Roast brisket

Not BBQ. Can someone recommend a restaurant that does this dish justice? I've never been able to find a good rendition in a restaurant. My best samplings were from Jewish Grandmothers who seemed to be able to put a magical spell on the meat.

Manny's has great brisket.

They only make a certain amount, so if you are going there later in the day they are sometimes out.

Cogito wrote:My best samplings were from Jewish Grandmothers who seemed to be able to put a magical spell on the meat.

Often that magic comes from a pack of Lipton's Onion soup mix.

Hey, that's supposed to be a secret!

G Wiv wrote:

Cogito wrote:My best samplings were from Jewish Grandmothers who seemed to be able to put a magical spell on the meat.

Often that magic comes from a pack of Lipton's Onion soup mix.

Always works for me! Once tried to "recreate" the LOSM and failed miserably. Reminded me of Mhays' post about trying to "manufacture" a glass of milk

Manny's is a great place, but it's pretty much off the beaten path for me. Surely, there must be some good brisket available west or north, city or suburbs?

I think what you're really looking for is braised brisket, which can definitely be a tough find in restaurants and it's usually pretty bad, even when it is offered.

One place that serves an excellent version during the winter -- though they erroneously call it BBQ Brisket -- is Prairie Fire (in which I am a minor investor). It's not exactly Jewish-style but it's close. It's a slow and tender braise served with mashed potatoes, root vegetables and an extremely flavorful, beefy broth . . .


"BBQ" Brisket at Prairie Fire

Ironically, I once had another memorably solid resto version at what is ostensibly a fish place, LEYE's DiPescara in Northbrook. I once attended a Jewish holiday meal there and a special menu was served. On that menu was brisket and it was really effing good -- far better than anything I've ever had off their regular menu and superior to many versions I've had from home cooks.

Now, it's not on their regular menu but that menu does contain this section of text:

DiPescara's menu wrote:BRAISED DISHES

Popular for many years in Italy, braising is a method of slow-cooking meats and vegetables with aromatic herbs until succulent and tender.

ask your server about tonight's braised selection

So, it's possible that they serve their brisket from time to time and it might be worth a call to see if that's the case.

=R=

Prairie Fire
215 North Clinton Street
Chicago, IL 60661-1227
(312) 382-8300

Di Pescara
2124 Northbrook Court
Northbrook, IL 60062
(847) 498-4321

(Wow! I can't believe I just recommended DiPescara!)

Thanks, Ronnie. That photo looks like what I remember. For such a tasty item, it sure seems hard to find.

the best "jewish" brisket i've ever had is from a recipe on Mr Brisket's website. Mr Brisket is a butcher in Cleveland and this is fantastic and EASY to do.

http://www.misterbrisket.com/NewFiles/r ... ket_Recipe

Utensils
A large old-fashioned roasting pan – the blue one with the white speckles. Speckled roasters are usually available in most hardware stores. Be sure to buy the size that holds a 20-22 pound turkey – the label on the pan should spell out its capacity. Unfortunately, I have not convinced the roasting pan manufacturers to think of briskets; they think in terms of turkeys. But if it’s big enough for a 22-pound turkey, it’ll be big enough for a 6-10 pound brisket.
A medium-size mixing bowl
A large plastic container with a lid

Ingredients
One First Cut Mister Brisket Beef Brisket--typically weighing from 5-8 lbs
1 bottle Heinz Chili Sauce
1 envelope Lipton’s Onion Soup Mix
2 (12 ounce) can cola – don’t use diet cola

Directions
1. Preheat your oven to 325 degrees.

2. Place the brisket fat-side-up into the roaster. (The brisket can be taken right from the refrigerator and put into the roaster – it does not have to be at room temperature.)

3. Pour the chili sauce, onion soup mix and the cola into the mixing bowl and stir several times. (Many people are tempted to taste this concoction. Trust me, it tastes “challucious.” You’ll taste it after the brisket is cooked.)

