Brisket is EVERYWHERE now-a-days but mostly it’s smoked brisket – and I don’t deny that it is delicious when smoked. There is, however, another – once far more popular method of cooking brisket. It’s braising!
Braising is a cooking method that uses a short initial browning step followed by a long simmering. This is especially useful when using tough cuts of meat such as brisket, shoulder or shank.
Why Use Tough Cuts When Tender Cuts Are In Budget?
I’m not surprised by this question because for the last 50 or so years every person who had ever been to a steak house has made some version of the same comment. “It melted in my mouth!”, or “It fell right off the bone!”, or “I didn’t even need my false teeth!”. Well, OK that last one was just what my Grandma said once. ….but you get the point. The world has had a five decade long love affair with tender.
Here’s the thing though. My view that chewing is part of the enjoyment of eating not withstanding, tougher cuts almost always have more flavor than the more tender cuts. Sure, filet mignon is more tender but a NY strip steak slaughters the filet when it comes to taste. Chicken breast is easy on the jaw bone but who thinks it can match the full flavor profile of a boneless thigh? Nobody.
So if you ask me, “Why?”, my answer is, “Taste”. Add to that the tenderness imparted by the braising method and you know you have a winner.
A Golden Age of Pompous Dinning Classic
So, you may not know today’s recipe but if your Mom or Grandma came of age any time during the administrations of Truman through Reagan I assure you that she did! And she likely made it for Easter or Passover or on any cold Sunday.
If you give this one a try let us know what you think in the, “Leave A Reply” section below. We’d love to know what you think of it.
Braised Brisket Of Beef
Ingredients
- 2 Lbs Beef Brisket (Trimmed)
- 1 Cup Sliced Sweet Onion
- 1 Cup Carrots – Large Baton Cut (1” X 1” X 2”)
- 1 Cup Celery – Large Baton Cut
- 2 Tbsp Coarsely Chopped Garlic
- 2 Cup Beef Stock
- 2 Tbsp Soy Sauce
- 1 Tbsp Tomato Ketchup
- 1½ Oz Cooking oil
- 1 Ea Bay Leaf
- Salt and Pepper
- Enough flour to dredge the brisket
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees and preheat an oven-safe deep, covered skillet over medium heat.
- Using paper towel dry off the brisket then coat it with a generous amount of salt and pepper and dredge in the flour.
- Add oil to skillet then brown the brisket on all sides. Remove the browned brisket and set it aside.
- Saute the onion and garlic in the skillet until lightly browned then return the brisket to the skillet.
- Add the bay leaf, beef stock, soy sauce and ketchup to the skillet. Mix well and return to boil.
- Cover the skillet and place in the 375 degree oven for about 2½ hours or until slightly tender.
- Remove the skillet from the oven and add in celery and carrots and return to the oven uncovered for 20-30 minutes or until the vegetables are cooked al dente and the brisket is tender. If the broth is thinner than you wish you can transfer it to a sauce pan and simmer or add a cornstarch slurry to thicken it.
- Slice and serve with the vegetables and a starch such as noodles or mashed potatoes.