Simple Braised Brisket

[Clove]

Braised Brisket

You can use this recipe as a "jumping off" point and modify it to your pleasure.
The technique is fool proof.

Ingredients:
· 4 to 6 lb first cut beef brisket - Fat trimmed by butcher
· 4 to 6 lbs of sweet onions - Cut in half and then sliced into 1/4 inch half moons
· 2 Cups of flour
· 6 to 8 garlic cloves - peeled and slightly crushed
· 4 to 6 bay leaves
· Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
· Vegetable oil - to cover the bottom of the roasting pan

Equipment:
· Roasting pan - large and deep enough to hold the brisket
· Cover for roasting pan or heavy duty aluminum foil

Method:
Pre-heat oven to 325 F
Put roasting pan on stove (use 2 burners if necessary), add oil. Heat on medium high
until just before oil is smoking
Aggressively salt and pepper the brisket on both sides
Dredge in flour on both sides - shake off any excess
Carefully place the brisket into the roasting and sear on both sides until nicely browned - about 5 to 8 minutes per side - darker is better
Remove brisket to a platter
Place onions, bay leaves and garlic into pan
Season the onions with salt
Sauté and stir over medium heat until onions begin to soften and start to reduce in bulk
Place brisket on top of onions. Add any of the meat juices that are in the platter
Cover tightly and place in the pre-heated oven
Cook for 2 hours
Remove roasting pan from oven - Carefully remove the cover
Remove the brisket - It should still be somewhat tough when pierced with a fork
Place brisket on cutting board and cut into slices - AGAINST THE GRAIN - Very important!
Return the slices to the roasting pan and nestle them into the liquid that onions have started to create
Recover the pan tightly and cook for another 1 to 11/2 hours
The meat should be fork tender
You can thicken the braising liquid with a roux if desired
Serve

[CM]

Just in time for Memorial Day!

I've got a brisket in the freezer and this sounds like it's worth a try. Thanks for sharing!

[Vyvyenne]

Use a slow cooker and forget about it so easy. Season place in cooker with a tablespoon of water and cook for as long as it needs. Go out for the day and feel easy knowing it will be perfect when you get home. The juice produced makes wonderful gravy and oh! so tasty. Serve with what ever you fancy.

Vyvenne

[Clove]

Use a slow cooker and forget about it so easy. Season place in cooker with a tablespoon of water and cook for as long as it needs. Go out for the day and feel easy knowing it will be perfect when you get home. The juice produced makes wonderful gravy and oh! so tasty. Serve with what ever you fancy.

Vyvenne

Vyvenne,
Do you have a slow cooker that will hold a 6 lb brisket?
Rather than invest in a slow cooker, reset the cooking temperature to 275F and cook my recipe all day.
If you do have a slow cooker, you'll need to change the cut of meat to fit it into the slow cooker; chuck roasts and top round roasts are good choices.
Enjoy!

[biscuit]

Corn the brisket if you're gonna store it, for extra flavor. For 2 4-5 lb briskets, pierce with a fork so they can absorb the brine. Make a brine of 2 cups rock or coarse sea salt for each gallon of water and add 2 cups dark bown sugar, 1 1/2 tsp. baking soda and 4 tsp. saltpeter (available at butcher supplies sites online). Add a tablespoon of mixed or black peppercorns, 4 or 5 crushed bay leaves, a tablespoon of whole allspice cloves, 5 or 6 whole garlic cloves, 1/2 tsp. mustard seed, or other pickling spices of your choosing. Bring the water and salt to a boil, then remove from heat and add the spices and cool completely. Put the briskets in a large crockery pot with a cover in a cool place and make sure the meat is kept covered with the brine over 8-12 days, adding more brine if needed. You can put it in a plastic container and keep it in the refrigerator if preferred. Rinse well in cold water.

To cook, simmer covered with water for 1 hour, replace water with fresh water and then simmer for another 2 1/2 hours or until tender or use in your own recipe as any corned beef. Or make pastrami by smoking it at 150-175F for 24 hrs.