Beef Brisket

My guest blogger today is Robert Rosenthal, the Short Order Dad®. Like him, I am a busy parent, but I still love to cook and eat well—and make great dishes for my family.

Here is his recipe for brisket, one of my favorite fall dishes.

The Top 10 Reasons Why Brisket is Beautiful
by Robert Rosenthal

1. It is easy to make. (And hard to screw up.)
2. It is mouth-wateringly delicious.
3. It’s inexpensive.
4. It requires only one pot.
5. It produces its own gorgeous gravy.
6. It makes your house smell really, really good.
7. It’s at least as good the next day. (“It makes a nice sandwich.”)
8. It feeds a lot of people.
9. It’s an extremely adaptable recipe.
10. Everyone loves it—kids and grownups alike. (Vegetarians, not so much.)

My version is simple, but delivers consistently sensational results, including a boatload of the aforementioned gravy, richly flavored by slow-cooked onions. Once you understand the basic technique – searing and braising — you can customize your own version with a variety of flavorful additions that excite you – 40 cloves of garlic, herbs, wine instead of beer, carrots and parsnips added during the last hour of cooking, etc. Serve alongside something that will welcome all the sauce, like mashed potatoes, noodles or couscous.

Ingredients
1 beef brisket, (about 3 pounds or more), rinsed and patted dry
3 garlic cloves peeled and sliced thin
Salt and ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 pounds onions, peeled and sliced
2-3 bottles lager or amber beer (can substitute with 3 cups beef or chicken broth)
10 ounce can of crushed tomatoes OR 1/2 small can of tomato paste

Make the brisket
With the tip of a sharp knife, make slits in both sides of the meat and stuff with slices of garlic. Season each side generously with salt and black pepper.
Place oil in a large, heavy bottomed pot over medium high flame. When hot, brown the brisket on both sides, lowering heat as necessary so as not to burn.
When browned, add onions, cayenne, the remaining salt, beer and tomatoes. Stir and bring mixture to boil, then lower the flame so that broth remains “simmering”, i.e. not vigorous, but still moving gently. Cover the pot. (You can leave it on top of stove OR place in a 300-degree pre-heated oven.)
Cook until meat is very tender but not falling apart, at least 2 hours. More is fine.
Remove brisket to a carving board. Place the broth/gravy back on the stovetop, at a higher temperature, and reduce it to the consistency you desire. Taste and adjust seasoning. Then slice brisket AGAINST the grain and top with onion gravy.

Serves 6 (and provides leftovers)

Robert is an award-winning international advertising executive and a professionally trained chef and former stand up comedian. He has 2.5 million frequent flier miles, has overeaten at more than 2,700 restaurants around the globe, and he cooks for his kids and wife. His articles have been published in Cookie, HuffPo, Adweek and Ad Age, which called him “undoubtedly one of the most colorful characters in the industry.”

You can check him out at Short Order Dad®.

• 
•