Brisket back in style; cranberry sauce makes it better
Top o’ the mornin’ to ye. If I initiate that greeting, look what I get in return: “And the balance o’ the day to ye!” So, now go forth and greet one and all on this special St. Patrick’s Day.
I receive valuable gifts of friendship and ideas from my readers, and I cherish both from Nancy Allen, who also gifted me with a satisfying bag of Anasazi beans. We have chatted on occasion about cooking, and I asked her to submit the following recipe. It turns out to be another gift — a guest column unknowingly written as she chats about lightening up a familiar favorite. Thank you, dear Nancy.
Best Brisket
The brisket ... what’s old is new. Savory sweet and sour, this recipe dates back 35 years ago to Cooking Cooperatively, published by The Menlo-Atherton Cooperative Nursery mothers in 1981.
Briskets were not in fashion and nearly impossible to find, so the recipe simmered on the back burner of my mind. The recipe finally reached fruition when I found the elusive brisket in Cambria, some years ago, becoming a hearty autumn/winter family favorite.
The simple ingredients were indelibly imprinted in my mind — a large can of tomatoes, a can or two of whole-cranberry sauce, and a package of Lipton’s onion soup. With my butcher-wrapped treasure in hand, I dashed home to my cottage kitchen on Ardath to prepare dinner. Simple and slow-cooked are the virtues of this preparation.
Place the brisket in a heavy pan with a tight-fitting lid. Sprinkle the package of Lipton's onion soup over the brisket, dump the 28-ounce can of tomatoes over all, and stir in the can of whole-cranberry sauce. Turn the brisket over, allowing all surfaces to be coated with sauce. Cover pan with a lid and place in a 325-degree oven. Cook for three hours, gently stirring the mixture and turning the brisket periodically. The aroma is heavenly. Check the meat for falling-apart tenderness. Remove brisket to a platter and slice. Return meat to pot to reheat in the sauce. Serve over noodles, passing the extra sauce. Savor each mouthful. This is one delicious Pot Roast in Disguise, as reads the recipe.
In recent years I have become increasingly aware of the large amounts of sodium and sugars added to our convenience-prepared foods. As a result, I have tweaked the original recipe to reflect my new knowledge and style of cooking. Mind you, it is a little more work, but the results are sublime.
Homemade cranberry sauce and a mix of fresh and dried onions with a modicum of salt are the secret.
I check the food label for sodium and sugar content and add whole or chopped tomatoes from a 28-ounce can or carton, preferably.
Use a 2-to-3-pound brisket, grass-fed if possible, for additional health benefits.
Fresh Cranberry Sauce
1 package fresh cranberries (off season, sometimes found in freezer section)
A cup of sugar
1 cup red wine (or water)
Combine cranberries, sugar, and wine or water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook until cranberries begin to pop, about 5 minutes.
Pot Roast in Disguise, aka Best Brisket! (revised)
1 brisket (2-3 pounds)
1 portion cranberry sauce (see recipe above)
1 medium fresh onion, sliced
2 tablespoons dried minced white onions
2 teaspoons minced toasted onion
1 teaspoon onion powder or granulated onion
1 teaspoon kosher salt
28-ounce can or carton of whole peeled tomatoes
Whole wheat noodles or spaghetti
Follow directions for original brisket recipe to assemble, and braise in oven at 325 degrees.
This main dish lent itself to a side order of my platter of roasted vegetables, which I had gathered at Soto’s. Have a Blessed Easter, and consider a change in your dinner plans.
Consuelo Macedo’s column is special to The Cambrian. Submit recipes and ideas to her at The Cambrian, 2068 Main St., Cambria, CA 93428; or email your suggestions to her at Cambrian@thetribune news.com.
This story was originally published March 16, 2016 at 9:15 AM with the headline "Brisket back in style; cranberry sauce makes it better."