Hanukkah began at sundown yesterday and it’s in full swing right now.

And one of the meals often prepared at this beautiful holiday time is yummy, scrumptious, delectable brisket.

Giora Shimoni at About.com tells us the story of the Hanukkah brisket . . .

I don’t like to stereotype, but I think it is safe to say that a high percentage of Jews … love brisket.

Brisket is a cut of meat from the breast or lower chest. The term brisket usually refers to beef or veal.

While some – especially Texans – like to barbecue their briskets, in traditional Jewish cooking the brisket is braised as a pot roast.

How to Prepare Great Jewish Brisket

Buy good brisket meat (meat #3 in Israel). The brisket should have good marbling between white fat and dark colored meat. The fat should be distributed throughout the meat rather than just in one area.

Jewish brisket should be slow cooked. Whether the recipe is for a savory or sweet sauce, Jewish briskets taste best when slow cooked. In addition, there is less shrinkage of the meat at lower cooking temperatures.

Thirdly, it is very important to slice the brisket correctly. Brisket must be sliced thinly and sliced against the grain. If brisket is not sliced against the grain, it will be tough rather than tender.

Why Prepare Jewish Brisket for the Holidays

Jewish brisket is the perfect holiday entree for many reasons.

Brisket is best when prepared in advance. I cook my brisket a day before the holiday, slice it, and then store it in the refrigerator. Then just before serving, I heat the brisket. Brisket made in advance and allowed to sit tastes better than freshly made brisket. In addition, making the brisket in advance means less last-minute holiday prep work and less mess to clean up. My mother makes her holiday brisket a week in advance, and then stores it in the freezer until the holiday.

In addition, since Jewish brisket is generally cooked in a tightly covered roasting pan, it turns out tender and juicy. So, the meat does not dry out even when it is reheated on a hot plate on the second day of a Jewish holiday.

Lastly, when sliced thinly and served on a platter with gravy, brisket makes a festive entree. And brisket cooked in a sweet sauce is particularly fitting for the Jewish New Year.

Here’s a great recipe whether it’s for Hanukkah, another Jewish holiday — or for anyone any time of year!

Brisket in Wine Sauce

Prep Time: 9 minutes

Cook Time: 3 hours

Ingredients:

• 1 (2 1/2 -pound) beef brisket, thick-cut
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon basil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 3 medium onions, sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled, halved
• 1 1/2 cups ketchup
• 1 1/2 cups dry red wine
• 1 1/2 cups water

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 325° Fahrenheit (165° Celsius).
2. Rinse brisket. Place in roasting pan.
3. Rub paprika, basil, salt and pepper into meat.
4. Scatter onions and garlic over meat.
5. In a medium bowl, mix ketchup, wine and water. Pour over brisket.
6. Cover pan tightly with aluminum foil, tenting so that the foil does not touch the meat.
7. Bake at 325° Fahrenheit (165° Celsius) for 3 hours, or until a digital instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the brisket reads 190° for well done.

YIELD: 8 servings

SOURCE: Quick and Kosher: Recipes from the Bride Who Knew Nothing, by Jamie Geller. Recipe reprinted with permission from Feldheim Publishers.

Photo courtesy of SmokinTex.com.

My son is in first grade and his class has been studying different holidays people celebrate around this time of year.

I’ve enjoyed learning along with him about the ways people come together and celebrate.

I’ve zeroed in on Kwanzaa because, well, it’s really cool. Here’s a little background info from ChefMom.com:

Kwanzaa, celebrated by some African Americans, is a holiday which has gained in popularity in recent years. It came out of the ’60s cultural revolution that set off an interest in African history, music, art and a growing sense of black consciousness.

Kwanzaa, which means “first fruits of the harvest,” is celebrated for seven days from December 26 through January 1. It is a cultural, rather than religious, holiday. Each day is celebrated, generally by a gathering of family and friends. Participants discuss and commit to seven guiding principles, one each day. A candle is lighted each day. The first day starts with a black candle – it represents African American people in unity. The next six days alternate between lighting a red candle, representing struggle, and a green candle, representing a “green future.” A feast is held on December 31 for sharing, remembering, reassessing and rejoicing. ~Bev Whitfield and Kathleen Wilson

Now, we celebrate Christmas at our house but I’m loving learning the cool things others do at their houses.

And naturally, ’cause I like to eat, I wanted to know just what they eat at this feast. So, here’s a Kwanzaa recipe we ALL can celebrate!

