Photo Courtesy of Stu_Spivack
As you might have guessed, this food blog is heavily favored to the carnivores of the planet. The luxurious taste of a well cooked brisket (yes I said luxurious) that still tastes hearty and beefy and yet a sweet dance played by the roasted onion and plums is a symphony to your taste buds.
I got the idea to pair this Onion-Based Beef Brisket with Mac and Cheese when I saw a Food Network show called Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives episode called “King and Queens of ‘Cue”. The beefy brisket with the IPA Mac and Cheese is a marriage made in heaven.
I added the Brisket Recipe as it will take a few hours of unattended cooking, and it requires some advance preparation. After the cooking time, the brisket will need to stand overnight in the braising liquid. Later that braising liquid becomes the sauce; this will help to keep the brisket moist and flavorful. Removing the fat from the liquid when it’s cool is essential and simple.
If you prefer a more spicy sauce, add some cayenne about 1/4 teaspoon to the brisket cooking liquid. An electric knife will make easy work of slicing the brisket on day two. If your not keen to the IPA Mac and Cheese good sides would include mashed parsnip potatoes, egg noodles.
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 2 Teaspoons black pepper
- 1 tablespoon deli-style brown mustard
- 2 Teaspoons dried thyme leaves
- 1 5lb beef brisket (trimmed but with some fat still attached)
- 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
- 3 Cups reduced-sodium chicken broth (divided)
- 1/2 bottle dry red wine (such as Cabernet Sauvignon or Chianti)
- 12 Whole dried prunes
- 1 tablespoon packed light brown sugar
- 2 1/2 Lbs onions (thinly sliced)
- 8 Cloves garlic (whole, peeled and smashed)
- 1lb medium carrots (peeled, cut crosswise in to 2 inch lengths)
- prepared horseradish
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
- Mix 1 tablespoon salt, pepper, mustard and thyme together in a small mixing bowl. Rub this mixture all over the brisket. Heat the oil in a dutch oven (oval works best about a 12x17 inches) or a wide 8 qt pot over a medium-high heat. Add the brisket and brown. Allow a dark brown crust to form, this should take about 5 minutes per side. Transfer the brisket to a plate.
- In the dutch oven add 2 cups of the broth and bring to a boil, using a wooden spoon scrape any of the brown fond from the bottom of the pot. Stir in the wine, prunes and brown sugar. Return the brisket to the pot with the fat side down, and cover with the onions and garlic. Cover the pot with the lid or aluminum foil and put in the oven. Cook for 3 hours, turn the meat 1/2 the way through. Turn the meat one additional time at the end of cooking and add the remaining cup of broth and carrots to the pot. Cook, covered until the carrots are tender, 30- 45 minutes of time. Allow the brisket to cool, and then chill overnight (this will allow the meat to firm).
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Skim the fat from the pan and discard it. Transfer the brisket to a cutting board and slice the it across the grain. Fan the meat slices out in a large roasting pan. Use a slotted spoon and arrange onions, carrots and prunes over the meat.
- Boil the remaining juices from the cooking mixture in a pot over high heat for about 10 minutes to allow to reduce. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour the 2 cups of juices over the meat, cover the roasting pan tightly with foil, and bake the meat until hot. This should take 45 minutes.
- Transfer meat to a a large platter, using a wide spatula. Spook onions, carrots, prunes, and some of the juices on top and serve with horseradish.
- 3 Cups heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
- 2 Fresh bay leaves
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- hot sauce (tapatio)
- cracked black pepper
- 3 Cups cooked (macaroni)
- 1 cup peas (cooked)
- 1/4 cup braised ham hock (shredded)
- 1/4 cup IPA beer
- kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon chopped bacon (cooked)
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- In a medium saucepan, add cream, coriander seeds, fennel seeds, peppercorns and the bay leaves. Turn the heat to high and bring to a boil. Once the boil stage is achieved, reduce the heat to medium and stir regularly to prevent burning or a boil-over.
- Once the cream is reduced by 3/4ths, strain through a fine mesh strainer, into another saucepan. Return the pan with the strained cream to a medium heat and stir in the cheese. Once the cheese is fully incorporated, add the hot sauce and cracked black pepper to taste.
- Add the macaroni, peas and ham hock to the pan and stir well. Add the IPA and continue to stir until hot. Add salt to taste and place in large ramekin(s). Top with the chopped bacon and breadcrumbs. Bake until the breadcrumbs become brown and crispy.
