Braised Beef 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

[KarenB]

I've always added a bit of water to the roast pan and never sliced it mid way. Interesting method. I'll give it a try next time. Thanks Clove.

[Clove]

I've always added a bit of water to the roast pan and never sliced it mid way. Interesting method. I'll give it a try next time. Thanks Clove.

KB,

Depending on the ingredients in the braise, you may or may not need to add water.
With the 4 to 6 pounds of onions (above), they will generate plenty of liquid, even if you add carrots and celery and the like.
There are several good reasons to cut it 2/3's of the way through:

• You are sure of how cooked the brisket is when you cut it and can adjust the last cooking time if necessary
• When you take it out of the oven, it is ready to serve
• It gives you a chance to add ingredients that only need the hour to cook and you don't want they to be "mush" when you serve, like potatoes and/or mushrooms

In the end, any way you cook a brisket, it is a great meal and makes even better left overs.

[KarenB]

Thanks for the info. Now you made me hungry!