meat is simmering, heat remaining 2 tablespoons corn oil in a large skillet, and sauté onions, stirring occasionally. When the onions are nicely browned, add garlic, which browns quickly. Add onions and garlic to brisket pot. Cover, and continue simmering for 2 1/2 hours, or until meat is fully cooked. To test for doneness, stick a fork in the leaner end of the brisket; when there is a slight pull on the fork as it is removed from the meat, it is done. Cook longer if necessary.Remove brisket to a plate, and trim all visible fat. Then place the brisket (with what was the fat side down) on a cutting board, and carve thin slices across the grain (the muscle lines of the brisket) with a sharp, thin-bladed knife. Serve hot with gravy from the pot or cold in sandwiches.

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