Michael Symons Red Wine Braised Brisket Recipes

BRISKET

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• In a large enameled cast iron casserole, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Season the brisket with salt and pepper. Add half of the brisket to the casserole and cook over medium-high heat, turning on all sides until browned, about 6 minutes. Transfer the brisket to a plate. Repeat with the remaining oil and remaining brisket. Add the celery, carrot, onion, and chile to the casserole and cook over medium heat until softened, about 7 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring frequently, until glossy, about 2 minutes. Add the thyme sprigs, anchovies, bay leaf, and garlic and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the stock, wine, and vinegar and bring to a boil. Return the brisket to the casserole, cover and braise for 1 hour. Drop the heat to 225 degrees F and cook 4 more hours or until meat is tender.

MICHAEL SYMON'S RED WINE BRAISED BRISKET

Steps:

• In a large Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over high heat until smoking. Season the meat liberally with salt and pepper. Sear in the pan for 4 to 5 minutes per side. Remove once dark golden brown and set aside.
• Add the onions, carrot, celery and garlic and cook until the vegetables are starting to brown, about 8 minutes. Add the wine and bring to a boil. Reduce by half, about 3 to 5 minutes, then add the beef stock.
• Add the brisket back in, along with the thyme and bay leaf, and bring up to a simmer. Place a lid on the pot and cook at a low temperature for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, or until the meat is fork tender. Serve the brisket with the sauce and vegetables.

ITALIAN BRAISED BEEF WITH ROOT VEGETABLES

Steps:

• For Yia Yia's Sunday sauce: Heat the oil in a 4-quart saucepan or large Dutch oven over medium heat. Brown the beef bones. Add the onions and cook until translucent, 2 minutes. Add the salt and garlic and cook until everything is soft but not browned, about 3 minutes. Squeeze the tomatoes one by one into the pan, pulverizing them by hand, and pour in their juice, too. Add the wine, oregano, red pepper flakes, if using, black pepper and bay leaf. Bring the sauce to a simmer, and then reduce the heat to its lowest possible setting, and continue to cook for 8 hours. The sauce should reduce by about one-third. Taste for seasoning and add more salt if necessary. Remove the bones and bay leaf. Set aside 2 cups. If not using the remaining sauce right away, let it cool, then cover and refrigerate for up to 1 week or freeze for up to 2 months. Yield: 8 cups.
• For the braised beef with root vegetables: Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Sprinkle the meat liberally with salt and pepper as much as 1 day in advance. (Cover and refrigerate it if doing so and take the meat out of the fridge 30 minutes before cooking.) Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over high heat. When the oil is on the verge of smoking, sear the meat for about 2 minutes per side. Move the meat to the side (or remove it from the pot altogether if necessary), and add the carrots, celery root and onions. Brown the vegetables for about 3 minutes, and then add the garlic and cook for 1 to 2 minutes longer. Pour in the wine and deglaze the pot, scraping up the browned bits on the bottom. Add Yia Yia's Sunday Sauce, 1 cup water and the bay leaves (and the pot roast if you removed it). Bring the liquid to a simmer and taste for seasoning. Add more salt if necessary. Cover the pot and place it in the oven for 3 hours, basting the meat occasionally during cooking time. When almost ready to serve, make the rigatoni, if using. Boil in salted water according to package directions until al dente. Discard the bay leaves before serving. Transfer the meat to a cutting board and slice into bite-size pieces, or shred with 2 forks. Return the meat to the pot of sauce along with the drained rigatoni. Toss to coat, and serve.