Roast Brisket for Chanukah

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving yesterday and to those of you who are celebrating Chanukah, Happy Chanukah!  In my family Chanukah has always meant latkes and brisket.  This recipe is from my grandma but the recipe card says Mother-In-Law's style so I think it is probably my great-grandma's recipe.  When this is cooking my kitchen just smells like Chanukah to me.

One of the great parts of this recipe is that it is even better if you make it the day before so then you have one less thing to worry about the day that you are having a bunch of people over to your house to celebrate.  It is super easy, but it does take a long time.  It is mostly hands off time though so you can get a bunch done around the house while this cooks.

Start out by peppering both sides of the brisket and then searing it well in a large dutch oven that has a lid.  I wanted to have a bunch of leftovers so I made two briskets and doubled the sauce.  While your brisket is browning, halve and slice a couple of onions. 

Once your brisket has been browned on each side, remove it from the pan and set it aside.  Then add the sliced onions to the pan and saute for a few minutes until the onions are just glazed.

Take some of the onions out, put the brisket back in the pan, and then put the removed onions back on top.  You want onions underneath and on top of the brisket.  Because I had two briskets, I had onions underneath, in between the two, and on top of the brisket.  Get a packet of onion soup mix, I used Lipton, and sprinkle it all over the brisket and onions.

Then cover the top with a bunch of ketchup and an equal amount of red wine (you can use water instead, it just won't be as flavorful).

Put the lid on your dutch oven and cook at 325 for 4 hours, flipping it halfway through cooking.  Let it cool some and then refrigerate overnight.

The next day, remove it from the fridge, skim off any fat from the top, and take the brisket out of the pot.  Slice the brisket against the grain and then put it back in the sauce.  Reheat by putting it in a 325 oven for about 30 minutes.  Serve the brisket with the onions and sauce on top.

This freezes well so do what I did and make two briskets.  I used a 3 pound brisket and a 4 pound brisket and just doubled the rest of the ingredients.  Then you can have a delicious, homemade dinner in no time at all.  The extra effort to make two is minimal and it is totally worth it.  Enjoy!

Roast Brisket for Chanukah

• 5 lb end cut brisket, well trimmed
• black pepper
• 2 onions, halved and sliced
• 1 package onion soup mix
• 14 oz. ketchup
• 14 oz. red wine

1. Preheat oven to 325.
2. Generously pepper both sides of the brisket.
3. Sear both sides well in a dutch oven that has a lid.  Remove from pan and set aside.
4.  Add sliced onions to the same pan and saute until just glazed.
5. Remove half of the onions from the pan and put the brisket on the onions that are still in the pan.
6. Top with the remainder of the onions and sprinkle the onion soup mix all over both.
7. Cover it all with the ketchup and red wine.
8. Cover the dutch  oven and bake for 4 hours, flipping the brisket half way through.
9. Let cool slightly then refrigerate overnight.
10. The next day skim off any fat then remove the brisket from the pan and slice against the grain.  
11. Put the meat back in the pot and reheat in a 325 oven for 30 minutes.
12. Serve with onions and sauce on top. 

I'm linking up with Link Party Palooza, Show Stopper Saturday, Marvelous Monday, Mix It Up Monday, Busy Monday, Inspiration Monday, Tasty Tuesdays, Wake Up Wednesday, Made By Me, Whimsy Wednesdays, Real Creative Life, Moonlight & Mason Jars, Pin It Thursday, Less Laundry More Linking, and Pin Junkie.