Braised Brisket With Mushrooms Americas Test Kitchen Food

BRAISED BRISKET

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F. Mix the fennel seeds, sage, cayenne, 1 tablespoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper in a small bowl. Rub the spice mixture all over the brisket, pressing it into the meat to make sure it sticks well.
• Mix the beef stock or broth, balsamic vinegar, brown sugar and garlic in a large liquid measuring cup and set aside.
• Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven or large heavy-bottomed pot with a lid over medium-high heat. Add the brisket fat-side up and cook until golden brown and no longer sticking to the bottom of the pot, 4 to 5 minutes. Flip and cook the other side until it is golden brown and some of the fat has rendered, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the brisket to a plate and lower the heat to medium.
• Add the onions, carrots and 1 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally and scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot, until the onions are softened and starting to caramelize, 7 to 8 minutes.
• Add the balsamic mixture and tomatoes to the pot and bring to a boil. Return the brisket to the pan and nestle it into the sauce and vegetables fat-side up. Cover the pot, transfer to the oven and braise until the brisket is tender but not shredding or falling apart, about 3 hours 30 minutes. A fork should easily pierce through the meat.
• Remove from the oven, uncover and let the brisket rest in the pan for 30 minutes. Remove the brisket to a cutting board. Bring the vegetables and sauce to a boil over medium-high heat and cook until slightly thickened, 12 to 15 minutes. Thinly slice the brisket across the grain and place on a platter. Spoon the vegetables and sauce over the top and serve.

BRAISED BEEF BRISKET WITH ONIONS, MUSHROOMS, AND BALSAMIC

Steps:

• Coat a large roasting pan with olive oil and bring to a high heat. Season the brisket generously with salt. Add the brisket to the pan and brown well on both sides. Remove the brisket from the pan and reserve.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Lower the heat to medium, ditch the excess oil, and add the bacon and reserved skin to the pan with a little more oil. Cook the bacon, stirring occasionally, until the bacon is crispy and has let out a lot of fat. Add the onions and celery. Season with salt and cook until they are very soft and aromatic, 7 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes. Toss in the mushrooms and cook until they are soft and wilted. Add the balsamic vinegar and reduce it by half. Taste it - it will be very vinegary, but that's ok, don't worry. Season with salt, if needed. Lay the brisket on top of the veggie mix and add the chicken stock to the pan until it just covers the brisket. Add the bay leaves and thyme.
• Cover the pan with foil and roast in the oven. Roast for 1 hour, check the brisket, and turn it over. Add more stock if the liquid level has reduced. Cover the pan again and return it to the oven for another hour. Remove the foil and roast for 30 minutes more.
• Remove the roasting pan from the oven, transfer the brisket to a cutting board, cover with foil, and let rest for 20 minutes.
• Skim off any excess fat from the cooking liquid. If the vegetables are swimming in liquid, reduce the liquid on the stovetop over medium-high heat. You want the sauce to be soupy. Taste the liquid and re-season if needed. Slice the brisket against the grain on the bias. Serve topped with the onion-mushroom mixture and sprinkle with chopped chives.

CLASSIC BRAISED BRISKET

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• Pat the brisket dry and sprinkle liberally on both sides with salt and pepper. Heat a roasting pan over 2 burners on medium-high heat. Add the oil and heat until hot. Sear the meat, fat-side down, until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Carefully flip and sear on the second side until golden brown, 7 to 8 minutes. Remove the brisket to a platter or baking sheet. Remove all but 2 tablespoons of fat from the pan.
• Add the sweet onions to the pan and cook, scraping the bottom, until just starting to brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the wine and cook until reduced by about a third, about 4 minutes. Add the chicken broth, garlic cloves and thyme. Return the brisket and any juices to the pan, cover tightly with foil, transfer to the oven and cook for 3 hours.
• After 3 hours, check to make sure there is still liquid in the pan. If not, add another cup of chicken broth. Re-cover tightly with the foil and cook for another 1 1/2 hours.
• Arrange the pearl onions and leeks around the meat, re-cover with the foil and cook until the meat is very tender, 1 to 1 1/2 more hours. Carefully remove the meat to a platter.
• Stir the honey into the roasting pan, place the pan over 2 burners on medium heat and reduce the liquid by about a third, 6 to 10 minutes. Discard the thyme sprigs. Spoon off any oil from the sauce. Season with salt and pepper. At this point you can serve the brisket or refrigerate overnight (see below).
• Toss the parsley, mint, scallions and shallots with the vinegar in a bowl and season with salt and pepper.
• Spoon some of the sauce with the sweet onions, leeks and pearl onions onto a large platter. Cut the brisket across the grain into thin slices and lay them on top of the sauce. Spoon over more of the sauce and mixed onions and top with the parsley mixture. Serve the remaining sauce and onions on the side
• Make Ahead: You can refrigerating the brisket overnight before serving. Remove the sweet onions, pearl onions and leeks from the sauce and refrigerate separately. The fat will harden as the brisket and sauce chill, making it easy to spoon out. To serve, remove the brisket to a cutting board while cold. Thinly slice and return to the sauce along with the mixed onions. Cover and reheat in a 325 degree F-oven for about 45 minutes.

