Alton Brown Brisket Recipes Oven Food

SMOKED BRISKET

Steps:

• Rinse the brisket and pat dry. Trim the fat cap to approximately 1/4-inch thick and score the fat with a sharp knife, making sure not to cut through to the surface of the meat. Set aside.
• Combine the salt, black pepper, green pepper, and white pepper in a small bowl and whisk to combine. Sprinkle the spice mixture over the entire brisket and rub all over. Cover with plastic or foil and refrigerate overnight.
• Place 4 ounces of hickory wood chunksMeasuring approximately 2-by-2-by-3 inches. into the smoker box and turn smoker to 225ºF. Place drip pan under smoker.
• Unwrap the brisket and place directly on the center rack, fat-side up. Close the door and cook until the brisket reaches an internal temperature of 140 to 150ºF.
• Remove the brisket and wrap in a double layer of aluminum foil. Place it in a pan, put it back in the smoker, and continue to cook until the brisket yields to pressure when pressed, is pinkish on the inside, pulls apart easily, the fat cap is slightly blackened and jiggles, and when picked up with two pairs of tongs, bends in half and sags almost as though it will break in half. It should reach an internal temperature of 185 to 190ºF fairly quickly, and then hold that temperature for several hours. Don't rush this step.
• Rest at room temperature for 45 minutes to 1 hour before slicing and serving with a side of bread and butter pickles.

BEEF BRISKET

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• On a cutting board, mash the garlic and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt together with the flat-side of a knife into a paste. Add the rosemary and continue to mash until incorporated. Put the garlic-rosemary paste in a small bowl and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil; stir to combine.
• Season both sides of the brisket with a fair amount of kosher salt and ground black pepper. Place a large roasting pan or Dutch oven over medium-high flame and coat with the remaining olive oil. Put the brisket in the roasting pan and sear to form a nice brown crust on both sides. Lay the vegetables all around the brisket and pour the rosemary paste over the whole thing. Add the wine and tomatoes; toss in the parsley and bay leaves. Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil and transfer to the oven. Bake for about 3 to 4 hours, basting every 30 minutes with the pan juices, until the beef is fork tender.
• Remove the brisket to a cutting board and let it rest for 15 minutes. Scoop the vegetables out of the roasting pan and onto a platter, cover to keep warm. Pour out some of the excess fat, and put the roasting pan with the pan juices on the stove over medium-high heat. Boil and stir for 5 minutes until the sauce is reduced by 1/2. (If you want a thicker sauce, mix 1 tablespoon of flour with 2 tablespoons of wine or water and blend into the gravy).
• Slice the brisket across the grain (the muscle lines) at a slight diagonal. Serve with potato pancakes.
• Using a box grater or food processor, coarsely grate the potatoes and onions. Put the grated potatoes and onions together in cheesecloth or a tea towel and twist it to squeeze out the excess liquid. Put the dry potatoes and onions in a bowl and season with salt and pepper. Fold in the egg whites and chives to bind the mixture together.
• Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium heat and coat with 1/4-inch of oil. For each pancake, take about 2 tablespoons of the potato mixture and drop into the hot oil; gently flatten with a spatula so they fry up thin and crispy. Fry for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, until golden. Remove to paper towels to drain; season with salt while the potato pancakes are still hot. Continue frying, adding more oil as needed, until all of the mixture is used up. Serve immediately with apple sauce, if desired.

JERKY

Steps:

• Place the meat in the freezer for 1 hour, so that it will be easier to cut.
• Slice the meat with the grain as thin as humanly possible.
• Mix brine ingredients right in a resealable plastic bag (placing the bag inside a large plastic container will make this easier.)
• Place meat strips in brine. Move the meat around so the marinade is evenly distributed around it. Seal bag, working out as much air as humanly possible.
• Lay bag flat in the plastic container and refrigerate for 3 to 6 hours.
• Remove meat from the brine and drain on cooling racks. Discard the brine.
• When the meat is dry place it inside Blo-hard 3000 and set fan to medium. Leave overnight or for at least 12 hours.
• If you don't find yourself in possession of a Blo-hard 3000, place strips directly on oven racks.
• Heat oven to lowest setting and use a blob of foil as a wedge to hold door ajar.
• Oven-dry overnight or until meat reaches a consistency of your liking.
• Store in zip-top bag or jar in a cool dark place for 30 or 40 years or until fuzzy stuff starts to grow on it.

OVEN ROASTED BROCCOLI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
• Cut the broccoli florets into bite size pieces. Cut the stalk into 1/8-inch thick, round slices. Place the broccoli into a mixing bowl and toss with the olive oil, garlic, kosher salt and pepper and set aside.
• Spread the panko into a 13 by 9-inch metal cake pan and place into the oven for 2 minutes or until lightly toasted. Remove the panko from the oven and add to the bowl with the broccoli mixture. Toss to combine. Return the mixture to the cake pan, place in the oven and roast just until the broccoli is tender, 8 to 10 more minutes. Remove from the oven, toss in the cheese and serve immediately.

CORNED BEEF

Steps:

• Place the water into a large 6 to 8 quart stockpot along with salt, sugar, saltpeter, cinnamon stick, mustard seeds, peppercorns, cloves, allspice, juniper berries, bay leaves and ginger. Cook over high heat until the salt and sugar have dissolved. Remove from the heat and add the ice. Stir until the ice has melted. If necessary, place the brine into the refrigerator until it reaches a temperature of 45 degrees F. Once it has cooled, place the brisket in a 2-gallon zip top bag and add the brine. Seal and lay flat inside a container, cover and place in the refrigerator for 10 days. Check daily to make sure the beef is completely submerged and stir the brine.
• After 10 days, remove from the brine and rinse well under cool water. Place the brisket into a pot just large enough to hold the meat, add the onion, carrot and celery and cover with water by 1-inch. Set over high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover and gently simmer for 2 1/2 to 3 hours or until the meat is fork tender. Remove from the pot and thinly slice across the grain.

PAN SEARED STEAK (FROM ALTON BROWN)

Steps:

• Remove steak(s) from fridge and start bringing them to room temperature.
• After 30 to 45 minutes, place a 10 to 12-inch cast iron skillet in oven and heat oven to 500 degrees F.
• When oven reaches temperature, remove the pan and place it on a burner over high heat.
• Coat steak(s) lightly with oil and season both sides with a generous pinch of salt. Grind on black pepper to taste.
• Immediately place steak(s) in the middle of the hot, dry pan. Cook 30 to 60 seconds without moving. Turn the steak(s) with tongs and cook another 30 to 60 seconds, then put the pan straight into the oven for 3 to 5 minutes. Flip steak(s) and cook for another 3 to 5 minutes. (The time in the oven depends on how rare you like your steaks. The time given is for medium, but depends on number of steaks, etc. as well.)
• Remove the steak(s) from the pan, cover loosely with foil, and rest for 2 minutes.
• Serve whole or slice thin and fan onto plate.

ALTON BROWN MARINADE FOR BEEF

Steps:

• Whisk all ingredients together.
• Use as a marinade for almost all cuts of beef. The longer the meat sits in the marinade (in the frig, of course) the better. I try to let it marinate a minimum of 24 hours. For large tri-tip roasts I try for 72 hours.
• Cook as desired -- the grill is best, though.