"MY ________ MAKES THE BEST BRISKET I'VE EVER EATEN." FILL THE BLANK WITH MOTHER, MOTHER-IN-LAW, AUNT IDA, OR GRANDMA SADIE AND YOU'LL HAVE A ROUGH IDEA ABOUT HOW MANY BRISKET RECIPES ARE AVAILABLE JUST FROM YOUR IMMEDIATE FAMILY. DON'T EVEN BOTHER GOOGLING "BRISKET RECIPES" BECAUSE YOU'LL BE READING FOR DAYS. THAT OPENING CLAIM IS USUALLY FOLLOWED BY "AND ALL SHE DOES IS..." IN THIS CASE, HOWEVER, THAT HAPPENS TO BE TRUE. FOR YEARS I'VE MADE BRISKET WITH RED WINE AND/OR HOME-MADE BEEF STOCK. BUT I'VE RECENTLY DISCOVERED A MIRACLE INGREDIENT CALLED WATER. I SUBSTITUTED IT FOR STOCK IN AN UPDATED VERSION OF OXTAIL STEW. BOTH OXTAILS AND BRISKET SHARE COMMON ATTRIBUTES: THEY ARE TOUGH CUTS WHICH REQUIRE LOW AND SLOW COOKING, BRAISING. THEY DRAW FLAVOR FROM THEIR FAT AND, WITH OXTAILS, BONES. SO, ALL I DID WAS BROWN THE BRISKET AND BRAISE IT WITH LOTS OF SLICED ONIONS, GARLIC, A BOUQUET GARNIE, IMMERSED IN, YOU GUESSED IT, WATER. LIKE ALL BRAISES, I COOKED IT AHEAD OF TIME, WHICH ALLOWED ME TO CHILL THE COOKING LIQUID SEPARATELY, REMOVE THE FAT, AND REDUCE THE LIQUID TO AN INTENSELY FLAVORFUL SAUCE. SLICING COLD BRISKET IS A BREEZE. THEN GENTLY REHEAT IT WITH THE SAUCE AND SOME ROOT VEGETABLES, WHICH I PREFER TO COOK SEPARATELY. ANYTHING ELSE? OH, YEAH, PARSLEY. I GUARANTEE YOUR CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN, NIECES AND NEPHEWS WILL BE CITING YOUR RECIPE FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.
HEAT OVEN TO 325º
SEASON BRISKET WITH SALT, PEPPER AND SWEET PAPRIKA.
HEAT 3TBS OF OLIVE OIL IN A LARGE DUTCH OVEN OVER A MEDIUM FLAME.
PAT THE BRISKET DRY AND WHEN THE OIL IS SMOKING, LAY THE BRISKET FAT SIDE DOWN IN THE POT. BROWN ON ALL SIDES.
MEANWHILE, PEEL THE ONIONS, SLICE LENGTHWISE IN HALF, THEN INTO 1/2" HALF MOONS.
MAKE A BOUQUET GARNIE WITH FRESH THYME, PARSLEY STEMS, AND 2 BAY LEAVES, TIED TOGETHER WITH KITCHEN TWINE.
ONCE THE BRISKET IS BROWNED, TAKE IT OUT, REDUCE THE HEAT TO LOW AND STIR IN THE ONIONS. COVER THE POT.
CUT THE HEAD OF GARLIC IN HALF AND ADD TO THE POT.
CONTINUE COOKING TILL THE ONIONS ARE SOFT.
PLACE THE BOUQUET GARNIE IN THE BOTTOM OF THE POT WITH THE BRISKET ON TOP, FAT SIDE UP. FILL WITH WATER TO BARELY COVER.
PLACE IN THE OVEN WITH THE LID SLIGHTLY AJAR. COOK FOR ABOUT 3 HOURS, TURNING IT OVER A FEW TIMES. THE LIQUID WILL REDUCE AND THE BRISKET WILL BROWN A LITTLE ON TOP. THE MEAT IS DONE WHEN EASILY PIERCED WITH A FORK BUT NOT FALLING APART.
TURN OFF THE OVEN AND ALLOW IT TO COOL.
PUT THE BRISKET IN A BOWL. USING A SLOTTED SPOON, REMOVE THE COOKED ONIONS AND PUT THEM IN THE BOWL WITH THE BRISKET.
STRAIN THE COOKING LIQUID INTO ANOTHER BOWL OR CONTAINER. REFRIGERATE BOTH MEAT AND BROTH OVERNIGHT. (I COOKED MINE ON WEDNESDAY AND SERVED IT ON FRIDAY.)
TO SERVE THE BRISKET, REMOVE THE CONGEALED FAT FROM THE BROTH. POUR INTO A SAUCEPAN AND REDUCE THE LIQUID BY HALF OR 2-3 CUPS.
SLICE THE COLD BRISKET ACROSS THE GRAIN AND ARRANGE IN AN AU GRATIN DISH. POUR THE SAUCE OVER THE MEAT AND THE COOKED ONIONS. HEAT ON A LOW FLAME OR IN A 300º OVEN FOR 15 MINUTES. GARNISH WITH CHOPPED PARSLEY AND SERVE.
