Braised Brisket with Ayala and Pomegranate
Courtesy of La Boite
When preparing for the holidays, a good brisket recipe made with silan gives it maximum flavor and makes the deliciously tender outcome worth the wait. Let’s remember you don’t have to wait for holidays to make a brisket – it is technically a one-pot dish.
Category: Entree
Servings: 4-8
Ingredients
4-6 pounds trimmed beef brisket
2 Tbsp Ayala blend (20g)
2 Tbsp fine sea salt (45g)
1 Tbsp black pepper, ground (10g)
½ cup olive oil (100g)
2 medium onions, cut into 1” dice (2 cups or 200g)
2 large carrots, cut into 1” pieces (1 cup or 150g)
2 celery stalks, cut into 1” pieces (1 cup of 100g)
4 cloves of garlic, sliced (24g)
¼ cup tomato paste (60g)
2 Tbsp All Purpose flour (or your favorite gluten free blend) (43g)
32 oz pomegranate juice (1 kilo)
¼ cup silan (80g)
Courtesy of La Boite
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 325°F.
2. Mix the Ayala, salt, and black pepper well to combine.
3. Season the brisket all over using all of the spices.
4. On high heat, heat a large, heavy-bottom braising or roasting pan with olive oil. When the oil starts to shimmer, lay the brisket into the hot pan and sear well on all sides.
5. When the brisket is nicely browned, remove it to a tray and add the onions, carrots, celery, garlic, and any seasoning mix that may have fallen off onto your seasoning surface.
6. Lower the heat to medium and roast the vegetables, stirring occasionally, until half cooked and getting nice roasted color.
7. Add the tomato paste and flour and stir through to combine well.
8. Add the pomegranate juice and silan and stir to incorporate, scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to deglaze any browned bits into the sauce.
9. Slide the brisket back into the pan, basting it with the liquid, and turn the pan to high again to bring everything to a boil.
10. Cover and place the pan into the oven to simmer for 1 hour.
11. After 1 hour, check to make sure the brisket is just barely simmering in liquid and give it nice basting of sauce. You may need to adjust the heat up or down 25°F depending on the heat of your oven.
12. Continue simmering the brisket for 1 hour.
13. After the second hour, baste the meat and continue braising the brisket uncovered. Check the brisket for tenderness in another half hour to hour.
14. Once the brisket is tender, remove the tray from the oven and allow the brisket to rest in its juices.
15. If you are serving the brisket on the same day, it can remain in its sauce until ready to carve. Skim the red fat from the top of the sauce.
16. If you are preparing the brisket ahead of time, let the brisket cool to room temperature in the sauce before transferring it to a container to refrigerate.
Recipe Notes
1. If you are unable to find pomegranate juice, cranberry juice will be a good substitute.
2. For easier cleanup, give your braising dish a spray with nonstick cooking spray (particularly on the inside sides) so stuck on grease wipes off with less effort.
3. The brisket gets better as it sits in the sauce so you can make this dish ahead (1-4 days) and more easily skim the cooled sauce when the fat solidifies on top of the liquid. The brisket will be easier to slice when cold and can be reheated in the sauce on the day you are planning to serve it.
Variations and Ideas
This recipe would work great with short ribs.
For the full Rosh Hashanah celebration, complete the meal with:
Marakesh Carrot Tsimmes
Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Olives and Lemon
Apple and Almond Salad
Moruno Pickled Celery and Raisins
Apple Olive Oil Cake
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