The bigger a cut of meat, the more intimidating it is to cook. But I was ready to tackle my fears when I saw a new brisket recipe from 2017 Top 50 Restaurant Mamaleh's in our December issue. Even though I've braised many pounds of pork shoulder and cook the annual Thanksgiving turkey, something about cooking a 6-8 lbs. brisket was terrifying to me. It was also the most expensive meat I've purchased at nearly $50, and watching the numbers tick up at the register at Wegmans made my heartbeat do the same. Thankfully, it wasn't as scary as I thought it would be, and it turned out so well that my family of five ate the entire thing over the course of a few days. It didn't come together without a few hiccups, though.
I was raised by a Jewish mom, but we didn't celebrate all the high holidays. I didn't have my first brisket until I went to Katz's for a sandwich in 2011, and most associations with the dish were of the barbecue variety rather than the wine-braised Rosh Hashanah situation. To get myself into the right headspace, I talked to a few coworkers for tips and pep talks, but ultimately it was about following the very specific directions for the brisket recipe. The multi-day process seems like a massive project, but really it's about making sure the meat is properly seasoned (salting ahead of time is key) and that the sauce isn't fatty (refrigerating or freezing so it rises to the top and can be tossed easily). Here's what else I learned from my first foray into brisket-cooking.
1. Salt It and Forget It
Okay, maybe don't totally forget about it, but a few days before you cook your brisket, heavily salt it, and store it tightly-wrapped in plastic wrap in the fridge. This will tenderize and season the meat like a less fussy dry brine. And really wrap it tight, because mine leaked a bit and I had to clean out the fridge before I started cooking. I only did a day and a half in advance, but you can do this up to three days ahead.
2. Check Your Roasting Pan Before You Wreck Your Roasting Pan
You have to sear off the brisket to caramelize the meat before letting it slow-cook in the oven at 275°, so it goes from stove to oven. Afterward, you bring it back to the stovetop to thicken the sauce. My family's cheap nonstick roasting pan from 2004 was not safe for using on a stovetop—it immediately started smoking over low flame. I ran out and bought a Calphalon Signature roasting pan as an early Christmas gift for my parents. It was two of the eight roasting pans at the stores that actually was stovetop-to-oven safe—the other was All-Clad, both stainless steel and non-stick for both—which will come in handy for other stovetop-to-oven braises like a leg of lamb for Easter.
