Mother Would Know

Home Cooking Beats Take-Out

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • About
    • About Laura / Mother Would Know
    • Privacy Policy
    • Websites I Love
  • Recipes
    • Browse All Recipes
    • Appetizers & Snacks
    • Beef & Lamb
    • Beverages
    • Bread
    • Breakfast & Brunch
    • Sweets
    • Fish & Seafood
    • Grains
    • Pasta & Noodles
    • Pork
    • Potatoes
    • Poultry
    • Salads
    • Sandwiches
    • Sauces & Condiments
    • Soups & Stews
    • Vegetables
  • Kernels of Wisdom
    • Browse All Kernels
    • Cooking Equipment
    • Definitions
    • Ingredients
    • Techniques
  • Archives
  • In The News
  • Work With Me
    • For Companies, Brands, & Trade Associations
    • For Individuals
  • Contact

Jewish Style Sweet and Sour Brisket

September 23, 2016 by Laura 7 Comments

Sharing is caring!

386 shares
  • Share
  • Tweet
Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year is almost here. Intense spirituality and contemplation are part of the High Holy Days, the 10 day period between Rosh Hashanah and the Day of Atonement, Yom Kippur. I’ll get there. But for now, I’m mostly focused on food. From Jewish Style Sweet and Sour Brisket to kugel and apple cake, I plan, shop, and cook like there is no tomorrow.  

Whole Foods Market sponsored this post by providing ingredients and compensation. As always, all opinions are my own. For a coupon for a free Whole Foods challah during the 2016 High Holy Days from Whole Foods stores in DC, MD, VA, PA, KY, OH, and Cherry Hill, Marlton & Princeton NJ, see the note at the end of this post. 

At the end of Rosh Hashanah our family hosts a pot luck for nine families from our Temple. The group of families, called a kallah, began when our kids were in elementary school.  Over time, we have developed friendships, shared joyous celebrations and comforted each other during sadder times. The Rosh Hashanah pot luck began almost at the inception of the kallah and it’s been going ever since.

I look forward to the pot luck the way some people look forward to the opening of a sports season. Some families bring three generations to the event. It is an informal evening with hugs, plenty of catching up, and of course, lots of food. 

At the pot luck we follow several food traditions common to Ashkenazic Jews on Rosh Hashanah. We dip apples into honey to symbolize our wish for a sweet new year. There are loaves of challah, too. The traditional Jewish braided egg bread is a staple of every Jewish holiday except Passover, when we do not eat leavened bread.

20160923roshhashanahbrisketchallahsq-w-1

And there is always brisket. Often one family brings a big, old fashioned, Jewish style brisket  – similar to the type I had growing up. I love it.

But lately I’ve been experimenting with my slow cooker; it’s perfect for making Jewish Style Sweet and Sour Brisket. This version has more tomatoes than my traditional brisket, a touch of sweetness from honey, and the barest hint of acidity from apple cider vinegar.

Ingredients for Rosh Hashanah Sweet and Sour Brisket

Serve it with carrots and potatoes, egg noodles, or kugel (sweet/Lokshen or savory) for a delightful meal.

Jewish Style Sweet and Sour Brisket - perfect for Rosh Hashanah | Mother Would Know

This Slow Cooker Jewish Style Sweet and Sour Brisket is not adapted from a single recipe. However it was inspired by bits and pieces of a number of other recipes, principally versions from Chabad, The Kitchn, Ellie Krieger, and Dave Leiberman. 

Sliced Sweet and Sour Brisket - Perfect for Rosh Hashanah From Mother Would Know

Although there are a few steps before this Sweet and Sour Brisket gets into the slow cooker, you’ll find they are worthwhile. Searing the meat and caramelizing the onions make a huge difference in the end result. Besides, while the brisket is in the slow cooker, you can attend to the rest of your holiday preparations. And it’s a perfect make-ahead dinner that only gets better the second and third day. Hint – slice off a bit of the meat and put it away for sandwiches. A brisket sandwich on lightly toasted challah is absolutely heavenly!

Sweet and Sour Brisket, a perfect Rosh Hashanah meal. | Mother Would Know

From 9/28-10/12/16, while supplies last, Whole Foods stores in DC, MD, VA, PA, KY, OH, and Cherry Hill, Marlton & Princeton NJ are offering my readers a free challah (a $4.99 value.) To access the coupon, click here. 

