Brined Brisket | Rachael Ray
Rach brines her brisket for 1-2 days to pack in as much flavor as possible, then slow cooks the meat with sliced onions, thyme + garlic in a dutch oven.
Serve with Potato Vegetable Pancakes for the ultimate Passover or Hanukkah meal.
For more brisket recipes from Rach, try her Easiest Brisket Ever, Basic Cast-Iron Brisket or Brisket Braised in Wine & Tomato.
- One 5-pound well-trimmed brisket
- 3 quarts plus 1 cup water, divided
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 orange, sliced
- ¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
- 1 bunch parsley, roughly chopped
- Freshly grated black pepper
- ½ cup Kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 tablespoons butter or olive oil
- 4 large onions, sliced
- 3 tablespoons fresh thyme
- 3 cups chicken stock
- 8 whole medium carrots, peeled
- Zest of 1 orange
- 1 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley tops
- 1 cup carrot tops
- ¼ cup almonds, toasted
Pat the meat dry and pierce it all over on both sides with the tip of skewer or small, sharp knife tip.
In a large, 2-gallon, re-sealable plastic bag, combine 3 quarts of icy water, bay leaves, orange, Worcestershire, parsley and black pepper. Bring remaining 1 cup of water to a boil and add the salt to dissolve. Add salt water to icy brine. Add the meat, then remove all the air and seal the bag. Place on a tray in the fridge and weigh the meat down under a second tray to keep it submerged. Refrigerate for 1-2 days.
To cook, remove the meat from the brine and pat dry. To a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, add olive oil and meat, and brown the brisket on all sides. Remove meat to a plate and add butter or olive oil to pan to melt. Once it foams, add onions, thyme and chicken stock. Bring to a bubble and add brisket back. Cover, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 2 ½ hours. During the last 45 minutes of cooking, add whole carrots, cover and keep cooking.
For the gremolata, on a large cutting board, finely chop the orange zest, parsley, carrot tops and toasted almonds together.
Remove the vegetables to a warm platter, then slice the meat and top with the stock to keep moist. Serve topped with gremolata.