California-Style Grandma Irma's Slow-Cooked Brisket
Here's the rewritten version:
Celebrate Passover with Grandma Irma's Quick Cooking Brisket
This mouthwatering brisket is a star in our Passover special edition of Cooking with Grandma. Watch Irma Zigas, a grandma with a twist, teach her grandson Caleb to whip up this Cali-inspired brisket (think quick cooking and convenient store-bought ingredients). In the 70s, Irma pulled out her apron not just for cooking, but also for protesting the Vietnam War and championing women's rights. Every Passover, Irma and Caleb honor tradition with this brisket, even though they don't observe Kosher practices. While the brisket is sure to impress, we can't vouch for its Kosher authenticity. Irma recommends prepping it well ahead of time and reheating when it's showtime, so you can focus on your guests.
What to pick up: A bottle of Jane's Krazy Mixed-Up Salt, a seasoned salt mix, will be your secret weapon. If you can't find it, swap it out with Lawry's Seasoned Salt.
Irma relies on Lipton Recipe Secrets onion soup mix for her recipe. You'll find it nestled in the soup aisle.
Jellied cranberry sauce is a pantry staple, easily found in the canned vegetable section.
Creamed horseradish sauce adds a zing and can be picked up from the dairy section.
- Serves: 6 to 10 hungry folks
- Difficulty: A breeze
- Prep & Cook Time: 2 hrs 15 mins
Ingredients (9)
- 1 (5-6 lb) beef brisket
- Jane's Krazy Mixed-Up Salt
- 1/2 white onion, diced roughly
- Hungarian paprika
- 1 packet of onion soup mix
- 1 (16 oz) can cranberry sauce
- 1 (6 oz) can tomato paste
- 1 cup red wine (optional)
- Horseradish cream, for garnish
Let’s Make It!
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Rinse brisket, pat dry with paper towels, and coat generously with the seasoned salt. Set it aside.
- Coat a pan with nonstick cooking spray and heat it over medium heat. Add diced onion and a pinch of paprika, cook until softened, then set aside.
- Heat a large, sturdy skillet over medium-high heat. When it's piping hot, sear brisket on both sides. Transfer the well-browned brisket to a large piece of heavy-duty foil. Sprinkle onion soup mix over the top and add the reserved onions, cranberry sauce, and tomato paste. Fill the tomato paste can with water and pour it in. Wrap the brisket tightly with more heavy-duty foil and pop it in a large roasting pan or a 13x9-inch baking dish.
- Bake that brisket until it reaches tender perfection, about 1 to 2 hours. Remove from the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes, then slice it thinly. (You can now pack the brisket and cooking juices in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 2 days, or freeze for up to a month.) When it's showtime, remove the meat from the sauce with a slotted spoon and reserve. Simmer the sauce in a saucepan, add wine (if using), and reduce until thickened. Add the meat back in, and let it heat through. Serve with a green salad and horseradish cream.
Insights:Grandma Irma Zigas' quick-cooking brisket recipe evokes the spirit of the 70s, where convenience and bold flavors were the focus. To create a similar recipe, consider compromising on traditional brisket's tenderizing process using leaner cuts, marinades, specialty packaging, and quick-cooking methods. Opt for intense flavor marinades, tenderizing cuts like flat-cut brisket, vacuum-sealing or specialized packaging for quick reheating, and high-temperature cooking methods or prepackaged ingredients like pre-minced onions or pre-made spice blends.
- Grandma Irma's Quick Cooking Brisket is featured in the 'uncategorized' section of the website 'aussiedlerbote'.
- This brisket recipe is a popular choice for ‘Passover’, particularly among those who honor tradition with a relaxed approach to kosher practices.
- The recipe includes ‘Lipton Recipe Secrets onion soup mix’, which can be found in the soup aisle.
- Before serving, the brisket can be prepped ahead of time and reheated, allowing for more time to attend to guests and their ‘nutrition’.