Moroccan-Rubbed Grilled Steak and Sweet Potatoes

From EatingWell Magazine April/May 2006

A Moroccan-inspired spice rub coats the steaks and is tossed with the sweet potatoes as well. The foil-packet cooking method for the sweet potatoes yields excellent results (and fewer dishes). Make it a Meal: Sautéed greens, such as arugula, kale or spinach, and a glass of Zinfandel round out the meal.

Makes 4 servings

ACTIVE TIME: 25 minutes

TOTAL TIME: 35 minutes

EASE OF PREPARATION: Moderate

1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 pound strip steak, trimmed of visible fat and cut into 4 portions
2 medium sweet potatoes (about 1 pound total), peeled and very thinly sliced
1 medium red onion, halved and very thinly sliced
4 teaspoons canola oil
1 teaspoon freshly grated orange zest

1. Preheat grill to high.
2. Combine allspice, cumin, ginger, salt, cinnamon, coriander and cayenne
in a small bowl. Sprinkle steaks with 4 1/2 teaspoons of the spice mixture. Toss sweet potatoes and onion with canola oil, orange zest and the remaining spice mixture.
3. To make a packet, lay 2 24-inch sheets of foil on top of each other (the double layers will help protect the ingredients from burning); generously coat the top piece with cooking spray. Spread half of the sweet potato mixture in the center of the foil in a thin layer. Bring the short ends of foil together, fold over and pinch to seal. Pinch the seams together along the sides to seal the packet. Repeat with two more sheets of foil and the remaining sweet potato mixture.
4. Place the packets on the hottest part of the grill and cook, switching the packets’ positions on the grill halfway through cooking, 5 minutes per side. Place the steaks in the front or back and cook, turning once, about 3 to 4 minutes per side for medium-rare. Transfer the steaks to plates and let rest while the packets finish cooking. Open the packets (be careful of steam) and serve alongside the steaks.

NUTRITION INFORMATION: Per serving: 337 calories; 18 g fat (6 g sat, 8 g mono); 69 mg cholesterol; 20 g carbohydrate; 22 g protein; 3 g fiber; 347 mg sodium; 480 mg potassium. Nutrition bonus: Vitamin A (220% daily value), Zinc (26% dv), Vitamin C (20% dv).
1 Carbohydrate Serving
Exchanges: 1 starch, 3 medium-fat meats, 1 fat

Recipe and photo courtesy of EatingWell.com.

This time of year brings out the 1950s homemaker in me. I didn’t even know she existed but she’s there — alive and kicking.

Cooking a beautiful meal for the holidays is a nice experience for everyone. And nothing expresses love like a great meal.

This is a wonderful, hearty holiday meal that your family and friends will rave about.

Beef Ribeye Roast With Red Wine Mushroom Sauce

Ingredients

1              3 lb. boneless beef rib eye roast

3/4  ts     Salt, divided

1/2  ts     Pepper, divided

1/2  c      Chopped onion

1/2  c      Dry red wine

1  tb        Cornstarch

1  cn       (13 3/4 oz) single strength beef broth

1  cn       (4 oz) mushroom

pieces and stems, drained

1  tb        Chopped parsley

Instructions

About 1 1/2 hours before serving: Sprinkle roast with 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper. Place boneless beef rib eye roast, fat side up, on rack in open roasting pan. Insert meat thermometer so bulb is centered in thickest part, but not resting in fat. Do not add water. Do not cover. Roast in 350 degree oven to desired degree of doneness. Allow 18 to 20 minutes for rare; 20 to 22 minutes for medium. About 15 minutes before serving, remove roast when meat thermometer registers 135 degrees for rare; 155 degrees for medium. Tent with aluminum foil; allow roast to “stand” 15 minutes in warm place before carving. Roast should continue to rise about 5 degrees in temperature to 140 degrees for rare, 160 degrees for medium. While roast is standing, remove rack from roasting pan; skim fat. Add onions to pan drippings; place roasting pan over medium high heat on top of range. Cook onions, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 3 minutes. Add wine; bring to boil; cook about 3 minutes or until thickened. Combine cornstarch and remaining, salt and pepper. Gradually, add beef broth to cornstarch mixture, stirring constantly; add to wine mixture in roasting pan. Continue cooking. Stir in mushrooms and parsley. Pour into serving container. Carve rib eye roast into thin slices. Serve with Red Wine and Mushroom Sauce.

Recipe courtesy of ichef.com.

Photo courtesy of Texas Beef Council.