Dr. Pepper Beef Brisket

I love brisket, but then again, what Jewish girl doesn't? It's hearty and delicious and full of muscle-building protein! I'm always looking for new ways to cook up an old favorite and with my trusty Crock Pot staring me down I just knew I'd have to give it a try. I've seen recipes for Dr. Pepper chicken, but I thought since I have a bottle of Diet Dr. Pepper in my fridge leftover from my party we had over the weekend, I'd use that instead (not to mention it's got zero calories). So here you have it, Diet Dr. Pepper Beef Brisket, slow cooked to perfection and falling apart to the touch. It was so tender that slicing it with a very sharp knife did not fare so well. Let's just say the brisket won. The thing is, when it comes to brisket, the more it falls apart, the better (in my opinion) and this recipe did not fail me. It was juicy and tender and full of beefy flavor. Perfect for a family barbeque or cold winter night. Enjoy!

Dr. Pepper Beef Brisket

makes 4-6 servings - prep time: 5 minutes - cook time: 10 hrs

Ingredients:

• 1 brisket of beef
• 16 ounces Diet Dr. Pepper
• 3 cloves minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 cup water (optional)

Instructions:

1. Pour all ingredients in to your Crock Pot and mix with spoon.
2. Settle the brisket in to the liquid.
3. Cover and cook on low for 9-10 hours or until tender.
4. Remove and let sit 5-10 minutes before slicing.
5. Use sharp knife for best results.

Notes:

When it comes to brisket, slow and low is always best. Cook 9-10 hours based on the size of your brisket.

Not Your Mom's Beef Brisket

Rich and I moved in together just a little over 4 months ago when he returned home from Air Force training. Before that I had my own place, and he had his. We’d try to spend as much time with each other as possible and considering that my apartment was a super small studio, much of that time was spent at Rich’s house. He’d cook me dinner, or I’d stop over for lunch during the week. It wasn’t until Rich and I moved in together that I finally had the chance to cook for him. I know, hard to believe considering I cooked for myself a few times a week when I lived alone. But for some reason, it just never happened. The first time I cooked for Rich I made him a staple in any Jewish holiday meal – Beef Brisket and potato Kugel (pronounced koo-gle). Like any other Jewish girl, my mom has the best beef brisket recipe around. But since I’m a bit neurotic when it comes to healthy eating, I decided to cut down the calories and make her brisket my own way. Rich loved it and so did I!

Now, I cook Brisket as often as I can. In fact, Saturday night was the perfect night to cook dinner for Rich because he had to be at work bright and early at the Air Force base for a drill weekend. This time I made a top secret Quinoa recipe as the side dish.

You'll have to snag a copy of the January 2013 issue of Oxygen magazine for that one. But for now, try my Beef Brisket, it falls apart in the pot and melts in your mouth.

What's your favorite dish to recreate from your childhood? Do you cut the calories or make it like mom?

Not Your Mom's Beef Brisket

Prep time: 10 minutes - Cook time: 2.5 to 3 hours - Makes 4 Tender Servings

Ingredients:

1:1:1 ratio of all ingredients - 1-2 packets of French Onion Mix 1 cup reduced sugar Ketchup (or regular) 1 cup diet Ginger Ale 1 Brisket of Beef

Note: the size Brisket you purchase will determine the amount of ingredients you'll need. The sauce should cover the brisket in the roasting pan. So if you have a large Brisket you may need to double all ingredients. Look for top cut or single cut brisket that has very little fat and marbling.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. In a large mixing bowl combine wet and dry ingredients. Whisk together. Place brisket in large roasting dish, pour sauce over brisket making sure the sauce covers the entire piece of meat. Bake at 350 degrees, covered for 25 minutes.

Remove brisket from pan and place on grooved cutting board (to catch the juices). Slice meat thinly against the grain then place back in the pan making sure all slices of beef are surrounded by the sauce. Cover and put back in the oven. Cook for 1 hour covered.

After an hour has passed, remove the cover from the pan and cook for another hour. Check to see if the meat is tender; if the meat falls apart easily then it's done. If the brisket is not tender enough, cook it longer.

Note: brisket is best if it's slow cooked. And if you're short on time you can easily begin the cooking process the night before. After the first hour and a half of cooking, take out the brisket, let it cool; cover it and place in the fridge. The following night heat the oven to 325 or 350 and continue cooking for the final hour. If dinner is not until later in the evening, lower the heat to 250 and leave the brisket in the oven until you're ready to eat.

Nutrition Facts Per Serving Calories 234, Calories from fat 49, Total Fat 5g, Sat. fat 2g, Trans fat 0g, Cholesterol 27mg, Sodium 2916mg, Total Carbohydrate 18g, Dietary Fiber 3g, Sugars 9g, Protein 22g, Iron 1.9mg Source: nutritiondata.com