Print

Jewish Style Sweet and Sour Brisket

Seared and then slow cooked, this sweet and sour brisket has amazing sauce and melt-in-your-mouth meat. Perfect for a holiday dinner. Save some for sandwiches too!
Course Main Dish
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 6 hours
Total Time 7 hours
Servings 8 people

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup olive oil divided equal to 4 tablespoons
  • 3 1/2-4 pounds brisket
  • kosher or sea salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 1 pound onions, thinly sliced 2-3 medium/large onions
  • 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar, divided equal to 4 tablespoons
  • 1-2 carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
  • 1-2 celery stalks, cut into chunks
  • 3-4 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
  • 3 cups diced tomatoes 24-28 ounces
  • 1-2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1/3 cup honey

Instructions

  1. In a large, heavy pan, heat 2 tablespoons of oil under medium high heat. Pat the brisket dry with paper towels on both sides. Sprinkle it with salt and pepper. Place the brisket in the pan and sear it on each side 3-4 minutes, until well browned. If there is slanted or raised portion on any part of the brisket that is not seared when both sides are done, press that part of the meat onto the pan long enough to sear it as well. Once the brisket is fully seared, remove it to the slow cooker, fat side up.
    Searing brisket for Sweet and Sour Brisket. A perfect Rosh Hashanah meal.
  2. Add another tablespoon of oil to the pan. Slow cook the onions for 20 minutes, stirring frequently. They should look caramelized when done, although not as richly so as longer cooked caramelized onions. Remove the onions to the slow cooker, on top of the brisket. Add half (2 tablespoons) of the apple cider vinegar to the pan and scrape up any remaining bits of onion. Pour whatever remains over the brisket and onions and return the pan to the stove.
  3. Add the final tablespoon of oil to the pan and heat it. Add the carrot and celery chunks, cooking them on medium-high heat for a few minutes until they begin to brown. Add the garlic and cook for an additional 30-60 seconds. Pour the vegetables into the slow cooker over the brisket and onions.
  4. Mix the diced tomatoes, tomato paste, honey, and 2 remaining tablespoons of apple cider vinegar. Pour the mixture into the slow cooker over the brisket and vegetables. Turn the slow cooker onto low and cook for about 6 hours. Let the meat stand at least 30 minutes before serving (cutting it), although it is preferable to put the brisket and sauce into the refrigerator overnight and slice the meat the next day.
    Beginning to slow cook Sweet and Sour Brisket.

Recipe Notes

To slice the brisket, cut against the grain, using a large, sharp knife. 

To reheat the brisket, separate the sliced meat from the sauce. Reheat the sauce on the stove, then add the sliced meat to warm it in the already hot sauce. (If you heat the cold sauce and cold meat together, the meat has a tendency to disintegrate into the sauce.)

Filed Under: Archives, Beef & Lamb Tagged With: brisket, Jewish food, Rosh Hashanah, sweet and sour

« Creamy Corn Chowder Honors Father Rick Curry
Chocolate Tahini Babka »

Comments

  1. Michelle says

    September 26, 2016 at 8:09 pm

    I can’t tell you how excited I am to try this!! My cousin makes the best brisket at Hanukkah time, which I absolutely love! I can’t wait to try yours now too!

    Reply
    • Laura says

      October 5, 2016 at 9:15 pm

      Michelle, Hope you enjoy it. We did:)

      Reply
  2. Carol Sachs says

    July 3, 2021 at 1:33 pm

    Can you give me oven directions since I don’t have a slow cooker? Thanks.

    Reply
    • Laura says

      July 23, 2021 at 6:02 pm

      Carol, If you follow the directions up to the slow cooker part and simply bake at 300 or 325 (tightly covered) for about 3-4 hours, you should be fine.

      Reply
  3. Carol says

    July 25, 2021 at 1:34 pm

    Thanks you for helping me convert the recipe to the oven instead of using a slow cooper. The recipe sound delicious for my next Brisket.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Welcome!

Join me for cooking adventures. You’ll gain confidence in your cooking abilities, find new ways to save time and money when preparing meals, and discover recipes and tips. Plus, we’ll enjoy ourselves.

Get 5 easy tips for home cooking success, checklists & recipes.

We never share your information.

Search

Follow Laura Kumin-MotherWouldKnow's board MotherWouldKnow Recipes & Tips on Pinterest.

Copyright © 2010-2022 Laura Kumin · All Rights Reserved · Privacy Policy · Implemented by WPopt

386 shares
  • 20
MENU & SEARCH
  • About
    • About Laura / Mother Would Know
    • Privacy Policy
    • Websites I Love
  • Recipes
    • Browse All Recipes
    • Appetizers & Snacks
    • Beef & Lamb
    • Beverages
    • Bread
    • Breakfast & Brunch
    • Sweets
    • Fish & Seafood
    • Grains
    • Pasta & Noodles
    • Pork
    • Potatoes
    • Poultry
    • Salads
    • Sandwiches
    • Sauces & Condiments
    • Soups & Stews
    • Vegetables
  • Kernels of Wisdom
    • Browse All Kernels
    • Cooking Equipment
    • Definitions
    • Ingredients
    • Techniques
  • Archives
  • In The News
  • Work With Me
    • For Companies, Brands, & Trade Associations
    • For Individuals
  • Contact