Homemade and Healthy Brisket for Rosh Hashanah

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Moxy Thoughts

October 3, 2016 in

October has come so quickly this year, but it seems like overnight we went from 100 degree heat to chilly and wet evenings.  While Fall in California is incredibly mild compared to other parts of the country, there is still a real change in the air and we all know the fall holidays are near.  The first, and most festive of the Jewish fall holidays is Rosh Hashanah, the New Year celebration.   The date is dependent on the Gregorian calendar, so it can vary quite a bit, but generally falls sometime in September or October and this is the year 5,777.  Rosh Hashanah is traditionally celebrated with the sounding of the Shofar, a hollow ram’s horn, to ‘raise a noise’ in celebration.  It’s also filled with sweet seasonal foods, like apples dipped in honey and challah bread (honey bread) to signify the start of a sweet and bountiful year.

This year, we invited our friends to celebrate Rosh Hashanah, to share the tradition and culture of my family.  It gives us a chance to pass on the family stories and experiences with our children, but to also expose our friends and their children to a culture that is not quite so prevalent in our current neighborhood.  The twist this year is that in a celebration that is focused on being sweet, I wanted to create a meal that Derek, and all of us, could eat without sacrificing flavor but also without the concern of raising his blood sugar levels.  Quite a challenge, but with the help of my amazing baking neighbor and my wonderful mom, we accomplished a really delicious and sweet meal from appetizers to desserts that passed Derek’s blood sugar test at the end of the night – no insulin required!

The key to our meal was to leverage what we’ve learned so far about creating the sensation of sweet, but with zero added sugar.  Cooking apples with cinnamon and lemon juice for homemade apple sauce (checkout the recipe here), adding quinoa or almond flour in low levels as a binder and for baking, and creating flavor through fresh vegetables to deepen the delicious factor.  This post is focused on the centerpiece – the brisket – but I’ll post the other elements of the meal as well.

From the Moxy Kitchen to yours, we wish your families a sweet, bountiful and healthful new year – L’Shana Tovah (Happy New Year)!

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil
  • 3.5 lb. brisket
  • 1 tablespoon fresh chopped rosemary
  • 1 tsp. ground cumin
  • 1 tsp. smoked paprika
  • 6 cloves garlic
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
  • 1 yellow onion, chopped
  • 1 cup good red wine, cabernet or zinfandel

Directions

  • Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
  • Heat olive oil in deep pan on medium high heat.
  • Season roast with salt, pepper and paprika and brown in pan, approximately 2 minutes per side or until meat is browned on all sides.
  • Transfer roast to roast pan with high sides.  I line with aluminum foil to minimize cleanup later.
  • Cover roast with rosemary and place garlic cloves in and around the meat.
  • Toss vegetables into pan and pour red wine over meat and vegetables.
  • Roast in oven for 2.5-3 hours, basting frequently.  If meat comes with probe, remove when probe pops.  If there isn’t a probe already inserted, cook until meat thermometer reaches 160 degrees.
  • Remove from oven, cover with foil and let rest at least 30 minutes before serving.
  • I serve the drippings with the meat, without the traditional gravy method, just straight juices from the pan.

The Moxy Mamma

Hi I’m Anna. I’m a mom, wife, full time executive, part time amateur cook and love to be creative whenever I can.

In 2014, my husband received news that he had Type II Diabetes.I’m on a mission to eat great food and create delicious recipes that are packed with flavor instead of added sugar.

Do Good, Eat Great and Put some Moxy on your plate! (more about Anna)