I grew up celebrating Mardi Gras as early as the Thursday before Fat Tuesday. And ironically we called it "Fat Thursday", which always included indulging in Polish Paczki (incredible fried doughnuts). I miss those. I suppose it's time for me to start making them myself. In fact, lots of bakeries in heavily Polish neighborhoods will be serving them as we head into Mardi Gras this week.
In fact, I just wrote on article on 25 Delicious Ways to Celebrate Mardi Gras and included is a recipe for Polish Paczki. They look incredible and I'm not going to be happy until I give them a whirl in my kitchen.
Now for this beef, I decided to go "creole style", which at its most basic definition means tomatoes are involved (unlike Cajun food, which would not include tomatoes). That is a very simplistic way of stating it and believe me there is a lot more to it. In fact the history of what makes something creole vs. Cajun is quite interesting. If you love food history, I suggest looking it up.
I used a creamy tomato soup in this recipe, it's thicker than regular tomato soup and just tastes better. And this is my favorite creole seasoning, I add it to lots of things (especially shrimp). Hopefully this will help you locate what you're looking for in the market.
I ended up making brisket sandwiches on toasted Torta rolls. For even more flavor I doused corn with seasoned rice vinegar for purposes of taste and texture. However, if you happen to be making Maque Choux for Mardi Gras, by all means throw that on top. Either way, I think you'll enjoy it.
Have a great week!
Slow Cooker Creole Style Brisket
Ingredients
- 1 5-6 lb beef brisket
- 2-1/2 Tablespoons creole seasoning, divided
- salt and pepper
- 1 large yellow onion, quartered
- 3-4 large garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 can (10.5 oz) beef broth
- 3 cups creamy tomato soup
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Optional ingredients:
- crusty sandwich rolls
- 1 can (14.5 oz) sweet corn
- 1/4 cup seasoned rice vinegar
Directions
- Season brisket well (on all sides) with salt, pepper and 1-1/2 Tablespoons of creole seasoning. Set aside.
- Add onion to the slow cooker, covering the bottom. Add crushed garlic, beef broth, tomato soup, remaining 1 Tablespoon of creole seasoning and red pepper flakes. Place brisket on top, fat side up. Place lid on and set slow cooker on low for 10 hours (no less).
- When done, remove brisket and pull apart meat with two forks, removing any fat. Pour juices from the slow cooker through a strainer. Add pulled brisket back to the slow cooker with strained juices. Keep on warm until ready to serve.
- If you want to make sandwiches, toast your rolls until crunchy. I highly suggest topping them with corn that has been doused with seasoned rice vinegar for a nice addition in taste and texture.
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My father-in-law grew up in a Polish household, so I’m going to have to ask him about Polish Paczki…they sound wonderful! This brisket sounds like the perfect way to celebrate Mardi Gras. Those flavors just never get old.
These brisket sandwiches look amazing especially on a frigid cold day in Buffalo, NY. I have found the slow cooker really adds tons of flavor.
Love, love, love the corn topping on these!
I honestly didn’t know the difference between Cajun and Creole cuisine. Interesting! We love brisket here but I’ve never done it in the slow cooker. I’m sure it’s a great method for this cut. Looks wonderful!
This reminds me a bit of something I ate in Panama but I can’t remember the name. It was delicious!
Is the creamy tomato soup straight out of a can (concentrate) or is it mixed with milk/water? I know they also make some ready to heat up. This looks so yummy!!
There is a picture of the one I use.