Soda. Onion soup mix. Chili sauce. Sorry, Bubbe, but this year you won’t need a single sugar or MSG-loaded ingredient to make Passover brisket. Instead, gather spicy brown deli mustard, prunes, carrots, onions and dry red wine for Wise Sons Deli’s epic version.
Make sure you start with a good flat cut of meat with an even thickness and 1-inch fat cap to ensure tenderness while braising, says Wise Sons’ Evan Bloom. You’ll find the recipe in his new cookbook, “Eat Something” (Chronicle Books, $30), co-written by Rachel Levin.
Wise Sons Deli’s Brisket
Serves 8 (with plenty of leftovers)
Ingredients
1/3 cup spicy brown deli mustard (any mustard will work in a pinch), plus more as needed
4½ tablespoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
6 to 8 pound beef brisket
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 cups homemade stock, low-sodium chicken, beef, or vegetable broth, or water
12-ounce bottle of beer (something dark and sweet, like a porter) or ½ bottle dry red wine (such as cabernet or zinfandel)
5 whole pitted prunes
2 dried bay leaves
1 tablespoon packed dark brown sugar
1 pound carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
3 medium yellow onions, thinly sliced
8 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed with the flat side of a knife
2 to 3 tablespoons unsalted butter (optional)
Directions
In a small bowl, mix the mustard, salt, and pepper. Slather all over the brisket and place it on a baking sheet. Let sit, uncovered, in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or overnight for maximum moistness.
Heat the oven to 350 degrees.
Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or other large heavy-bottomed, ovenproof pot over medium heat until shimmering. Add the brisket and sear until browned on both sides, 5 to 8 minutes per side. You want a nice golden crust. Transfer to a platter and set aside.
Increase the heat to medium-high, add the stock to the pot and bring to a simmer, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom. Add the beer, prunes, bay leaves and brown sugar. Cook until the sugar has dissolved, stirring if necessary. Remove from the heat.
Return the brisket to the pot, fat-side up, and scatter the carrots around the meat. Blanket the meat with the onions and garlic. Cover the pot tightly with a lid or heavy-duty aluminum foil. Transfer to the oven and braise the brisket for about 3 hours, flipping the brisket every hour. Cook until a fork inserted into the center rotates easily, with just a little resistance, but without tearing the meat to shreds.
Remove the brisket from the pot and use a large, sharp knife to cut the brisket against the grain into ¼ inch-thick slices. Remove the bay leaves from the pot and discard.
Using an immersion blender directly in the pot, purée the jus and the remaining tender vegetables—this will give the gravy a sweet taste and enough body to slick over the brisket.
At this point, the brisket and gravy can be transferred to a roasting pan, ready to reheat, with the brisket fanned out and smothered by the gravy. (Or store in separate containers.) Let cool, then cover and refrigerate overnight.
To serve, heat the oven to 300 degrees. Use a spoon to skim off any fat on the surface of the gravy. Cover tightly with heavy-duty aluminum foil and warm for about 30 minutes, or until heated through.
Note: In the deli, we like a thicker gravy. To achieve this, transfer half of it to a small heavy-bottomed pot and bring to a medium simmer. (Meanwhile, keep the sliced brisket and remaining gravy warm on the lowest setting.) Cook the gravy in the small pot until reduced by half, 30 to 40 minutes, stirring as needed so it doesn’t burn. If you like, whisk in the butter for extra sheen, body, and richness, and add a bit more mustard to taste. Transfer the brisket to a platter, spoon the thickened gravy over the meat and serve.
— From “Eat Something” (Chronicle Books, $30) by Evan Bloom and Rachel Levin
