Tonight was the start of Rosh Hashanah - the Jewish new year. We usually have brisket twice a year, the other occasion being Passover. Ariel's always used the same family recipe, and it's been no secret that I'm not really a fan. While I do think ketchup has some interesting and tasty applications (see lovers' shrimp and sweet and sour pork), it just doesn't work for me in brisket. This time, though, I was asked to make the brisket. While I certainly respect tradition, I was excited to strike out on my own.
Although I had an overall flavor profile in mind, I had never cooked this cut before, so I did some research ahead of time (Daniel Gritzer's article and accompanying recipe was a helpful resource). Brisket is unique in that it is both tough with connective tissue, but also is quite lean, a combination that requires care. The consensus seems to be that all of the cooking must be at low heat and covered.
I wasn't originally going to blog this one, but it turned out so well that I thought it worth a short post. Because of this, the recipe is not as precise as usual. This is one dish where precision isn't particularly important, and I didn't measure at all. I went for a classic slow-cooked beef style and it ended up tender but still moist with a very deep, flavorful sauce. Our holiday meal also included matzo ball soup, challah, and the traditional apples and honey.
Ingredients
- One piece beef brisket (mine was about 2 lb. - on the small side, but you can easily scale this up)
- 4 carrots, sliced into small chunks
- 3 stalks celery, sliced
- 1 1/2 medium yellow onions, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, smashed
- 1 cup dry red wine
- 1 14.5 oz. can whole peeled tomatoes
- Chicken stock, as needed
- Splash of dark soy sauce
- Splash of light soy sauce
- 1 Tbs dijon mustard
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary (can substitute dried)
- A few sprigs fresh parsley
- 2 bay leaves
- Flour or Wondra for thickening
- Vegetable oil
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
A good choice of cooking vessel is needed. The optimal choice is something we can use to brown on the stovetop, cover, then transfer to the oven. A lid is helpful, but foil can be used. A large dutch oven or saute pan that can fit your brisket works well.
Ahead of time, prepare the vegetables as listed. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Heat some oil in the pan, enough to cover the bottom. Pat the brisket dry and salt and pepper both sides. With the pan very hot, sear the brisket on both sides for a few minutes until well browned. Do your best to ensure good pan contact for an even sear. Set the brisket aside.
Next, saute the carrots, celery, onion, and garlic. Add a little salt and pepper. If your pan is large enough, this can all be done at once. When the vegetables have softened, deglaze with wine. Let this cook down a little. While that is happening, transfer the tomatoes to a bowl and smash them up with your hands. Add to the pan. Return the brisket to the pan and add enough chicken stock to mostly cover the meat. Add soy sauce, mustard, and herbs. Stir these in.
Cover the pan and transfer to the oven. Let cook for about 3 1/2 hours, though this may vary depending on the size of the brisket. I flipped it over halfway through.
Once the slow-cooking is complete, take the brisket out and let stand about 30 minutes. Use a slotted spoon or spider to remove the vegetables. Set these aside in a bowl. While the brisket is resting, reduce the sauce on the stove. Add a thickening agent to your taste. Whisking Wondra into the sauce works well, though you can also use a flour slurry. Taste the sauce and add salt and/or pepper to taste. I only needed a bit of pepper at this point. Turn off the burner and leave the pan there.
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| The brisket at serving |
Thinly slice the brisket across the grain. Return the brisket slices and the vegetables to the sauce. Mix together to coat the meat, cover, and let stand for 30 more minutes before serving.
Notes
If you want to adjust this dish for Passover, a few substitutions or omissions need to be made. Specifically, the more processed ingredients won't work, as soy sauce contains wheat and mustard contains corn syrup. I like soy sauce in a braised or marinated dish (my usual mix of dark and light) for the color and savory flavor, but I don't think omitting them would break the dish. One could also use dry mustard in place of dijon mustard. Of course, flour as a thickening agent needs to be replaced by something like potato starch.
