Sweet-And-Sour Brisket
serves 4
Brisket is a standard whose excitement comes from the sweet-and-sour pairing of brown sugar and cider vinegar. Use leftovers in beef tostados, bean soup or Russian stuffed cabbage.
This recipe is part of Andrew Schloss's Sunday Dinners.
3 pounds brisket of beef, trimmed of excess fat
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 onions, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup cider vinegar
6 tablespoons brown sugar
2 cups tomato purée
2 cups beef broth
4 cups water
1 pound carrots, peeled and thickly sliced
4 ribs celery, washed and thickly sliced
prep: 10 minutes
total: 2 hours 10 minutes
broiler or grill
large iron skillet (with lid) or Dutch oven (with lid)
1. Brown the brisket 4 inches from the high flame of a broiler or over a very hot grill. Set aside.
2. Meanwhile in a large iron skillet (that has a lid) or a Dutch oven large enough to hold the brisket, heat the oil over medium high heat. When hot, add the onions and stir until they start to brown. Add the garlic and stir for 30 seconds.
3. Mix in the vinegar, brown sugar, tomato purée, beef broth, water, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Place the brisket in the liquid along with any liquid that has collected around it. Cover and simmer for 1 1/2 hours, turning occasionally.
4. Add the carrots and celery and simmer another 30 minutes, until the vegetables and meat are tender.
5. Slice the brisket against its grain and return to the sauce if you are holding it for any length of time. Transfer all but 6 to 8 slices of the brisket to a warm serving platter and cloak with 2 cups of the sauce. Serve additional sauce on the side, but make sure you have reserved enough for subsequent meals.
