Geshmak! – Jewish Braised Brisket for Thanksgiving
- Braised Brisket With
- Thirty-Six Cloves of Garlic
- March 2009
- Ingredients
- About 36 fat unpeeled garlic cloves (1 2/3 to 2 cups) or an equivalent amount of smaller cloves, plus 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- A first-or second-cut beef brisket (about 5 pounds), trimmed of excess fat, wiped with a damp paper towel, and patted dry
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 3 cups chicken broth, preferably homemade or good-quality low-sodium purchased
- 3 or 4 fresh thyme sprigs, or 2 teaspoons dried leaves
- 2 fresh rosemary sprigs, plus 1 teaspoon chopped leaves
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
.
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Preparation
Preheat the oven to 325°F.
Drop the garlic cloves into a small
saucepan of boiling water for
30 seconds.
Drain immediately.
Peel as soon as the garlic is
cool enough to handle.
Set aside on paper towels to dry.
Heat the olive oil over medium-high
heat in a heavy-bottomed roasting
pan or casserole large enough to
accommodate the meat in one layer.
Use two burners, if necessary.
Add the brisket and brown
well on both sides,
about 10 minutes.
Transfer the brisket to a
platter and set aside.
(Or brown the meat
under the broiler:
place the brisket,
fat side up,
on a foil-lined broiler pan
under a preheated broiler.
Broil for 5 to 6 minutes
on each side, until browned.
Don’t allow it to develop
a hard, dark crust,
which might make the
meat tough or bitter.
Move the meat around as necessary,
so it sears evenly.)
Pour off all but about 1 tablespoon
of fat remaining in the pan and
add the garlic cloves.
Cook over medium heat,
stirring occasionally,
until the garlic edges
are tinged with gold.
Add the vinegar and deglaze the pan,
scraping up all the browned bits from
the bottom with a wooden spoon.
Add the stock, thyme,
and rosemary sprigs,
and reduce the heat to a simmer.
Salt and pepper the brisket
to taste on all sides,
and add it to the pan,
fat side up.
Spoon the garlic cloves
over the meat.
Place the brisket in the oven,
cover (if you have no lid,
use heavy-duty foil),
and cook, basting every half-hour,
until the meat is fork tender,
2 1/2 to 3 hours or longer.
(As the meat cooks,
periodically check that the
liquid is bubbling gently.
If it is boiling rapidly,
turn the oven down to 300°F.)
The brisket tastes best
if it is allowed to rest,
reabsorbing the juices
lost during braising,
and it’s easiest to defat the gravy
if you prepare the meat ahead
and refrigerate it until
the fat solidifies.
That is the method I use,
given here,
but the gravy can be prepared
by skimming the fat in
the traditional way, if you prefer.
.
.
If you go that route though,
do let the meat rest in the pan
sauce for at least an hour.
Cool the brisket in the pan sauce,
cover well with foil, and refrigerate
until the fat congeals.
Scrape off all solid fat.
Remove the brisket from the
pan and slice thinly across the grain.
Prepare the gravy:
Bring the braising mixture
to room temperature,
then strain it,
reserving the garlic and
discarding the thyme and
rosemary sprigs.
Skim and discard as much
fat as possible from the liquid.
Puree about one half of the
cooked garlic with 1 cup of the
defatted braising liquid in a
food processor or a blender.
(If you want a smooth gravy,
puree all of the
cooked garlic cloves.)
Transfer the pureed mixture,
the remaining braising liquid,
and the rest of the cooked
garlic to a skillet.
Add the chopped rosemary,
minced garlic,
and lemon zest.
Boil down the gravy
over high heat, uncovered,
to the desired consistency.
Taste and adjust the seasoning.
Rewarm the brisket in the
gravy until heated through.
Arrange the sliced brisket
on a serving platter.
Spoon some of the hot gravy
all over the meat and pass
the rest in a separate sauce boat.
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