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Single-topic cookbooks can be daunting. You might think, “Really, how many different ways ARE there to cook [fill in the blank]?”
For brisket, there are as many ways to cook it as there are cooks, and it seems that everyone swears their way is the best.
Every family has its favorite heirloom brisket recipe – the tender, beefy, deeply comforting dish that must be at every holiday and get-together, or don’t bother coming.
Braised, barbecued, roasted, done in a Dutch oven, a slow cooker, a foil pan or Grandma’s chipped enamel roaster, brisket is essentially a love story laid out on a dinner plate.
Stephanie Pierson
Author Stephanie Pierson plunged in to tell that story with her new book, “The Brisket Book: A Love Story with Recipes,” (Andrews McMeel; $29.99). It’s the only book entirely devoted to brisket.
She’s the right one for the job, as evidenced by her comment: “Some foods will improve your meal, your mood, your day, your buttered noodles. Brisket will improve your life.”
Yes! I defy you to prove that wrong!
Authoritative, comprehensive, amusing, enlightening and chock full of delicious recipes and interesting tidbits, “The Brisket Book” is not only good reading, it guarantees good eating.
There’s brisket with tangy peaches, in sweet-and-sour sauce, with green chile, in tahini sauce, parsley sauce, sweet chili jam, Korean chile…let’s just admit there are things in this book you would never invent, not in your wildest dreams. Yet, improbably, someone has, and has made them deliciously.
Recipes from boldfaced chefs (Daniel Boulud, Anita Lo, John Besh), cookbook authors (Joan Nathan, Colman Andrews), cooking bibles (Cook’s Illustrated, Gourmet), smart guys (Kenji Lopez-Alt) regionally renowned pitmasters (Fatty ‘Cue) and just plain good home cooks sit side by side with poems to brisket, jokes about brisket, love letters to Weber grills, funny lists, brisket adventures, etc.
Pierson chose the best brisket recipes ever, each a distinct type. I looked at every single recipe in the book, smacked the book down on the counter with the page cracked upon to the recipe that spoke to me immediately — Slow Cooker Brisket – and got to work.
Although the recipe didn't call for it, I started with a chopped onion. Just because.
Next in went the brisket, which I had trimmed of fat.
Finally, the sauce went on top.
Don't forget to put a note on the pot that reminds you when you started it, or intend to stop it.
Brisket = love on a dinner plate!
In minutes it was in the pot and cooking. It sang to me from the page, the aroma enticed me as it was cooking, and the next day, it charmed on the dinner plate.
It was a total success, as is this book. I highly recommend both.
Recipe: Slow Cooker Brisket
Summary: Let the ingredients do all the work in this warm, welcoming, easy-to-make slow cooker brisket. The beer tenderizes the meat, the onion soup gives it a sweetness and depth, the chili sauce goes “zing!” This recipe is from Tammie Barker.
Ingredients
- 1 onion, chopped (this is my addition. I never make brisket without a chopped onion!)
- 6 ounces beer
- 1 envelope onion soup mix
- 12 ounces chili sauce, such as Heinz
- 1 (4-pound) beef brisket, trimmed
Instructions
- In a slow cooker with a minimum 3 ½-quart capacity, combine chopped onion, beer, soup mix and chili sauce. Add the brisket and coat with the sauce. (In smaller model cookers, the meat may not lie flat.) Cover the cooker and cook on low until the brisket is fork-tender, 8-10 hours.
- Transfer the brisket to a cutting board and slice against the grain. If the sauce needs to be thickened and intensified, reduce it in a pan on the stsove before serving with the brisket.
- Serves 8.
Quick notes
The recipe author notes you may use up to 7 pounds of brisket in this recipe if your cooker can handle it.
Dorothy’s notes:
Sauce: I removed the meat from the crock and poured the sauce into a large skillet and reduced it over medium heat, then cooled it and stored it in a container in the refrigerator separate from the meat.
Make ahead: I made the brisket the day before. When done, I removed meat from the crock and cooled it, placed it in a container and refrigerated it overnight. The next morning, I sliced it (it slices easily and neatly when cold) and returned the slices to the container and the refrigerator until dinner time. When it was time to eat, I reheated the meat in the microwave quickly, reheated the sauce on the stove, and serving was easy.
Chili sauce: There are a couple of different brands in the stores (Heinz is probably the most well known). After comparing ingredients, I liked this one better. Suit yourself!
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 8-10 hours
Number of servings (yield): 8
Culinary tradition: USA (General)
My rating
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At ShockD, you’ll find scrumptious, tried & true, "scary good" recipes, tips and coaching to make YOU a fabulous home cook! Don't blame me if you need a 12-step program to wean yourself away!
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{ 12 comments… read them below or add one }
There are kosher beers available for passover – I’ve been using it for years!
Carole,
Good to know!
Chile sauce? How did a southwestern recipe suddenly become appropriate for a seder?
Brisket is cooked in caramelized carrots, onion and dried prunes and apricots if the family is rich. The flavors of Passover are bitter and sweet. Bitterness of slavery, the sweetness of freedom.
This recipe doesn’t make it.
Oh the beer; something to drink only if you are sneaking out of the seder… otherwise, plum brandy, Slivervich is the drink of choice.
Mariel,
Thanks for weighing in. I think if you tasted this, you might loosen your reins on the Passover menu. Traditional flavors will always be welcome, but some people like to change it up once in awhile.
Nice brisket recipe and easy. Thanks
This brisket recipe is an interesting one, but should not be used on Passover as it includes beer, which is definitely not kosher for Passover. Perhaps the Passover tag should be taken off. (I too use a crockpot for brisket. It is the best!)
Paula,
Thank you so much for the clarification! I know not everyone keeps kosher for Passover, so this might be a recipe for those who want a traditional meat, but are not keeping kosher. Those who are should feel free to sub another liquid that suits their needs. Thank you!
Dorothy, Try substituting the beer for Coke! It’ll tenderize anything!
Fancy,
Sounds intriguing!
Dorothy, what a fantastic post. I didn’t know about this book and I LOVE brisket!!! Happy Passover, or Easter! (Or Happy Any Day!)
A whole book to brisket and one perfect recipe. Happy Passover. GREG