Oooh...you came to the right place. My grandmother's brisket always warms a special place in my heart. I introduced my father-in-law to this dish many years ago and now he understands why his Cathloic son married a "good" Jewish girl.
One critical trick to delicious brisket is to find a good, heavy roasting pot, such as a Magnalite. Their pots are somewhat expensive, but worth every penny...it's something you will have for a lifetime. If you have a Tuesday Morning store near you, you might get lucky. Otherwise, there's always e-bay.
Another secret is to make it the day before. The meat is more delicious when it has time to marinate in it's own gravy.
Here's the recipe:
1. Take a 6-7 lb. brisket and trim the fat. Rub with garlic and put the meat in the Magnalite.
2. Sautee 2 medium onions and some garlic in a frying pan. Put the onions / garlic on top of the meat.
3. Add the following to the pot: 2 celery stalks (cut off the bottoms, but use the leaves on the top), 2 peeled carrots (I sometimes add a handful of baby peeled carrots instead), 1 large tomato cut in quarters.
4. Add 1-1 1/2 cups of water to the bottom of the pot.
5. Cover and cook at 325 for 2.5 hours.
6. Take the meat out of the pot. Put the vegetables and juices from the bottom of the pot into a blender or food processor. Add 1-1.5 tbs. of Gravy Master and blend. The gravy should be orangish (from the carrots) and somewhat lumpy. (Sometimes there are so many vegetables and pan juices that I need to use a large mixing bowl and process the gravy in batches).
7. Slice the meat against the grain and return to the Magnalite. Pour the gravy over the meat and simmer on the stovetop for an additional hour.
Let cool at least 30 minutes before serving or put in the fridge overnight and reheat the next day.
I have used this recipe for years and have never been disappointed. I love to serve it with steamed string beans, sticky white rice, and homemade applesauce. Mmmmm...I'm getting hungry just thinking about it.
Please let me know how it turns out for you...