Happy Brisket Eve

the best thing about working in the entertainment industry is that every single agency, production, studio, and casting office shuts down for two weeks over the holidays. which means for the past 10 years i've had the same "winter break" as all the school kids and that is just fine by me.

tomorrow ben and i are leaving for arizona - we're driving straight to his parents' house for BRISKET EVE which is a tradition his mom started a few years ago where she makes brisket for the whole lipson/kull/noel (ben's sister's family) crew. it's also her birthday (billie - ben's mom) tomorrow (and festivus!) so we kind of roll it all into one.

in observance of Brisket Eve - below is Maxine Peters' Sweet and Sour Brisket recipe from the Hasassah Cookbook (1972).



6 lb single brisket
2 onions, sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
3/4 c brown sugar
1/2 c vinegar
1 c ketchup
1 c water
1 T salt
Freshly ground pepper

Place brisket in heavy skillet and brown on all sides. Add and brown onions
and garlic. Add remaining ingredients. Cook, covered, until meat is tender,
about 2 1/4 to 3 hours. Serves ten.

Now what ol' Maxine doesn't tell you is what "cook" means and at what temperature and in what type of vessel to do the cooking in. When we make it we double the sauce ingredients and cook the browned brisket in a covered stock pot on low-medium heat on the stovetop. But Maxine leaves it up to you - she's Sweet and Sour that way.

Happy Festivus and Happy Brisket Eve to you.