4. Dump this mixture over the brisket. You can lift the brisket up and let some of the liquid spread under it. It won’t hurt.

5. Cover the brisket and roast it at 325 degrees until the flat portion is fork tender — anywhere from 3 to 4 hours. By “fork tender” I mean that the meat is tender, but there is still a slight tug on the fork as you pull the fork out of the brisket. If it is not fork tender, cover the brisket and return it to the oven, checking at 15-minute intervals.

6. When the flat section is done (fork tender), remove the brisket from the roaster and allow it to cool on a platter. When the gravy is cooled, pour it into the plastic container, cover and refrigerate it. Wrap the cooled brisket in cellophane and place it into the refrigerator overnight. Once it’s refrigerated, the roasted brisket and cold gravy can remain there for at least a week before it’s sliced, reheated and served.

Slicing, reheating and serving
The easiest thing to do is to bring the cold, roasted brisket (please leave the gravy at home) to the store and we will defat, slice and aesthetically replace it in your roasting pan. If you’re too busy with work, car-pooling, tennis lessons, lunches, aerobics classes, power lifting or feel that Taylor Road is impossible for your schedule, you’re going to have to slice it yourself.

Here’s what to do:
1. Get a real sharp knife and trim off all visible fat from the top of the brisket. Do this on a cutting board.

2. Turn the brisket over on what was the fat side. You should be looking at the muscle grain of the brisket. Take your knife and slice the brisket against or across the muscle grain. If the slices appear stringy, stop! You’re slicing the wrong way.

3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and remove the cold gravy from the refrigerator. You’ll notice that all of the fat has congealed at the top. Remove the fat and throw it away.

4. Heat the gravy in a saucepan until it boils.

5. Pour this hot gravy over the brisket slices, cover the roaster and reheat your brisket for one hour at 350 degrees.

Not knowing the butcher and his product names can I assume that the "First Cut Mister Brisket Beef Brisket" is a flat? Based upon the (smallish) size I can't imagine it's a full packer cut and is therefore just the flat - but figured I'd ask in case you know.

Thanks for posting the recipe, looks interesting.

Kman wrote:Not knowing the butcher and his product names can I assume that the "First Cut Mister Brisket Beef Brisket" is a flat? Based upon the (smallish) size I can't imagine it's a full packer cut and is therefore just the flat - but figured I'd ask in case you know.

Thanks for posting the recipe, looks interesting.

1st cut = flat in brisketspeak.

OK, I have to contribute my recipe to the mix.
This comes from someone who used to work with my mom.
sounds awful -- tastes amazing.

Judy B’s Brisket
Beef Brisket approx 4 lbs.
2-3 onions, quartered
salt
pepper
garlic powder
paprika
soy sauce
yellow mustard
parmesan cheese
½ c brown sugar
1 bottle Heinz 57 chili sauce

1. Place brisket in pan with onions and 1 cup of water. Cover and bake at 350 for 1 hour
2. add 1 cup of water, cover and bake an additional hour
3. sprinkle spices on brisket, then spread mustard over it like a frosting. Mix brown sugar and soy sauce with ¾ of the chili sauce, and pour mixture over the brisket. (Add remaining chili sauce to the pan) Sprinkle liberally with parmesan cheese. Cover and bake an additional 45 min- 1 hour.
4. Cool overnight.
5. Skim fat, slice meat and return to gravy to reheat for serving.

Yes, I've used this method to great effect:

sliced onion
lipton (or knorr) onion soup packet
1 bottle chili sauce (Bennett's, Heinz, etc)

make sure to sear meat on each side

Put these 3 ingredients over meat, add liquid of choice so it's 1/2 way up sides of meat
(water, wine)

cover and bake - do not let it dry out

this is better sliced and reheated the next day

It's been a few years, but I loved the brisket sandwich at Angel Food Bakery on Montrose just west of Ashland.

