Jewish Brisket -- The Bird That Holds the Week Together

Halloween week. Josie went as Dolly Parton this year — a choice that required a blonde wig from a costume store and a pair of rhinestone earrings from Gayle and a guitar borrowed from a neighbor. She looked absurdly great. Tyler helped her with the guitar. Justin offered to teach her "Jolene" on the chords he barely knows, and she learned a passable version by Thursday. She sang it at her school Halloween assembly Friday and got a standing ovation from the middle school, which Rashida reported. Josie was vibrating at dinner Friday. She is coming into her force.

Drove a Lincoln run Monday, a Des Moines run Wednesday-Thursday. Normal. Quiet. Cold. Wrote in the hotel Wednesday. Interviewed a driver named Teresa McRae by phone Thursday night — 51, Mexico originally, drives long-haul produce out of California. Her story was long and rich. I wrote nine pages of notes. The book is becoming. Slowly. Correctly.

November 3 is in ten days. I have been feeling it. I always feel it starting around this week. Ten years. This year is ten years. I told Gayle Sunday. She said, "I know what it is." I said, "Ma. I want to do something." She said, "What do you want to do?" I said, "I want to go to the cemetery. With Amber and Justin. Just the three of us. And you if you want." She was quiet. She said, "I want to come." I said, "Okay." I called Amber Sunday night. She said, "Yes." I called Justin — he was in his room. I went in. I said, "November 3 is Thursday. We are going to the cemetery. Amber, Grandma, you, and me." He said, "Okay." That was the whole conversation. He said "okay" and he nodded. That was him saying yes. That was him saying everything.

Halloween is Monday. I will be home. I will hand out candy. I will watch Josie run around in her Dolly Parton costume for one last time because she is eleven now and this may be her last Halloween of the full costume era, and I want to be there.

Made a roast chicken Sunday. Seasoned simply, lemon in the cavity, butter under the skin, the bird that is the weekly anchor. Dave ate the dark meat. I ate the breast. The kids ate everything. The kitchen smelled like Sunday. The house was warm.

That Sunday roast — the lemon chicken, the butter under the skin, the kitchen smelling like warmth — reminded me that some meals are really just acts of love made edible. With November 3 coming and the weight of ten years sitting quietly in the house, I wanted something that cooked long and slow, something that filled the rooms with a smell that said we are here, we are together. Brisket does that. It always has. This is the recipe I reach for when the week asks something of you and you need the kitchen to carry some of it.

Jewish Brisket

Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 3 hours 30 minutes | Total Time: 3 hours 50 minutes | Servings: 8

Ingredients

• 4 to 5 pounds beef brisket, first cut (flat cut)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 2 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 cup dry red wine
• 1 cup beef broth
• 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 3 sprigs fresh thyme (or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme)
• 2 bay leaves

Instructions

1. Preheat and season. Preheat your oven to 325°F. Pat the brisket dry with paper towels. Mix together the salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder, then rub the mixture evenly over all sides of the meat.
2. Sear the brisket. Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy roasting pan over medium-high heat. Add the brisket and sear without moving it for 4 to 5 minutes per side, until a deep brown crust forms. Transfer the brisket to a plate and set aside.
3. Build the braising base. Reduce heat to medium. Add the sliced onions to the same pot and cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes until softened and beginning to caramelize. Add the minced garlic and tomato paste and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
4. Deglaze and add liquids. Pour in the red wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Add the beef broth, diced tomatoes, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, thyme, and bay leaves. Stir to combine and bring to a gentle simmer.
5. Braise low and slow. Return the brisket to the pot, fat side up. The liquid should come about halfway up the sides of the meat. Cover tightly with a lid or foil and transfer to the oven. Braise for 3 to 3 1/2 hours, until the brisket is fork-tender and yields easily when pierced.
6. Rest and slice. Remove the brisket from the oven and let it rest, covered, for 20 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and slice against the grain into 1/4-inch slices. Discard the bay leaves and thyme sprigs from the braising liquid.
7. Serve. Arrange slices on a platter and spoon the onions and braising sauce generously over the top. Serve with roasted potatoes, egg noodles, or crusty bread.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 420 | Protein: 46g | Fat: 18g | Carbs: 12g | Fiber: 1g | Sodium: 520mg