Brisket of Beef

Not only is this an unusual method for cooking a brisket, but you probably haven’t seen these seasonings together before.

Servings

Makes 6 servings

Ingredients

3 tablespoons Chef Paul Prudhomme's Meat Magic® OR Barbecue Magic® OR Magic Seasoning Salt®
1 teaspoon caraway seeds
1 teaspoon ground fenugreek
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 (3-pound) beef brisket
½ pound bacon, finely diced
2 cups finely diced leeks (white part plus 1 inch of green, about 2 medium)
2 cups chopped celery
4 finely diced medium-size green plantains
2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
2½ cups beef stock, in all
1 (16-ounce) container sour cream

How To Prepare

Combine the first 4 ingredients in a small bowl to make the Seasoning Mix, sprinkle the brisket evenly with 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon of this mixture, and rub it in well. Set aside. Preheat the oven to 250°.

Render the bacon in a 4-quart pot over high heat, stirring frequently, until it is nicely browned, about 6 minutes. Add the leeks, celery, plantains, mushrooms, garlic, ginger, and remaining Seasoning Mix. Stir well, then cook, stirring and scraping the pan bottom frequently, for 5 minutes. Add ½ cup stock and scrape the pan bottom thoroughly. Let cool slightly. Reserve 2 cups of the mixture for the sauce. Set the pot aside without washing for later use.

Place the stuffing in a roasting pan and place the brisket on top of the stuffing. Cover tightly with a fitted lid or foil, and roast for 30 minutes. Add 1½ cups of the stock to the bottom of the pan and continue roasting, covered, until the brisket is done, about 4 hours. Remove the brisket from the oven and let it sit while you make the sauce. Purée the reserved 2 cups of the vegetable mixture with the remaining stock in a blender or food processor. Pour the juices from the roasting pan into the pot in which the vegetables were cooked and add the puréed mixture and the sour cream. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, just until the sauce is warm. Do not let the sauce boil or the sour cream will "break" or separate. To serve, slice the roast and drizzle some of the sauce over each portion. Pass the remaining sauce separately.

Copyright© 1995 by Paul Prudhomme

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