Their current menu lists:

Hot Brisket on a roll (seasonal) $9.50
Enjoy our famous brisket, Rosh Hashana through Passover!
Served on a homemade kaiser roll

Our old family recipe (shlepped, no doubt, from the old country) is very similar to leek's except possibly even easier: no sear. And instead of onion, we use ketchup and some water. And she's right. Even better on day two (if any is left).

Sorry for torturing OP with all of these recipes when all (s)he wanted was a place to go for a plate of brisket. I cordially extend her/him an invitation to join us for passover if (s)he doesn't find what (s)he's looking for commercially available.

Until then, I'm afraid (s)he's going to have to watch this thread evolve into a best of LTH brisket recipes collection. Such is life.

Personally, I hate sweet brisket--anything involving ketchup, heinz 57, bbq sauce, etc. turns my stomach. For me it's nothing but a pretty hunk of meat with a moderate amount of fat on it, Lipton OSM, thinly sliced sweet onion, 1/2 cup of dry red wine and a 1/2 cup of beef stock. Sealed up tight in foil and cook in a 250 degree oven for 3-4 hours. Depending on the amount of fat, I'll usually crisp it up under the broiler if needed. Yup, that's it. Tastes fabulous. There's never enough left for the sandwiches that I fantasize about making the next day. Oh yeah, and homemade horseradish sauce with sour cream and chives. Pan gravy only.

Looking forward to the end of April!!

Brisket is on the menu as a special today at Jack's.

Jack's Restaurant
5201 W. Touhy
Skokie, IL
847-674-5532

If this thread is going to turn into a recipe exchange, this would be a good time point people to two existing threads. Both include some discussions of truly slow-cooked brisket (i.e. 8-12 hours):

viewtopic.php?p=176528

viewtopic.php?f=16&t=14582

I just want to second the Prairie Fire brisket rec. I had it. I liked it.

boudreaulicious wrote:Personally, I hate sweet brisket--anything involving ketchup, heinz 57, bbq sauce, etc. turns my stomach.

The fact that there is ketchup in a recipe or commercial chili sauce hardly turns the brisket sweet. Other ingredients and proportions might have something to do with it, but our brisket isn't remotely sweet. And I can't imagine a good brisket, whether made at home or at a restaurant the OP is seeking, that is. Now the tzimmes...that's another story!

Wow, this thread is making me nuts. Thank you for your kind offer, boudreaulicious, it is quite thoughtful of you. When I ate my first brisket I thought it was one of the best tasting pieces of meat I had ever come across. Now, after looking at some the ingredients being used in many of the recipes, I am slightly amazed.

Gypsy Boy wrote:

boudreaulicious wrote:Personally, I hate sweet brisket--anything involving ketchup, heinz 57, bbq sauce, etc. turns my stomach.

The fact that there is ketchup in a recipe or commercial chili sauce hardly turns the brisket sweet. Other ingredients and proportions might have something to do with it, but our brisket isn't remotely sweet. And I can't imagine a good brisket, whether made at home or at a restaurant the OP is seeking, that is. Now the tzimmes...that's another story!

i know...it's just personal taste--I've had the versions that include the chili sauce, etc. and everyone loves it--it's just not for me.

And cogito, the offer is genuine--I'm not doing a traditional night seder--I think it will be slightly off cycle--but if you'd like to join us you are welcome. It really is part of the tradition to invite all comers!!

A peek into the Davis Family Book of Dirty Little Secrets reveals:

BUBBE’S BRISKET RECIPE

1. Go to:
Reagan Meats
1855 Waukegan Road
Glenview, IL 60025-2158
(847) 724-0243 ‎

2. Purchase one, or more, aluminum trays of frozen brisket from the freezer, according to your needs. Buy extra, because people will eat more of this brisket than you ever thought possible.

