Braised Brisket for Passover

As the holiday of passover approaches, I am reviewing recipes and found a great one for brisket, braised with onions, mushrooms and Beer

Some call it this one thing, others call it other things, but when a less than tender brisket is braised at a medium temperature for in a dutch oven, smothered with onions and a dark beer, long enough for the collagen in the to become gelatin a very, very satisfyingly taste pleasure awaits.

Brisket is a cut of meat from the breast or lower chest of beef or veal. The beef brisket is one of the eight beef primal cuts. The brisket muscles include the superficial and deep pectorals. As cattle do not have collar bones, these muscles support about 60% of the body weight of standing/moving cattle. This requires a significant amount of connective tissue, so the resulting meat must be cooked correctly to tenderize the connective tissue.

There are two brisket cuts usually available, and the naming is quite confusing. For a more marbled piece of beef, look for the thicker end, known as the point half, which may be labeled the front, thick, second, or nose cut. The thinner, leaner end of the brisket is the flat half, sometimes called the first or thin cut.

Braising (from the French “braiser”) is a combination cooking method using both moist and dry heat; typically the food is first seared at a high temperature and then finished in a covered pot with a variable amount of liquid, resulting in a particular flavor. Braising of meat is often referred to as pot roasting, though some make a distinction between the two methods based on whether additional liquid is added.

Braises call for the meat to be browned first to “seal in the juices”, but here that step is skipped so it can absorb the wonderful taste of mushrooms I’ve used chanterelle mushrooms here, if you find them, they can be used in place of the shiitakes, for a bit more kick to the taste

How much of a pleasure is this meal? I almost want a cigarette after eating it… Folks this is VERY close to food porn …

Preparation

1. Halve onions lengthwise, then slice lengthwise 1/4 inch thick.
2. Pat beef dry and season all over with salt, pepper and flour
3. In Dutch Oven, heat 2 tablespoons oil to a shimmer over high heat.
4. Add onions and saute, stirring occasionally, until tender, (~ 5-10 minutes).
5. Add minced garlic and cook, stirring, (~1-2 minutes).
6. Deglaze with a jigger of bourbon
7. Add beer, beef, and mushrooms.
8. Cover and bake for until beef becomes very tender (~ 2 1/2 to 3 hours)
9. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.

Serve with a starch, (mashed potatoes, noodles), chopped herbs.

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