BRISKET BRAISED IN CHILI SAUCE AND BEER Serves 6-8 1 brisket, 5-7 lbs, fat trimmed to about 1/2 inch 2 teaspoons kosher salt 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper 3 tablespoons olive oil 10 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed 2 large onions, quartered 1 (12 ounce) bottle chili sauce 24 ounces dark beer pico de gallo, for serving (1/2 cup finely chopped onion, 1/3 cup chopped cilantro, 1 lb. finely chopped tomatoes, 1 stemmed and seeded jalapeno finely chopped and 1 Tbsp lime juice mixed then seasoned with salt to taste) Crema Mexicana, for serving PREP: Let the brisket sit at room temperature for 1-2 hours. Preheat the oven to 325. Season the brisket all over with kosher salt and pepper. Place a heavy roasting pan or Dutch oven over 2 burners and add olive oil. Heat the oil over MEDIUM HIGH to HIGH heat. When hot, add the brisket, fat side down to the pan. Brown it to deep brown on both sides, about 8 minutes per side. Turn off the burners. Scatter the garlic, onions, and celery around the meat. Pour the beer into the pan around the meat and the chili sauce over the top of the meat. BRAISE: Turn the burners back on to HIGH heat and bring the liquids to a boil. Boil the liquids 2-3 minutes to reduce just a bit and then turn off the heat. Add enough water to the pan so that liquid comes to the top of the meat but does not cover it. Cover the roasting pan tightly with a lid or foil. Place the pan into the oven and cook until the meat is so tender that it can be pulled apart with a fork, 4-6 hours depending on the size of the brisket. FINISHING THE SAUCE: Remove the brisket to a cutting board. Thinly slice the meat and place it in an oven-proof dish. Strain the solids from the liquid in the pan and discard. Skim the fat from the sauce. Note: This is the best place to pause if you are cooking a day in advance. Just cover and refrigerate everything. Tip: It is easier to remove the fat from chilled liquid than hot. SERVE: Pour about 1 cup or so of the fat-skimmed gravy over the pan of sliced brisket and heat, covered, in a 325 degree oven until warm. Heat the rest of the sauce on the stove. Serve slices of brisket with a generous amount of sauce; drizzle the top with Crema Mexicana and top with pico de gallo.
Posted on: Thu, 11 Jul 2013 16:23:10 +0000