3. Follow the cooking directions on the label.

If you were the kind of kid in school who always did the extra-credit parts of the assignments, you can add chunks of carrot, potato and onion to the brisket during the final hour of cooking. WARNING: If you plan to do this (and you should), it is best to open the frozen container and transfer the contents to a much larger roasting pan and re-cover, tightly. After cooking for a while, the containers, as packed by Reagan’s, will be filled to the brim with great cooking liquid. You will not be able to open the container safely and add vegetables. Nor will you be able to safely transfer the meat and cooking liquid.

4. Enjoy, fressers, enjoy! There is no need to tell your guests that this is “store-bought” brisket – and from gentiles, no less!

I can't believe that none of these recipes includes garlic. What is a brisket without garlic?

G Wiv wrote:

Cogito wrote:My best samplings were from Jewish Grandmothers who seemed to be able to put a magical spell on the meat.

Often that magic comes from a pack of Lipton's Onion soup mix.

Indeed! My Mom's recipe, which is quite loved by many, is simply Lipton Onion Soup mix, ketchup & 7-Up.

I have had very good brisket at Max's in Highland Park. They slice it very thin, but it's moist, flavorful and fork tender.

It's been too long since I had any there, but friends recommend What's Cooking in Lincoln Village.

Max's Delicatessen & Restaurant
(847) 831-0600
191 Skokie Valley Road
Highland Park IL, 60035
http://maxs-deli.com

What's Cooking
(773) 583-3050
6181 N. Lincoln Ave.
Chicago, IL 60659

I've had both, and the relatively poor brisket at the Bagel at Old Orchard, and if I had to get brisket out, I'd go with Max's in Highland Park.

But if I were driving up there, I'd really go for their corned beef hash!

That said, the two best briskets I've ever had were:

1) my late mom's, which is a classic French mirepoix (onion, carrot, celery). I can reproduce this brisket at home in my sleep, and just gets better every day the leftovers sit in the refrigerator

and

2) this recipe on Epicurious (http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/ ... nes-241853) that I use at Passover because it doesn't call for any flour.

Several of the kosher markets have decent brisket. Stop by each and get a little taste. My preference is the Romanian. Everything they make is delicious. They will slice the brisket thick or thin, but treat it more like a deli meat than a hot dish with gravy.

1. Hungarian Kosher - they often have frozen dinners made at the deli in the freezer case next to the deli counter.
4020 W Oakton
Skokie, IL
847.674.8008

2. Garden Fresh Market (Kosher Deli)
275 Skokie Blvd.
Northbrook, IL
(847) 272-0300

3. Romanian Kosher Sausage
7200 North Clark Street
Chicago, IL
(773) 761-4141

I do not believe Romanian's or any of the other's mentioned routinely has roast brisket in the deli case - they all due have corned beef which is brisket - and by far Romanian's is the best. Occasionally Hungarian's and Garden Fresh will have a roast/braised brisket available in their deli case - you can buy a brisket from their butcher shope -

Hmmm. I could've sworn I had sliced brisket from Romanian. (Obviously they are famous for the corn beef and please go and try it, along with their salami, hot dogs and pastrami.) I go there about once a month, and am due for a visit so I will investigate and report back!

I should have clarified the deli case - around the Jewish holidays (Passover, High Holidays) most of the kosher counters (Hungarian, Romanian, Garden Fresh, Kosher Jewel on Howard) will have roast brisket. Call ahead. The rest of the year, they won't always have it during the week but often available for Friday nights. Most of these places offer kosher catering pick-up for Shabbat dinners, so just call and ask.

Another couple options are some of the counter-service kosher restaurants. They do full meals, but I expect that they would also sell you just the prepared brisket. (Although be warned that some kosher establishments are somewhat arbitrary in what they offer- but worth the call nevertheless!) Full dinner include entree, sides, bread and usually run about $12-15 per person. Not cheap, but, hey, it's kosher!

Now We're Cooking Grill
710 Central Avenue
Highland Park IL
847-432-7310
http://www.cookin-grill.com/#shabbat

The Sandwich Club
4507 West Oakton
Skokie, Il 60076
847.677.6020
http://www.thesandwichclub.net/catering3.html