BARBACOA BRISKET

재료

For Dry Brining

½ cup sugar

½ cup kosher salt

4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper (see Trejo’s Tip)

2 teaspoons ground cumin

4 to 5 pounds beef brisket

For Browning and Braising

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced

1 garlic clove, roughly chopped

1 tablespoon chili powder

2 teaspoons ground coriander

2 teaspoons ground cumin

¼ cup apple cider vinegar

1 14½-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes, with their juices

2 chipotle chiles from a can of chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, chopped

2 dried bay leaves

¼ cup molasses

방향

DRY-BRINE THE BRISKET In a small bowl, combine the sugar, salt, garlic, pepper, and cumin and mix well.

Season the beef on both sides with the spice mixture. Wrap the beef in plastic wrap and place it in a large bowl or pan. Refrigerate for 48 hours.

BROWN AND BRAISE THE BRISKET Preheat the oven to 325°F.

Place the brisket on your work surface, unwrap it, and wipe off the excess brining mixture. Heat a large heavy skillet (cast iron works well) over medium-high heat for 3 minutes. Then add the oil and heat just until it begins to smoke, about 2 minutes. Add the meat to the hot skillet and cook until it is browned on one side, 5 to 7 minutes, checking at 4 minutes to catch the brisket before the sugar in the rub begins to burn. Turn the brisket over and brown the other side for 5 to 7 minutes, checking at 4 minutes to prevent burning.

Transfer the meat to a deep roasting pan or Dutch oven, leaving the skillet on medium-high heat. Set the roasting pan aside.

Add the onion, garlic, chili powder, coriander, and cumin to the drippings in the skillet and stir until they are fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the vinegar and boil until it’s almost evaporated, scraping the skillet with a wooden spoon to get all the bits off the bottom. Crush the whole tomatoes through your fingers, letting them fall into the skillet. Add the tomato juice from the can and the chipotles, bay leaves, and molasses. Stir in 2 cups of water and pour the mixture over the brisket. Wrap the roasting pan tightly with aluminum foil to form a tight seal. Put the pan in the oven, and cook until the brisket is fork-tender, about 5 hours.

FOR TACOS/BURRITOS/BOWLS Transfer the brisket from the roasting pan to a bowl. Set the roasting pan over medium heat and cook the juices in the pan until they are reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Pour the sauce over the brisket and use two forks to pull it apart and shred the meat. Then make the tacos, burritos, or bowls as instructed in the recipes on this page, this page and this page.

FOR CARVED BRISKET If you are going to carve the brisket to serve it as an entrée, transfer it to a cutting board. Set the roasting pan over medium heat and cook the juices in the pan until they are reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Pour the sauce into a small bowl or gravy dish. Using a very sharp knife, cut the brisket crosswise and against the grain into ¾-inch-thick slices. Serve with the sauce on the side.

노트

This brisket was inspired by Mom’s recipe for barbacoa, the slow-cooked, tender, and flavorful Mexican version of brisket. While I’m never going to love anyone else’s barbacoa more than hers, the Trejo’s kitchen team works their magic with this one. They brine the meat in salt and sugar and aromatic spices for two whole freaking days. Brining seasons and tenderizes the meat so that when you finally cook it, it’s unbelievably soft, tender, and full of sweet and spicy flavors. This is a project that will feed a family of four for several days, as tacos, burritos, or carved into slices and served with mashed potatoes (this page) or rice (this page and this page). The battle plan is to start brining the meat on Friday morning and start cooking it Sunday morning. After the brining is done, it’s slow and low roasting all day, filling the house with wonderful aromas. Then you take the brisket out of the pan and reduce the braising juices until they make a rich and flavorful sauce. You will be eating very happily that evening…and for the rest of the week.

It also freezes well: Put your leftovers in a big resealable plastic freezer bag and keep it in the freezer until you’re hungry again.