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Brisket in Sweet-and-Sour Sauce

Brisket is the Zelig of the kitchen. It takes on the character of whoever cooks it. In the early part of the 20th century, when ”The Settlement Cook Book” reigned supreme in American Jewish households, recipes for savory briskets of beef with sauerkraut, cabbage or lima beans were the norm. As tastes became more exotic, cranberry or barbecue sauce, root beer, lemonade and even sake worked their way into recipes. Here, in an adaptation of Levana Kirschenbaum’s recipe, Coca Cola is the secret ingredient, along with ginger. The result is sublime and the dish only improves if it’s cooked a day in advance of serving it.

Ingredients

  • 1 medium onion, peeled and quartered
  • 1 two-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled
  • 6 large cloves garlic
  • ¼ cup Dijon mustard
  • ½ cup dry red wine
  • 1 ½ cups Coca-Cola or ginger ale
  • 1 cup ketchup
  • ¼ cup honey
  • ¼ cup cider vinegar
  • ¼ cup soy sauce
  • ½ cup olive oil
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1 tablespoon coarsely ground pepper or to taste
  • 1 six- to seven-pound first-cut brisket, rinsed and patted thoroughly dry
  • Nutritional Information
    • Nutritional analysis per serving (12 servings)

      832 calories; 63 grams fat; 23 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 30 grams monounsaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 17 grams carbohydrates; 0 grams dietary fiber; 13 grams sugars; 44 grams protein; 230 milligrams cholesterol; 676 milligrams sodium

      • Note: Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available data.

12 servings

Preparation

  1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Place everything but the brisket into a food processor, and process with steel blade until smooth.
  2. Place brisket, fat side up, into a heavy baking pan just large enough to hold it, and pour sauce over it. Cover tightly and bake for 2 hours. Turn brisket over and bake uncovered for one more hour or until fork-tender. Cool, cover brisket and refrigerate overnight in cooking pan.
  3. The next day, transfer brisket to a cutting board, cut off fat and cut with a sharp knife against grain, to desired thickness. Remove any congealed fat from sauce and bring to a boil on top of stove.
  4. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Taste sauce to see if it needs reducing. If so, boil it down for a few minutes or as needed. Return meat to sauce and warm in oven for 20 minutes. Serve warm.
  • NOT-SO-SECRET INGREDIENT — Marinating brisket in Coca-Cola is a tradition in the South. Ginger counters the sweetness.

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