SERVES 6-8
NOTE: YOU CAN ACCOMPANY THE BRISKET WITH PEARL ONIONS AND CARROTS, BUT TURNIPS, RUTABAGAS, PARSNIPS, OR POTATOES (EITHER LITTLE ONES OR MASHED POTATOES) ARE ALSO GREAT.
INGREDIENTS
1 BASEBALL-SIZED KNOB OF FRESH HORSERADISH ROOT
1 LEMON
1 CUP OF CRÉME FRAÎCHE
REMOVE ALL THE BROWN PEEL FROM THE OUTSIDE OF THE HORSERADISH. GRATE ABOUT 2 CUPS ONTO A SHEET OF WAXED PAPER.
DISSOLVE A GENEROUS PINCH OF SEA SALT AND FRESH BLACK PEPPER IN THE JUICE OF ONE LEMON. BLEND IN THE CRÉME FRAÎCHE, THEN THE HORSERADISH.
ALLOW TO SIT FOR AT LEAST AN HOUR BEFORE SERVING.
Ingredients
Directions
HEAT OVEN TO 325º
SEASON BRISKET WITH SALT, PEPPER AND SWEET PAPRIKA.
HEAT 3TBS OF OLIVE OIL IN A LARGE DUTCH OVEN OVER A MEDIUM FLAME.
PAT THE BRISKET DRY AND WHEN THE OIL IS SMOKING, LAY THE BRISKET FAT SIDE DOWN IN THE POT. BROWN ON ALL SIDES.
MEANWHILE, PEEL THE ONIONS, SLICE LENGTHWISE IN HALF, THEN INTO 1/2" HALF MOONS.
MAKE A BOUQUET GARNIE WITH FRESH THYME, PARSLEY STEMS, AND 2 BAY LEAVES, TIED TOGETHER WITH KITCHEN TWINE.
ONCE THE BRISKET IS BROWNED, TAKE IT OUT, REDUCE THE HEAT TO LOW AND STIR IN THE ONIONS. COVER THE POT.
CUT THE HEAD OF GARLIC IN HALF AND ADD TO THE POT.
CONTINUE COOKING TILL THE ONIONS ARE SOFT.
PLACE THE BOUQUET GARNIE IN THE BOTTOM OF THE POT WITH THE BRISKET ON TOP, FAT SIDE UP. FILL WITH WATER TO BARELY COVER.
PLACE IN THE OVEN WITH THE LID SLIGHTLY AJAR. COOK FOR ABOUT 3 HOURS, TURNING IT OVER A FEW TIMES. THE LIQUID WILL REDUCE AND THE BRISKET WILL BROWN A LITTLE ON TOP. THE MEAT IS DONE WHEN EASILY PIERCED WITH A FORK BUT NOT FALLING APART.
TURN OFF THE OVEN AND ALLOW IT TO COOL.
PUT THE BRISKET IN A BOWL. USING A SLOTTED SPOON, REMOVE THE COOKED ONIONS AND PUT THEM IN THE BOWL WITH THE BRISKET.
STRAIN THE COOKING LIQUID INTO ANOTHER BOWL OR CONTAINER. REFRIGERATE BOTH MEAT AND BROTH OVERNIGHT. (I COOKED MINE ON WEDNESDAY AND SERVED IT ON FRIDAY.)
TO SERVE THE BRISKET, REMOVE THE CONGEALED FAT FROM THE BROTH. POUR INTO A SAUCEPAN AND REDUCE THE LIQUID BY HALF OR 2-3 CUPS.
SLICE THE COLD BRISKET ACROSS THE GRAIN AND ARRANGE IN AN AU GRATIN DISH. POUR THE SAUCE OVER THE MEAT AND THE COOKED ONIONS. HEAT ON A LOW FLAME OR IN A 300º OVEN FOR 15 MINUTES. GARNISH WITH CHOPPED PARSLEY AND SERVE.
SERVES 6-8
NOTE: YOU CAN ACCOMPANY THE BRISKET WITH PEARL ONIONS AND CARROTS, BUT TURNIPS, RUTABAGAS, PARSNIPS, OR POTATOES (EITHER LITTLE ONES OR MASHED POTATOES) ARE ALSO GREAT.
INGREDIENTS
1 BASEBALL-SIZED KNOB OF FRESH HORSERADISH ROOT
1 LEMON
1 CUP OF CRÉME FRAÎCHE
REMOVE ALL THE BROWN PEEL FROM THE OUTSIDE OF THE HORSERADISH. GRATE ABOUT 2 CUPS ONTO A SHEET OF WAXED PAPER.
DISSOLVE A GENEROUS PINCH OF SEA SALT AND FRESH BLACK PEPPER IN THE JUICE OF ONE LEMON. BLEND IN THE CRÉME FRAÎCHE, THEN THE HORSERADISH.
ALLOW TO SIT FOR AT LEAST AN HOUR BEFORE SERVING.
Notes
