Cooking Louisiana - Braised Brisket

Brisket - Print Version  -  {Full Version}

This is a method I use for your regular 6 - 9 lb. brisket untrimmed. You can experiment with the seasonings for this.

Marinade: 
1 cup whole milk or buttermilk
1 tbs. Garlic powder
1/3 cup lemon juice

Mix together well....

Marinade brisket in it's original cry-o-pack if that's what it came in. With the fat side up slit the plastic about 6 inches so you can pour the marinade in. Work it around best you can and refrigerate overnight. 

I'll allow about 1/2 hour per pound to cook the brisket at 225 - 250º F. This is an estimate, some briskets are tougher than others. 

When ready to cook take the brisket out of the plastic and save the marinade. Rub the brisket down with any seasonings you like trying not to use any that contain too much salt. Lightly oil a roaster or pan with at least 2" sides, place the brisket in fat side up. Pour in the marinade and about a cup of water. Lay 6 - 8 slices of bacon on top. 

Cook uncovered about 2 hours to get it brown. You can also brown it on top the stove if you have a pot big enough. In the oven you can let the water cook out of it and that will brown it, but don't let it cook "dry" for too long.

Check it every 30 minutes or so to be sure there is still water in the pan and add as needed. After the initial few hours cover the pan. Heavy duty aluminum foil will work if you don't have a cover.

An hour or so before it's done slice some mushrooms, onions and bell peppers (cubed - 1" X 1"). Put them in with brisket adding enough water or beef stock just to cover the vegetables. Add about a tsp. each of creole seasoning, black pepper, and, 1 each tbs. Worcestershire and soy sauce. Cover again and let it cook.

Now the tricky part "when do I know it's done?". Generally you can take some tongs and grab one side of the brisket and bend it. If the meat looks like it wants to separate it's done. When I say done I mean tender enough, not cooked to a certain temperature which of course you should check also.

You can cook the brisket in the oven or the pit if it's big enough to keep the pan away from the fire. You can also start it in the oven and finish it in the pit for a smoked flavor.

When all is done you need to discard the fat. If it's been cooked enough you can take a knife and scrape the fat (knife perpendicular to the grain) right off the meat with the knife's edge. 

When slicing the brisket look for the grain and slice it first (with the grain) in the widths you want. 

Then, cut it against the grain. I like to use an electric knife for this. This is a dense and naturally tough meat, so the thinner the slices the better the meat. 

Most briskets will have two distinct pieces of meat separated by fat and each piece of meats' grain is running opposite ways. To properly cut it you should separate these two pieces, remove any fat, and, cut them individually. 

When all the meat is sliced take the meat and put it in a casserole dish, then, pour the gravy and vegetables over the brisket. Let it rest for about 15 minutes. Taste it and sprinkle seasoning as you like. Makes great sandwiches!

Enjoy...     [Full Version]

 

 

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