Not a Horrible First Brisket Attempt

I'm a big fan of brisket, especially when done right. One of the best briskets I've had in recent memory was at my sister-in-law, Andrea's house. Like a trooper, she had the entire extended family over for a Hannukah party and served up a delicious and huge Jewish Style Sweet and Sour brisket. I tried to replicate the recipe for my own little Hannukah party, but cooking for four is a little different than cooking for twenty-something. While my meat tasted delicious, I dried it out by following the cooking time intended for the larger portion of meat. (Not my proudest moment!). If you're going to try this recipe at home, I'd suggest using a shorter cook time and testing the meat every so often to make sure it stays in "juicy" land and out of "well done" world.

Ingredients

• 2 pounds beef brisket
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup ketchup
• 1/2 cup white vinegar
• 1 onions, sliced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon salt

Start by browning all sides of the brisket in a dutch oven (I like Le Creuset) over medium-high heat.

Stir in water, ketchup, vinegar, onions, garlic, brown sugar, and salt. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to medium-low. Continue simmering until tender, turning brisket occasionally. The original recipe called for the brisket to be cooked close to 3 hours, but I would start with a half an hour per side with the smaller cut of meat. If the meat is too rare, continue cooking.

Remove brisket and let cool before slicing it against the grain. Serve with gravy poured on top.