Brisket becomes tender only after long, slow cooking with plenty of moisture. The ideal seasoning for this recipe is quite basic, and it is usually served over broad noodles, with boiled potatoes, or in a sandwich on a crusty roll. Brisket is also seasoned with bolder spices or with sweet fruits and vegetables; see the variations.
Note: You can avoid the initial browning difference. Whereas, it’s tempting to ‘tear’ brisket along the grain, it’s better to slice it against the grain; use a sharp carving knife and you will get beautiful, thin slices.
Let’s have a look on how to make braised beef brisket:
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil, like grape seed or corn, or extra virgin olive oil (optional)
- 1 whole beef brisket, about 5 pounds
- Salt and lots of freshly ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoons butter or more oil
- 2 cups chopped onions
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste or 1 large ripe tomato, chopped
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 3 cups chicken, beef, or vegetable stock or water
Instructions:
- Heat the oven to 325°F (you can also cook this brisket on top of the stove if you like). If you choose to brown the brisket first, heat a large pot with a lid or a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. When hot, add the oil, swirl it around, then add the beef. Sear it for around 6 minutes on each side, or until it becomes brown nicely.
- Sprinkle with salt and pepper and transfer to a platter. Wipe out the pan with tissue papers and place it over stove; turn the heat to medium and add the butter. When it foams, add the onion and cook, stirring, until golden and soft, at least 10 minutes. Add some salt and pepper, then mix it in the tomato paste and garlic. Return the meat to the pan, add the stock, and cover.
- Cook over low heat or in the oven, tossing the meat around every 40 minutes, until it become soft, for 2 1/2 to 3 hours. If the sauce is too thin, let the meat to rest on a platter for a few minutes while you boil the liquid down over high heat, scraping the bottom of a pan with a wooden spoon, until it thickens.
- Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning. Slice the meat, return it to the sauce, and serve.
Spicy Braised Beef Brisket. Before frying, rub the meat all over with a mixture of 1 teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoons sugar, 2 teaspoons ground cumin, 1 teaspoon ground black pepper, 1/4 teaspoon cayenne (more if you like), 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander and 2 teaspoons paprika.
In Step 1, increase the oil to 2 tablespoons. In Step 2, use 2 tablespoons oil instead of butter and
cook the onion over medium-high heat, stirring, until it begins to brown, about 10 minutes. Proceed with the recipe.
Sweet Braised Beef Brisket with Garlic.
In Step 3, when the meat is somewhat tender but not quite done, after about 1 1/2 to 2 hours of braising, add 1 pound peeled and chunked sweet potatoes, 2 chunked carrots, 1/2 cup dried apricots, 1/2 cup dried pitted prunes or other dried fruit, and 1 head garlic with most of the papery coating removed, cut in half horizontally.
Continue cooking until the entire fruits and vegetables are soft but not until they dissolve, 30 to 60 minutes. Serve, spreading the soft garlic on crusty bread.
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