Beef Brisket

When I think of my mom and dad's Beef Brisket recipe I think of holidays and I think of when we first had each of our babies mom would spend a week at our house cooking for us. This was always a meal she made us. To me, it's not an "everyday meal," it's an extra special meal.

Here are her notes:

This recipe is a family favorite. It's easy to prepare and can also be made ahead and easily reheated, either from refrigerator or freezer. It's a dish that I've often been asked to bring to family gatherings, and it's one of the first to disappear. Leftovers, if there ever are any, are also delicious.




Ingredients:

4 - 5 lb. (flat cut) fresh beef brisket (not corned)

2 tsp. salt

1 small onion, sliced thin

1/2 tsp. garlic salt

1/4 tsp. dry mustard

1/4 tsp. rosemary leaves

1/4 tsp. thyme leaves

1 c. ketchup

1/2 c. water

1 bay leaf

1 tbl. brown sugar


Directions:
Place meat in baking dish (corning ware or pyrex) or pan that is close to same size as meat. Mix all ingredients and pour over meat. Cover with heavy duty aluminum foil and bake 3 1/2 to 4 hours at 300 to 325 (until fork pierces easily). (I usually set oven at 325.) Remove from baking dish, slice on the diagonal and place sliced beef in clean baking dish (either another one same size or same one washed out). Strain pan juices, if desired, and if so, use spatula or spoon to push through strainer. Add 1/3 cup Pale Dry Sherry to pan juices. Pour over sliced beef, cover * and heat for an additional 30 minutes (or longer if it doesn't seem tender enough at that point).

* (Can be prepared up to point where beef is sliced and sherry is added to liquid and poured over beef. Cover with plastic wrap. Then refrigerate until about an hour before serving time. Remove from refrigerator and remove plastic wrap. Cover with foil and heat for about 45 minutes or so at 325 -- until pan juices are bubbling and meat is hot.)

NOTE: Meat is easier to slice if cold. If you decide to slice cold, then separate meat from juice and chill separately. Then slice meat, add Sherry wine to juice and pour over meat. Then either continue to cook or freeze and continue to cook later (when reheating).

This is good if served with either the pan juices or mustard.

4/5/06