What’s on Thursday Food‘s menu board? An oven-baked beef brisket that’s what!

What is brisket?

Brisket is a beef cut taken from the breast section of the cow beneath the first five ribs, behind the foreshank. It comprises the pectoral muscles of the cow, which supports much of the animal’s weight. Consequently, brisket can be a large cut of meat, between 3 and 8 pounds, and is rich in the connective tissue collagen, which makes the meat tough. A brisket is quite long and is usually divided in half and sold as two different pieces of meat.

Cuts of brisket

Once the full piece of brisket is cut in half, each half is given different names — the first cut and second cut — and sold as such. The first cut, also known as the flat cut, thin cut, or centre cut, is the leaner piece of meat. The second cut — or pointcut or deckle — has more flavour due to a bit of extra fat.

The first cut is more attractive and will slice up neatly. It’s a great choice for corned beef. The second cut is a favourite as the fatty cap contributes to a rich and satisfying stew as the meat braises.

How to cook beef brisket

Since brisket is a very tough cut, the best methods for cooking are those that cook at lower temperatures for a longer period of time, such as braising and smoking. Brining is also an option, which will turn the piece of brisket into a corned beef; after the meat is cured in a brine, it is slowly simmered until tender.

Whether braised, brined, smoked, or even cooked in an instant pot, brisket needs plenty of time to cook. A smoked brisket, is rendered soft and delicious after eight to 12 hours at 225°F. A braised brisket, also cooks at a low temperature for at least three hours, as it absorbs the liquid from vegetables and the collagen fibres break down.

Oven-Baked Beef Brisket

Ingredients:

1 first-cut brisket about 5 pounds

For the rub

2 tbsp brown sugar

2 tbsp paprika (smoked if possible)

2 tsp dry mustard

2 tsp garlic powder

2 tsp onion powder

2 tsp salt

½ tsp cumin

½ tsp dried basil

½ tsp dried thyme

¼ tsp cayenne pepper

For the sauce

1 tbsp vegetable or canola oil

1 cup onion, chopped

¼ cup celery, chopped

¼ cup green bell pepper, chopped

2 tbsp garlic, minced

⅛ tsp cayenne pepper or to taste

3 tbsp white wine vinegar

3 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

½ cup ketchup

3 cups beef broth

2 bay leaves

Method:

If the brisket has a thick layer of fat, trim it down to ¼-inch. Mix together rub ingredients. Rub all over brisket, wrap it in plastic wrap or place in a sealable container and refrigerate overnight, or for at least 8 hours.

Preheat the oven to 300°F. Place the brisket in a roasting pan and cover the baking pan with a lid, or seal it well with foil. Bake for 3 hours.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a small pot over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, bell pepper and garlic and sauté for 3 minutes until the vegetables start to soften. Add the cayenne, vinegar, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, broth and bay leaves. Bring to a simmer and simmer for 10 minutes until it reduces slightly. Remove from the heat.

Take the brisket from the oven, turn it over, and pour half of the sauce into the pan over the brisket, recover the pan (if using foil, cover the pan tightly, using towels to protect your hands from the hot pan). Reserve the rest of the sauce in the pot. Continue cooking in the oven for another 2 hours or so, or until the meat is just about fork tender. Remove the foil and continue baking for another 30 minutes until the outside of the brisket has browned up and gotten a bit crusty.

Remove from the oven, take the brisket out of the pan, and let it sit on a cutting board tented with foil (with a little moat to catch the juices!) for 20 minutes before slicing across the grain. If there is any sauce left in the pan, skim off the fat and add it to the remaining sauce in the pot, and heat it again before serving the brisket with the additional sauce for people to drizzle over their meat if they like.

Recipe from: www.themom100.com