Jewish Holiday Brisket

Trim any extra fat from the brisket. Leave some fat or the brisket will be too dry.

Marinade
To prepare the marinade, in a small mixing bowl, combine the Manischewitz wine, garlic, onion, carrots, celery, peppercorns and thyme.  Place the brisket in a large glass bowl, pour the marinade over the brisket, cover or seal, and marinate in the refrigerator for 8 hours.

Braise
Preheat the oven to 350° F.

Drain the marinade from the brisket and reserve half of the liquid. Pat the beef dry with paper towels.

In a large Dutch oven, heat the vegetable oil over high heat . Place the brisket in the pan and sear on all sides. Transfer the brisket to a plate temporarily.

Add the ketchup to the cooking pan and reduce over medium-low heat for about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the reserved marinade liquid to the pan and scrape the browned drippings from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Return the brisket to the pan and add the beef stock. The liquid should be about 1/3 of the way up the side of brisket.

Add the salt to the liquid and stir to mix. Bring to a simmer, cover and continue to cook in the oven for about 1 1/2 hours, until the meat is fork tender. Remove from the oven, take the brisket from the Dutch oven pan, set asside and keep warm.

Skim any excess grease from the cooking liquid. Pureé the liquid in a blender. If the liquid is too thick, thin with beef stock. If too thin, cook down to reduce until thickened.

To Serve
Slice the brisket and serve warm with the sauce. Serves 8 to 10.