There are many ways to cook brisket. As far as I know, they're all delicious.
Here's what I did tonight. Although it wasn't the ultimate brisket for my taste, the husband and daughter loved it, and daughter says I have to make it this way every time.
Salt and pepper the brisket on both sides, and place it fat side up in a large slow cooker. Thinly slice three onions and lay them on top of the meat. Top with a can of whole berry cranberry sauce and a bottle (12 oz) of chili sauce. (Get the last little bit of sauce out of the chili sauce bottle with a little water; this is a useful technique for ketchup, pasta sauce, etc., for those of you who never thought of it.) Lightly mix the sauces, put on the lid, and cook all day on low.
Remove the brisket, let it cool slightly, and slice it. Meanwhile, puree the gravy with an immersion blender. If it's too thin, put it in a pot, dissolve some cornstarch (1 to 2 Tbsp) in a little cold water, add cornstarch mixture to gravy, and boil it until thickened. Put gravy back into slow cooker and add sliced meat back to it. Let it sit about 10 minutes before serving.
Now, on to the latkes (I was ambitious tonight!).
I could add commentary on latke-making techniques here, but for brevity, I'll just tell you how I made them this time around and that they were good.
Shred four good-sized potatoes on the fine side of a box grater. (I used a yellow all-purpose variety, but russets are probably a little better.) Wrap the shredded potatoes in a clean dishtowel and squeeze out the liquid into a bowl. Let the liquid sit a few minutes, then pour it off, carefully leaving the potato starch at the bottom of the bowl. Put the potatoes back in the bowl, then add two finely chopped onions (grated is better but too much trouble for me). Mix in two eggs, a teaspoon of salt, and several grinds of pepper.
Heat about 1/4 inch of oil in a large skillet until shimmery and very hot. With a large wooden spoon, scoop up about 1/4 cup of potato mixture at a time and slide into oil as patties. Cook until edges are very brown, then flip and cook other side. Drain on paper towels, and keep warm in a 250-degree oven until all are done.
Latkes are traditionally served with sour cream and/or applesauce. My daughter prefers ketchup.
Happy Chanukah!
