Cranberry Brisket

I found a 3 lb brisket near the bottom of the freezer and had a can of cranberry sauce getting near its expiration date. I've never made a brisket, but I'm cooking off stuff anyway, so I thought I'd give it a shot.

There are as many brisket recipes out there as there are cooks. The ingredients differ, but the basic method is the same. Most recipes use onion soup mix, which is mostly dried onions and salt. I used a real onion and onion salt to achieve the same effect.

Wrapping the brisket in foil serves two purposes. Primarily, it seals in the liquids so the meat can self-baste. The bake-in-the-bag wraps you can get work just as well. The other purpose is to make cleanup easier. If you can get a good seal, you almost don't have to wash the pan.

Brisket is a tough cut of meat. The only decent way to make it edible is by slow-roasting in a moisture-rich environment. Even if you cut it into stewing chunks, you're looking at two hours minimum. And it must be sliced against the grain, or you're never going to be able to chew it. Done right, a brisket falls apart with tenderness and every bite is loaded with flavor. Leftovers will always be at least as good as the first day. Often, they're better.

*1 2-3 lb brisket

*1 can whole cranberry sauce

*1 medium onion, thinly sliced

4 garlic cloves, smashed

1 Tb onion salt

1 Tb whole peppercorns

*1 tsp whole coriander seeds

1/2 C red wine

water

1. Preheat oven to 350º. Line roasting pan with a double layer of foil. Lay brisket, fat side up, in pan.

2. In a bowl, combine cranberry sauce, onion, onion salt, peppercorns, garlic, and coriander. Add 1 cup of water and combine. Pour sauce over meat and seal with a third piece of foil. If the pan has a lid, use that as well. Place in oven and roast for 2 hours.

3. Remove brisket from oven and remove foil. Allow to cool slightly, about 20 minutes. Remove meat from pan, leaving juices behind. Slice against the grain into 1/2" cuts. Return cuts to pan and add red wine. Add a little more water if the sauce is dry. Cover; roast an additional hour at 300º. Serve hot, with sauce drizzled over the slices.

Serves 8

Difficulty rating  :)