THE ULTIMATE BRAISED BRISKET

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• Drizzle brisket liberally with olive oil then season the meat on both sides with salt and pepper.
• Place a large Dutch oven or heavy-based pot over medium-high heat and add a 3-count of olive oil. Place the brisket in the pot and sear on both sides to form a nice brown crust. Remove from pot and set aside before adding carrots, onion and celery. Brown vegetables, then add the garlic, tomatoes, red wine, bay leaf, thyme, rosemary, and parsley. Add the brisket back to the pot, cover and roast in the oven for 3 hours until the brisket is fork tender.
• Remove the brisket to a cutting board and let it rest for 15 minutes. Strain out the vegetables and pour off some of the excess fat, then pour over the brisket.
• Slice brisket across the grain and serve over parsnip puree with roasted red onions and garnish with parsley.

BRAISED BRISKET WITH ROOT VEGETABLES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Pat the brisket dry and sprinkle with 2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Heat the oil in a large stovetop-safe roasting pan over medium heat. Add the brisket and cook, turning with tongs, until browned on all sides, about 12 minutes. Transfer the brisket to a plate and set aside.
• Add the onions, garlic and thyme to the pan. Cook, stirring, until the onions are soft and translucent, about 7 minutes. Add the wine and 1/2 cup water, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Add the tomatoes with the juices from the can, 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper to taste. Return the beef to the pan along with any accumulated juices; increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a simmer.
• Remove the roasting pan from the heat and add the potatoes, carrots and parsnips around the sides of the brisket. Tightly cover the roasting pan with aluminum foil and roast until the brisket is very tender and a fork will easily pierce it, 3 1/2 to 4 hours.
• Transfer the brisket to a cutting board and the vegetables to a large serving platter. Cover and keep warm. Skim the fat from the top of the juices in the roasting pan. Place the roasting pan over medium heat on the stovetop and bring to a simmer. Cook until the sauce has reduced by more than half and is similar to a thick gravy, 15 to 20 minutes. Slice the brisket against the grain and transfer to the platter with the vegetables. Season the sauce with salt and pepper and spoon a bit over the slices. Serve the remaining sauce on the side.

BRAISED BRISKET IN CHIPOTLE ONION SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Set aside shallow roasting pan just large enough to hold meat or use heavy-duty foil to make close baking space for meat and set in larger pan.
• Combine garlic with brown sugar, cumin and salt. Rub mixture over surface of meat.
• Spread half of sliced onions in pan or on foil. Place meat on top. Scatter remaining onions over meat.
• Puree chili sauce with chipotles; spoon over meat and onions. Pour ¼ cup water around meat (not on it). Cover tightly with foil.
• Bake 3 hours. Remove top piece of foil; continue baking until meat is tender, 1 to 2 hours longer. Cool, then cover and refrigerate up to 3 days.
• To reheat, remove fat from meat and onions. Reserve small cluster of onions for garnish. Transfer remaining onions and pan juices to processor or blender. Puree until smooth. Use sharp knife, preferably electric, to slice meat across grain into thin slices. Arrange slices in shallow casserole. Spoon on some sauce; arrange reserved onions on top. Reheat, covered, in 350-degree oven, for 35 minutes. Reheat remaining sauce separately.
• Serve hot, drizzling with more sauce and passing the rest.

