Brisket Nina
10 to 12 servings
This winning brisket recipe is adapted from the sisterhood cookbook of a Reform temple in Charleston, S.C. David Barsky prefers to make the brisket a day or two in advance, to let its flavor develop. His family enjoys it with mashed potatoes on the side.
5- to 6-pound beef brisket (first cut*, if possible)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 cloves garlic, finely minced or pureed
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large sweet onion, diced
1 cup dry red wine
2 cups dark brown sugar
2 cups ketchup
1 1/2 to 2 cups beef broth
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
Rub brisket on both sides with salt, pepper and garlic. In a large ovenproof pot on medium-high heat, heat the oil. Add the meat and sear, turning once, for 3 to 4 minutes per side. Remove the meat from the pot; set aside.
Reduce the heat to low, add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the wine and stir to deglaze the pot. Increase the heat to medium-high and cook until the wine has reduced, about 5 minutes. Turn off the heat.
Place the seared meat on top of the onion, fat side up. Cover evenly with the sugar, then cover with ketchup. Pour broth around the meat until the sides of the brisket are covered but the top is not immersed. Cover tightly first with a layer of aluminum foil, then the pot lid, and cook for 3 to 3 1/2 hours.
Remove meat from the pot and slice thinly on the diagonal. Return sliced meat to the sauce in the pot and turn to evenly coat. Serve hot.
NOTE*: A first cut of brisket is also known as the flat cut. Its underside usually has a layer of fat that is useful for this cooking process.
Recipe tested by Bonnie S. Benwick; e-mail questions to food@washpost.comPer serving (based on 12, including sauce): 621 calories, 38 gm protein, 34 gm carbohydrates, 35 gm fat, 125 mg cholesterol, 13 gm saturated fat, 195 mg sodium, trace dietary fiber
