Best Brisket Ever

I made brisket for Christmas this year and I have decided braising is the way to go for big dinners. It goes in at noon, and then you barely have to think about it until dinner is served! Throw in a couple of easy side dishes (green beans, mashed potatoes, and biscuits) and you are done. I found this recipe on Food and Wine last year and I have just made a few adjustments to the cooking times. It is delicious and smells amazing all day. Leftovers from this are amazing- I think it tastes even better the next day.

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas!


Beef Brisket
adapted from Food and Wine

1/3 cup light brown sugar
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
½ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder
½ teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon white ground pepper
One 5-lb beef brisket, trimmed
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 large onions, sliced ½ inch thick
2 lbs carrots, sliced 1/8 inch thick
2 cups Coca-Cola
One 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
¼ cup ketchup

Mix together the brown sugar, salt, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, paprika, black pepper, cinnamon, cocoa powder, white pepper. Rub the mixture all over the brisket, set in a baking dish and cover with foil. Refrigerate overnight.

Preheat oven to 350. In a large enameled cast-iron casserole, heat the oil. Add the brisket, fat side down, and brown well over moderately high heat, 6 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate. Reduce heat to medium and add the onions. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until they are softened, about 15 minutes. Add the carrots, cover and cook, stirring occasionally until softened, about 6 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.

Add the Coca-Cola, tomatoes, and ketchup to the pot and stir over medium heat, scraping up the browned bits off the bottom of the pot. Add the brisket and any juices from the plate to the pot, then cover with onions and carrots. If necessary, add enough water so that the brisket is half-submerged. Cover with parchment paper and the lid of the pot, braise in the oven for 2 ½ hours.

After 2 ½ hours, transfer the brisket to a large cutting board, cover with foil, and let rest for 30 minutes. Raise the oven temperature to 425. Slice the meat across the grain ¼ inch thick, return to the pot, and spoon the sauce over the meat.

Return the pot to the oven uncovered and cook for 1 ½- 2 hours, or until the meat is fork tender and the sauce has thickened. Check every 20 minutes; if necessary add water so that the meat is half submerged ( I have never had to add water). Remove from the oven and let stand for 15 minutes and serve.

Green Beans with Caramelized Shallots
makes 6 servings

1 lbs haricot verts (French green beans) or regular green beans cut in half
10 shallots, cut into large chunks
Olive oil
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Prepare an ice bath in a large bowl. Blanch the green beans in the boiling water for 4-5 minutes, until just cooked. Drain and quickly transfer to the ice bath to stop cooking (this keeps them bright green). I usually do this a day in advance, storing them in a plastic bag with a paper towel to absorb residual moisture.

When ready to serve, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shallots, season with salt, and cook until golden brown and caramelized, about 15 minutes. Add the green beans to the pan and drizzle with a little more olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve.



Goat Cheese Biscuits expertly made by my sister and aunt

My adorable puppy (actually she is kind of old) taking a nap on one of her Christmas presents