A Celebrated Brisket to Celebrate Hanukkah

Hanukkah is upon us, a time when traditions of food and family shine bright—and few dishes capture the celebratory air of the Festival of Lights like brisket. To make this year’s holiday truly special, renowned New York City meat purveyor and Sagaponack weekender Scott Solasz, VP of Master Purveyors—which specializes in fresh hanging USDA prime beef, both wet and dry-aged, and provides meat for such renowned clients as The Four Seasons, Bryant & Cooper Steak House, Peter Luger Steak House and others—shares the brisket recipe that generations of his family have enjoyed, hoping it brings joy to you and yours as well.

“Throughout the years, my mother, Rose, prepared brisket every Hanukkah. This tradition has trickled down to my brother and me, and now we make brisket for our families at Hanukkah,” Solasz says. “The first time I made brisket and followed my mother’s recipe to the T, I remember feeling excited and nervous, hoping that if it would come out half as good as my mother’s, it would be a winner!”

As with many traditions, this particular one has been changed a bit over time, adding touches from a new generation. “This Savory Brisket recipe is a family fave my mother has made for years and that I have updated with a few new flavors like smoked paprika, Sir Kensington’s Spiced Ketchup and a dash of Heinz ‘Pepper Effect’ Apple Vinegar,” says Solasz, who has been working alongside his father (and company founder), Sam, since 1978.

“I make it in a Dutch oven—the longer it cooks, the better,” Solasz adds. “Use a 5.5 pound ‘first cut’ brisket to serve up to eight Hanukkah guests.”

Solasz Family Savory Brisket Recipe for Hanukkah

One (5 1/2 -pound) beef brisket, thick-cut
2 tablespoon Spanish smoked paprika
2 teaspoons of basil
2 teaspoons smoked kosher salt
3 teaspoons tellicherry black pepper
3 medium onions, sliced
4 cloves garlic, peeled, halved
2 cups of Sir Kensington’s Spiced Ketchup
2 cups dry red wine
2 cups water
Prep Time: 9 minutes
Cook Time: 180 minutes
1. Preheat oven to 325°.
2. Rinse brisket. Place in Dutch oven or a
roasting pan.
3. Rub Spanish smoked paprika, basil, smoked salt and a healthy amount of tellicherry black pepper into the meat.
4. Scatter onions and garlic over meat.
5. In a medium bowl, mix ketchup, wine and water. Pour over brisket.
6. Cover the brisket in the Dutch oven (or if using a roasting pan cover with aluminum foil, tenting so that the foil does not touch the meat)
7. Bake at 325° for 3 hours, or until a digital instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the brisket reads 190° for well done.

Serve with a roasted garlic cauliflower mash and a nice Châteauneuf-du-Pape.

For additional recipes and cooking tips from Master Purveyors—who served up their grilled steak and lamb as premium sponsors of the 2014 Dan’s Harvest East End event—and to check out their tasty holiday offerings, visit masterpurveyors.com.