Midwest Brisket Food

BRISKET

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine the smoked salt, celery salt, garlic salt and onion powder. If using liquid smoke (see Cook's Note), mix it together with the tomato paste. Rub the tomato paste over the brisket so every side is covered. Then sprinkle the brisket with 1 tablespoon of the salt mixture. Reserve the remaining mixture for future use. Wrap the brisket in foil and refrigerate for at least 6 hours and up to overnight.
• Remove the brisket from the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature, about 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• In a large roasting pan or baking dish, toss the onions with the oil to coat. Unwrap the brisket and place it on top of the onions. Cover the entire pan with foil and roast until tender, 3 hours to 3 hours 30 minutes. Using tongs, carefully remove the brisket from the pan and place it on a cutting board to rest for 10 minutes. Thinly slice with a carving knife. Pour the juices and onions over the slices.

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.

BRISKET

Steps:

• Lay the potatoes across the bottom of the insert of the slow cooker.
• Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Brown the brisket well on all sides. Place the browned meat in the slow cooker insert. Add more oil, if needed, and sauté the onions until soft, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 2 minutes more. Scrape the vegetables into the insert.
• Pour the beer and broth into the sauté pan and bring to a boil, scraping up the meat bits in the pan with a wooden spoon. Pour over the meat. Add the celery, tomato paste, stewed tomatoes, bay leaves, brown sugar, mustard, vinegar, molasses, soy sauce, and paprika to the insert. Cover and cook for 8 hours on LOW or 5 to 6 hours on HIGH, or until the meat is fork-tender.
• Remove the meat to a cutting board and slice it thinly against the grain. Skim any fat from the cooking liquid, discard the bay leaves, taste for seasoning, and add salt and pepper. Transfer the meat and potatoes to a serving platter or serve them on individual plates. Spoon the cooking liquid on top or on the side.

MIDWEST BRISKET

Steps:

• Combine liquid smoke, Worcestershire, garlic salt, onion and celery seed in small bowl. Place brisket in shallow non-metal dish, fatty side down. Pour marinade over meat; cover and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight.
• Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).
• Remove meat from marinade and place in an ovenproof pan. Roast, fatty side up, 5 hours, until tender.