😜Jump to recipe😜

To simplify things, I usually tell people that my family were the only Jews in my small town. This is mostly true. If I’m being completely honest, there were a handful (literally, maybe only 4-5) other Jewish families in my Appalachian town. Please go ahead and let that sink in: in a town with a population of roughly 8,000 people, about 20 people identified as Jewish. That’s 0.25% of the people in my community. I actually have never broken down the numbers like that before writing this post. It’s no wonder I felt so completely alone as a Jewish person in this town.

The other families either had kids that were younger or older than me, but I remember gathering with them safely in a large home, celebrating high holidays like Rosh Hashana. The food is what I remember most. Warm smiles over honey and apples, brushing finger tips over challah, and—most importantly to me—the brisket.

I wish I could remember who made the brisket every year, but it’s the part of the memory that fails me. I was a carnivore kid, so when I saw the slab of beef on the table, I was ready to have my share. It was a special treat, a blend of satisfying flavors that signified the sweetness of a new year or savoring the liberation of Passover. However, this brisket is different from what you may identify directly with the South.

A brief history on Jews and brisket

This favorite cut comes from the front part of the cow's breast, so is perfectly kosher. It's known for being tough and fibrous, so it requires a slow, low-heat cook for several hours. Some Gentiles might shy away from using it for special occasions because of the long cooking time, but for those following Jewish culinary traditions, it's a perfect fit. You can start cooking the brisket before Shabbat begins (when cooking is not allowed), let it sit for up to 24 hours (or even longer on holidays), and have it ready to enjoy for a meal the next day. It's a delicious way to honor tradition and savor a flavorful meal.

When Ashkenazi Jews immigrated to the United States, this migration played a key role in introducing brisket into New World Jewish cuisine. As the diaspora grew, so did the popularity of brisket among Jewish households. It was cheap! It was tasty! It was ours.

After the Second World War, many Jewish home cooks started embracing processed foods like Heinz ketchup over fresh tomatoes from Victory gardens. There was also a newfound fascination with tropical fruits, influenced by veterans coming back from the South Pacific and increased travel to Hawaii. This led to creative additions like pineapple in brisket marinades and garnishes. It's fascinating how these cultural influences shaped the evolution of traditional dishes like brisket in Jewish cuisine.

Growing up in the South, brisket was commonly offered to me. However, what I enjoyed eating at high holidays is different from what I’d find at cook-outs and restaurants. Brisket you may be familiar with is smoky, robust, maybe a bit peppery. Jewish brisket is a blend of both savory and sweet, with tartness that cuts through rich, onion-forward gravy.

Ok, back to me.

The beauty of sharing this recipe with you all—my audience that enjoys the Ashkenazi/Appalachian blend of flavors—is that it’s based on my memories, flavors I have stored away in the coziest parts of my brain that connect me to something bigger, the comfort of sometimes being surrounded by people who got it, and sharing a meal with them.

It’s something I hope these stories and recipes do for you—an invitation to include your community into a memory or a story of something that is meaningful to you, to find connection, albeit brief in the fleeting moment of a tableside meal. May we always feel safe and curious enough to explore the parts of our hearts and minds to remember the foods and moments that made us feel less alone.

I’m making Jewish brisket, a beautiful blend of Ashkenazi and Southern ingredients and memories, for two of my dearest friends tonight. I’m pairing it with ranch mashed potatoes (so very Southern to me) and roasted parmesan green beans.

I’m using my Instant Pot, because it’s convenient. When I first started this project, I confided in a friend that I felt like a phoney using a kitchen gadget. She’s a chef that specializes in her own family’s cuisine, and she told me firmly, “You think if your ancestors had an Instant Pot, they wouldn’t have used it?”. Touché, Ilene. I love you.

This recipe is a combination of several techniques and ingredients that I’ve collected and tried. I love it and I think you will too.

Oh! Here is an unseen video of me lamenting over brisket options in Appalachia when trying to make this brisket for Rosh Hashana last year:

Meesh’s Instant Pot Jewish Brisket

Serves 5-6

Ingredients

• 6 oz of Dr. Pepper (if you are more of a Coca-Cola person, that works too. Dark beer as well)

• ½ cup whole berry cranberry sauce

• ½ cup Heinz Chili Sauce

• 1 packet of dry onion soup mix (Use Lipton brand to be the most authentic, but you do you)

• 2-2½ lbs flat brisket (may need to cut into pieces for it to fit in the Instant Pot)

• ½ tsp salt

• ½ tsp pepper

• 1 Tbsp olive oil

• ½ onion, thinly sliced

• 1 Tbsp corn starch

• 1 Tbsp water

Let’s go!

1. Combine Dr. Pepper, cranberry sauce, chili sauce, and onion soup packet in a medium bowl and set aside.

2. Get your Instant Pot on “high” sauté mode and add the olive oil. Salt and pepper the brisket on all sides, and then sear it—about 3-4 minutes per side. Set aside.

3. Turn sauté down to “normal” mode and add the slice onions to the pan. Brown the onions, taking about 3-5 minutes to frequently stir them.

4. Place the seared brisket on the onions—you can layer it as needed so that it all fits!

5. Pour the Dr. Pepper mixture over the brisket.

6. Close the lid securely and pressure cook for 60 minutes.

7. When the pressure cooking is done, let it natural pressure release (aka, just leave it alone) for another 10 minutes. Then quick release until all the steam goes away!

8. The brisket should now be perfectly tender. Remove from the instant pot.

Now, it’s gravy time.

1. With the brisket removed and resting, turn the sauté mode back on to “normal”.

2. Mix together the 1 Tbsp of corn starch with 1 Tbsp of water in a small bowl.

3. Add corn starch mixture to the sauce in the Instant Pot.

4. Stir quickly, watching the gravy thicken, about 2-3 minutes.

5. You could also grab an immersion blender and go to town, blending for at least one minute.

6. Pour gravy on top of brisket.

Mazel, bbs. 💋