Spencer's Easter Brisket

I've been making brisket for Easter for the past 3 years. Normally, I used Tyler Florence's recipe, with tweaks here and there. This year, I decided to document the changes, and incorporate some aspects from other recipes I have found to create what Tyler would refer to as the "Ultimate" brisket recipe. I'll let you know how it goes...
Recipe Summary
Difficulty: Medium
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 2.5 - 4 hours (roasting time), 1 hour (reheating)
Yield: 12-14 servings

• 8 large garlic cloves, smashed
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
• 6-8 sprigs fresh rosemary, needles striped from the stem and chopped
• Extra-virgin olive oil and vegetable oil
• 1 package (10-12 pound) beef brisket, untrimmed
• Coarse ground black pepper
• 4 medium carrots, cut in 3-inch chunks
• 3 celery stalks, cut in 3-inch chunks
• 2 large red onions, halved
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 2 cups dry red wine
• 1 (16-ounce) can whole tomatoes, hand-crushed
• 6 cups chicken stock
• 1 handful fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
• 1 large sprig of thyme
• 3 bay leaves

Let the meat come to room temperature and dry well.
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

In a mortar and pestle, mash the garlic and 1 teaspoon of the salt together to form a paste. (Alternatively, on a cutting board mash the 2 ingredients 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 a couple tablespoons of olive oil; stir to combine.

Season both sides of the brisket with a fair amount of salt and ground black pepper. Place a large roasting pan or Dutch oven over medium-high and add with a large amount of olive and vegetable oil. Put the brisket in the roasting pan and sear to form a nice brown crust on all sides. If the brisket is too large, cut it in smaller portions, and do in batches. Once complete, lay the brisket fat side up, spread the vegetables around it, and pour the rosemary paste over everything.

In a separate pot, add the butter and flour, stirring well to mix the two. Stir in tomato and red wine, and then add chicken stock. Bring to a boil.

Pour the mixture into the roasting pan, and add the parsley, thyme and bay leaves.

Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil and transfer to the oven. Bake for about 2.5 to 4 hours, or until the beef is tender. (If you poke the thickest portion with a skewer or metal thermometer, and it doesn't face resistance, it's done.)

Now if you are preparing this the day before (which is *HIGHLY* recommended), let it cool, and then refrigerate overnight.  

 

The day of serving, remove from the fridge and degrease the fat. Remove the brisket from the roasting pan.  Then place some of the cooked vegetables and braising liquid into a blender and puree to create the gravy (Will probably be a few batches). Once the gravy is done, cut the fat off the meat, then slice the brisket thickly across the grain (the muscle lines) at a slight diagonal, and place back into the roasting pan. Pour the gravy back in the pan (if it's not already there), and throw it back in the oven to reheat at 350. It'll take about an hour or so. Finally, when warm, take it out, season to taste, and the serve.

 

(Recipe adapted from Tyler Florence, David Tanis, & Diane Rossen Worthington.)

(Update 4/13/09: After making this on Saturday and serving yesterday, I have to admit, it was the best brisket I've made yet. I highly recommend letting it rest over night... the meat was tender and the pureed veggie gravy was awesome. I've updated the recipe to reflect some of the tweaks I made while preparing the meat.
A couple final thoughts -- For a brisket this large, I think I would double the garlic-rosemary paste amount next time. The current recipe barely covered the meat, let alone the vegetables. And secondly, don't cut the fat off until your slicing the brisket to serve. This should help keep the meat tender and flavorful. I hope you enjoy it!

Update 4/26/11: I updated the recipe again with a couple minor adjustments that I've learned over the last two years. Although the recipe may seem very involved, it actually isn't too bad. Most of the time it's sitting in the oven, doing it's own thing. So you can sit back and relax, especially if it's the day before Easter.)