My mother’s Brisket

~ Louise

Not my mother, someone’s mother, or maybe just the title of the recipe.

Ingredients:

4 to 6 # Beef Brisket (or Bottom Round Rump Roast, butterflied — not a great substitute since it has a different, perhaps dryer, texture, but it works)

4-5 Onions, cut into 1/2″ pieces (cut in half, then 1/2″+ slices each way, cut side down)

3 Garlic cloves, minced

2-4 portobello mushroom caps

Paprika, preferably Hungarian, but Spanish works a-ok

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Put 2 T oil into Dutch oven or heavy pan and heat in oven for 10 mins.
  2. Dry meat with paper towels, and season w/ S&P.  Place meat in pan in oven and cook uncovered for 30 mins
  3. While meat is doing its browning/searing thing, cut up onions. Heat large sauté pan, add 2 T olive oil, and cook over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally until onions start to brown. During this time, season with S&P. Reduce heat and cook about 20 minutes until very soft and caramelized, uncovered..  Add garlic, paprika, S&P and cook one minute.  Add 4 c water and heat.
  4. When meat is done roasting, pour onion mixture over it, reduce oven heat to 350 degrees, and return to oven, covered. Check occasionally that liquid has not evaporated and if low, add more water. Turn meat over after a while to cook on other side.
  5. Cook 3-1/2 hours or until not quite tender. Remove from oven and slice.  Add sliced portobellos, mixing into liquid and return all to oven, and cook another hour, covered.
  6. When done, separate meat from onions and store in refrigerator separately.
  7. Next day, remove fat and heat in oven together. Some purée the onions to make a thick gravy. Not necessary to my mind and taste!
  8. Serve with roasted garlic mashed potatoes and perhaps a nice winter salad of watercress, pears, blue cheese and walnuts.

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