BEER-BRAISED BRISKET WITH ONIONS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Pat brisket dry and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Heat oil in 6-8 quart wide heavy pot over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then brown meat well on all sides, about 10 minutes total. Transfer meat to a platter.
• Cook onions with bay leaf in the fat remaining in pot over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until golden, 10-12 minutes.
• Remove from heat and transfer half the onions to a bowl.
• Arrange brisket over onions in the pot and then top with the remaining onions from the bowl so the meat is covered with half the onions under and half the onions over the meat.
• Add the beer, bouillon and vinegar to the pot (liquid should come about halfway up sides of meat) and bring to a boil.
• Cover pot (make sure hanle on pot lid is oven proof) and braise in middle of oven until meat is very tender, 3 to 3 1/2 hours.
• Cool in sauce, uncovered about 30 minutes.
• Transfer brisket to a clean cutting board. Skim off any fat from sauce and season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Slice meat across the grain and serve with the sauce.

BRAISED BEEF BRISKET

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in lower third.
• Heat oil in a wide 5-to 6-quart heavy pot over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Season brisket with 1 tsp each of salt and pepper, then brown brisket, turning once, about 8 minutes total. Transfer to a plate.
• Reduce heat to medium. Add onions to pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden-brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Add carrots, celery, and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, 10 to 12 minutes. Add vinegar, stirring and scraping up brown bits. Add stock and tomatoes and bring to a simmer. Return brisket to pot, nestling it in braising liquid (liquid will not cover meat). Cover with a tight-fitting lid and braise in oven until fork-tender, 3 to 3 1/2 hours.

INSTANT POT MONGOLIAN BRAISED BRISKET WITH COCONUT MILK

Steps:

• Preheat Instant Pot to saute setting.
• Dry brisket and season generously with salt. Add grapeseed oil to pot and swirl to coat. When smoking, add brisket, in batches if necessary, and saute until deeply golden brown, about 5 minutes per side. Remove brisket to a plate as it finishes and replenish or drain oil as necessary to maintain approximately 2 tablespoons per batch. Add onion, garlic, ginger, jalapeno, cinnamon stick, and brown sugar, again replenishing pot if necessary with additional 1 tablespoon oil, and season generously with salt. Saute until onions are softened and golden in spots and brown sugar is caramelized, about 6 minutes more. Return brisket to pot, nestling meat beneath vegetables. Add vinegar, soy sauce, and beef broth, scraping bottom of pot to deglaze. (This can also be done in a skillet over high heat. Saute timing will be reduced. Transfer brisket, vegetables, and pan sauce to Instant Pot before proceeding.).
• Top with lid and place on high pressure. Cook 45 minutes and then allow pressure to release naturally for 30 minutes. Uncover and remove brisket and vegetables with a slotted spoon. Cover with foil to keep warm. Transfer cooking liquid to a fat separator or measuring cup and skim fat. Return sauce to Instant Pot and place on saute setting. Bring to a boil and cook until reduced, 10 minutes. Add coconut milk and continue to reduce, 5 minutes more. Season to taste (the broth) with salt and lime juice. Return the meat and vegetables to the sauce and serve with rice, cilantro, and additional lime wedges.

BRAISED BRISKET WITH MUSHROOM ONION GRAVY

Steps:

• Place the mushrooms in a small bowl. Bring 1 cup of the water to a boil. Pour over the mushrooms. Let stand for 30 minutes to soften.
• Remove the mushrooms from the soaking liquid, squeezing as much liquid as possible back into the bowl. Coarsely chop the mushrooms.
• Strain the soaking liquid through a coffee filter or 2 layers of cheesecloth. Set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a heavy large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onions and saute for about 10 minutes, until translucent.
• Reduce heat to low. Cook for about 15 minutes, until the onions begin to brown, stirring from time to time.
• Add the vinegar and cook, stirring, for about 10 minutes, until the onions turn a deep golden brown.
• Add the wine and bring to a boil, scraping up any browned bits in the pot. Transfer the mixture to a bowl.
• Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in the same Dutch oven over high heat. Season the brisket with salt and pepper. Brown well on all sides. Transfer the meat to a platter.
• Add the mushroom-soaking liquid to the Dutch oven and bring to a boil, scraping up any browned bits.
• Return the brisket to the pot, along with the onion-wine mixture, the remaining 3 cups water, the mushrooms, garlic, thyme and bay leaves. Bring to a boil.
• Tightly cover the pan. Place in the oven and cook for about 3 hours, until the brisket is very tender.
• Transfer the meat to a platter and tent with foil.
• Remove the bay leaves from the cooking liquid. Working in batches, puree the cooking liquid in a processor until smooth. Transfer to a large saucepan. Adjust seasoning and rewarm, if necessary.
• Cut the brisket across the grain into thin slices. Arrange on a platter. Spoon the sauce over the meat.