Israeli Rosh Hashanah Plate with Sour Cherry Brisket

About This Recipe

Sweet, fruit-braised brisket is a genuine centerpiece of Ashkenazi Israeli holiday tables, especially for Rosh Hashanah, when dishes are traditionally sweetened to symbolize hopes for a good year ahead. Sour cherries aren't the most typical fruit used — prunes, apricots and pomegranate are more common — but sour cherry sauce is a well-documented variation found in many Eastern European Jewish households, and it makes an excellent, tart-sweet counterpoint to the richness of slow-braised beef. The brisket is seared first for color, then braised low and slow, usually 3 to 4 hours, in a sauce built from sour cherries, a little sugar, onions and beef stock, until it's fall-apart tender and the sauce has reduced into a glossy, deep red glaze. Honeyed roasted carrots, another Rosh Hashanah staple meant to symbolize sweetness and prosperity, round out the plate alongside a simple pot of rice or egg noodles to soak up the sauce. This is the kind of dish that improves overnight in the fridge, which is exactly how many families actually make it before a holiday meal.

Ingredients

Serves 6

• 2.5 kgbeef brisket
• 2 tbspneutral oil
• 2onions(sliced)
• 3 clovesgarlic(minced)
• 3 cupspitted sour cherries(fresh or frozen, thawed)
• 0.33 cupbrown sugar
• 2 tbspred wine vinegar
• 2.5 cupsbeef stock
• 1.5 tspfine sea salt
• 0.5 tspblack pepper
• 700 gcarrots(peeled and cut into batons)
• 3 tbsphoney
• 2 tbspolive oil(for the carrots)
• 2 cupslong-grain rice(cooked, for serving)

Instructions

1. 1

   Sear the brisket

   Pat the brisket dry, season with salt and pepper, and sear in oil in a heavy pot over medium-high heat, 4-5 minutes per side, until deeply browned. Remove and set aside.

2. 2

   Build the braise

   In the same pot, cook the onions 8-10 minutes until soft and golden, then add garlic and cook 1 minute. Add sour cherries, brown sugar, vinegar and beef stock, stirring to combine.

3. 3

   Braise low and slow

   Return the brisket to the pot, cover, and braise at 150C (300F) for 3 to 3.5 hours until fork-tender.

4. 4

   Roast the honeyed carrots

   In the last 40 minutes of braising, toss the carrots with olive oil, honey and a pinch of salt, and roast at 200C on a separate tray until caramelized and tender.

5. 5

   Rest and slice

   Remove the brisket, rest 15 minutes, then slice against the grain.

6. 6

   Reduce the sauce

   Simmer the braising liquid on the stovetop 10-15 minutes uncovered until it thickens into a glossy sauce, skimming off excess fat.

7. 7

   Plate

   Arrange sliced brisket over rice, spoon the sour cherry sauce generously over the top, and serve with the honeyed carrots alongside.

Variations

• •

  Dried fruit version: swap sour cherries for pitted prunes and dried apricots, the more traditional Rosh Hashanah fruit combination.

• •

  Pomegranate twist: add a splash of pomegranate molasses to the braising liquid for extra depth and tartness.

• •

  Slow cooker method: sear the brisket on the stovetop, then transfer everything to a slow cooker and cook on low 8 hours.

Storage

Refrigerate brisket in its sauce up to 4 days, or freeze up to 3 months. Reheat gently covered in a low oven or on the stovetop, as the flavor and texture both improve after resting a day.

Frequently Asked Questions