I don't think I'd ever had brisket until my family moved to Kansas City...and then it was everywhere! I remember my dad saying he could buy it for 99 cents a pound....not anymore! But it's still a good buy and you just can't beat a brisket sandwich for curing what ails you....normally I cook my brisket with onions, wrapped in foil, in a 275 degree oven for about 8 hours...then I remove the meat, slice it and slather it with BBQ sauce...it's always a hit. Feeling a bit frisky, I decided to forgo the norm and I turned to Sheila Lukins U.S. A. Cookbook because if there is a great recipe anywhere in the country for anything, it's in this book. If you don't have it, you should. Shelila's recipe for Sumptuous Southwestern Brisket was my inspiration for this dish and I would have to say it did turn out very sumptuous. 
Happy Memorial Day to you! The mister and I will be flying the flag today as a way of honoring those thousands of men and women who fought and died for our country - and for the thousands who continue to do so...The mister loves Memorial Day...really, any day that flies a flag...as he was a Marine....and therefore only the finest fighting machine this country has ever seen! He plans to spend the majority of this afternoon in front of the TV watching the history channel and saluting...he likes to salute military people on TV. I plan to spend the day in the kitchen, working on a contest entry...but I'll be sure to offer up an occasional salute or two of my own to the mister...he loves it when I do that...Yes Sir, Master **salute** Your Dinner Is On The Way! **salute and a bow**...anything to keep the beast at bay....
Sumptuous Southwestern Brisket - Adapted from Shelia Lukins U.S.A. Cookbook
1 3-pound brisket, fat trimmed
Coarsely ground black pepper, to taste
1 onion, sliced
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 28-oz. can plum tomatoes
1 cup small pitted green Spanish olives
2 tablespoons drained tiny capers
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
2 small dried hot chilies
Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Sprinkle brisket all over with pepper. Place half of the sliced onion in a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Set brisket on top of onions, add remaining onions to top of brisket. In a medium size bowl combine tomatoes, garlic, cinnamon, olives, capers and brown sugar, mixing well. Pour this mixture over the brisket. Add the two dried chilies. Cover pan tightly with aluminum foil and place in oven for 8 hours. Remove from oven, remove brisket from pan and let it rest on a cutting board for 15 minutes. Cut the brisket into thin diagonal slices against the grain. Pour the liquid mixture from the pan into a serving dish and pass with the sliced brisket. (Save this mixture to add to any soups or stews by freezing what isn't eaten.) Serves 6.
I LOVED brisket this way...it's moist and practically falls apart - and the sauce is wonderful - the boy picked off the olives and capers and afterward declared it good...the mister was impressed from the get-go...so we'll definitely be having this again.
