Braised Corned Beef Brisket

By á-75028

While the traditional method of cooking corned beef brisket is boiling, braising keeps the flavor, and the fat, in the meat.

Ingredients

• 1 - 4 to 5 pd corned beef (or fresh) brisket either from the counter or vacuum packed.
• 1 - large sweet onion
• Liquid Smoke (usually found in the bbq sauce/condiment aisle)
• Yellow Mustard
• Safflower oil

Preparation

Step 1

Corned beef is a salt cured brisket and it is often sold in a vacuum pack with a little packet of pickling spices. Cooking is usually accomplished by first boiling then baking until tender.

But this recipe suggest that you bypass the boiling and braise the meat to create a flavorful brisket that is packed with flavor and that will slice without shredding.

Braising meat is the process of first searing the outside of the meat, creating an au jus, or liquid that can be used to “steam” and tenderize a tougher piece of meat.

Some tips:

• You are going to achieve best results for sliced beef if you choose the flat cut, versus the point cut of the brisket.
• Buy the thickest cut you can, at least 3” thick. Brisket has a lot of fat both on the exterior and marbled throughout. A thinner cut runs the risk of being very fatty or drying out.
• Use very cold water to rinse the brisket thoroughly to help remove any excess salt then let the meat sit to dry.

Method:

Cut the onion into wedges and separate. In your large T-Fal pan sauté the onions in a tablespoon and a half of Safflower Oil* until fully wilted, slightly translucent and starting to caramelize.

Once the brisket is dry, sprinkle with just a little bit of liquid smoke – taste it first, it has its own salt… but you are looking for the color it will create when it mixes with the seared fat on the outside of the brisket.

Move the onions to the sides of the pan, creating a ring and place the brisket, fattest side first, down onto the hot pan and sear the outside of the brisket – about 15 minutes each side.

You will create dark au jus, courtesy of the liquid smoke and caramelizing onions.

When the corned beef is seared on both sides, transfer to a baking dish lined with foil and pour the onions and au just around the brisket. Cover the brisket with organic yellow mustard.

Spoon the onions and gravy over the top of the briskets and fold the foil in a loose tent and place in a 275-degree oven for one hour.

Check the beef, and open the foil at the top and place back in the oven for another 45 minutes.

Corned beef is very tough, chewy so it takes “watching” as actual cooking time changes with thickness and fat content (marbling) of the meat. As the meat looks, and smells, to be cooking, carefully slice pieces off the end.

Once done, let sit covered for 15 minutes, then slice. Serve

Serve with parsley potatoes and steamed cabbage sprinkled with Bragg’s organic apple cider.

Note: This particular method of slow cooking, when the beef is placed in the refrigerator over night, sliced thin, covered with the onions and au just and then reheated at 275 until very warm, the beef was very, very tender.

*Note: Safflower Oil, like Olive Oil, has a lower heat / smoking point, however the T-Fal pan allows cooks to use the Antioxidant filled oil expressed from the Safflower seed that does not impart and flavor or greasiness to your recipe.