French Onion Braised Beef Brisket

French Onion Braised Beef Brisket

Although weather-wise we have had not a a bad October at all so far here in St. John's, the Autumn chill is definitely in the air despite the sunny days. It's the time of year when simple comfort food and a good straightforward  hot meal to warm your bones is very much appreciated. Such was the case last week when I was inspired to have this delicious slow cooked meal.

Beef brisket does take a long time to slowly cook to tender perfection but it is so worth the time. Brisket has some of the best flavor of any cut of beef, so there is a reward for your effort. I don't really see slow cooked meals as a lot of work as some folks do. Once the initial preparation is done and the brisket is in the oven, it really becomes just a matter of time and not work, so if you're at home all afternoon anyway, I really don't see what the big deal is. I really see slow cooking as a relatively no-fuss sort of meal and they are very often the kinds of dishes we prepare on what we call Slow-Cooked Sundays.

Other cuts of beef suitable for braising, like chuck, bottom round or blade roast or even flank steak will work well in this recipe and will also shave at least an hour off the cooking time, depending on their size. Taking the time to slowly caramelize the onions is of paramount importance in this recipe; it is the flavor base of the entire recipe and shouldn't be rushed...and remember, once that part is done and it's in the oven, you really just coast through the next few hours until it's time to serve up this fantastic comfort food dinner.

The Yorkshire Pudding popovers shown in the photo are never optional at our house. We simply have to have them with any roast beef dinner; there would be many protestations and much whining if we did not. Perfecting popovers is a skill every good home cook needs to learn and we have full instructions with all the tips and tricks needed to make them successfully every time. It's one of those recipes that really is all about perfecting the method of baking much more than anything else. Unlock all the secrets to making perfect Yorkshire Pudding popovers by clicking here.

See the mouth watering photo of some Yorkshire pudding brisket sandwiches at the end of this recipe. Leftovers like those are a great reason to buy a larger brisket! 

French Onion Braised Beef Brisket

Recipe by Barry C. Parsons

Using my homemade French Onion Soup recipe as a base to create a braising liquid for beef brisket, produced one of the best and tastiest comfort food meals I've had in years.

Prep time: 1/2 hour
Cook time: 4 hours
Total time: 4 1/2 hours
Yield: Serves 6 - 8
Ingredients

• 4 to 5 pound beef brisket
• salt and pepper to season
• 3 large onions, white or red, sliced thin
• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 cloves garlic, minced cloves garlic, minced
• 1 quart/liter low sodium beef stock
• 1 cup red wine
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh thyme (or 2 tsp dry thyme)
• fresh ground nutmeg
• 3 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

Cooking Directions

1. Begin by caramelizing the onions. Add the butter to a saute pan along with the onions and garlic over medium heat. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Slowly cook the onions until they are softened and begin to slowly caramelize and turn brown. Do not do this too quickly or they will develop a bitter flavor. Slow cooking the onions will bring out their natural sweetness. Don't rush this, it will take 15 o 20 minutes or so.
3. In a cast iron pan over medium high heat, add a little canola oil. Season the brisket with salt and pepper and brown the brisket on all sides before adding it to a covered roasting pan.
4. To the roasting pan, add all of the other ingredients, including the caramelized onions. Season with salt and pepper if necessary.
5. Cover the roasting pan with aluminum foil as tightly as possible before adding the lid. Place in a 325 degree oven for 4 hours or until the brisket is fall apart tender.
6. Skim the excess fat from the pan drippings and serve as a jus with the brisket or use it to make a gravy, whichever you prefer. 

Another fantastic serving suggestion for this tender beef brisket recipe and a perfect excuse to make additional Yorkshire pudding popovers, is this popover stuffed brisket sandwich with the French onion braising liquid as an au jus dip. Leftovers were never more satisfying or delicious than this.

French Onion Braised Beef Brisket Yorkshire Pudding Sandwich
with French Onion Au Jus Dip

French Onion Braised Beef Brisket

Although weather-wise we have had not a a bad October at all so far here in St. John's, the Autumn chill is definitely in the air despite the sunny days. It's the time of year when simple comfort food and a good straightforward  hot meal to warm your bones is very much appreciated. Such was the case last week when I was inspired to have this delicious slow cooked meal.

Beef brisket does take a long time to slowly cook to tender perfection but it is so worth the time. Brisket has some of the best flavor of any cut of beef, so there is a reward for your effort. I don't really see slow cooked meals as a lot of work as some folks do. Once the initial preparation is done and the brisket is in the oven, it really becomes just a matter of time and not work, so if you're at home all afternoon anyway, I really don't see what the big deal is. I really see slow cooking as a relatively no-fuss sort of meal and they are very often the kinds of dishes we prepare on what we call Slow-Cooked Sundays.

Other cuts of beef suitable for braising, like chuck, bottom round or blade roast or even flank steak will work well in this recipe and will also shave at least an hour off the cooking time, depending on their size. Taking the time to slowly caramelize the onions is of paramount importance in this recipe; it is the flavor base of the entire recipe and shouldn't be rushed...and remember, once that part is done and it's in the oven, you really just coast through the next few hours until it's time to serve up this fantastic comfort food dinner.

The Yorkshire Pudding popovers shown in the photo are never optional at our house. We simply have to have them with any roast beef dinner; there would be many protestations and much whining if we did not. Perfecting popovers is a skill every good home cook needs to learn and we have full instructions with all the tips and tricks needed to make them successfully every time. It's one of those recipes that really is all about perfecting the method of baking much more than anything else. Unlock all the secrets to making perfect Yorkshire Pudding popovers by clicking here.

See the mouth watering photo of some Yorkshire pudding brisket sandwiches at the end of this recipe. Leftovers like those are a great reason to buy a larger brisket! 

French Onion Braised Beef Brisket

Recipe by Barry C. Parsons

Using my homemade French Onion Soup recipe as a base to create a braising liquid for beef brisket, produced one of the best and tastiest comfort food meals I've had in years.

Prep time: 1/2 hour
Cook time: 4 hours
Total time: 4 1/2 hours
Yield: Serves 6 - 8
Ingredients

• 4 to 5 pound beef brisket
• salt and pepper to season
• 3 large onions, white or red, sliced thin
• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 cloves garlic, minced cloves garlic, minced
• 1 quart/liter low sodium beef stock
• 1 cup red wine
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh thyme (or 2 tsp dry thyme)
• fresh ground nutmeg
• 3 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

Cooking Directions

1. Begin by caramelizing the onions. Add the butter to a saute pan along with the onions and garlic over medium heat. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Slowly cook the onions until they are softened and begin to slowly caramelize and turn brown. Do not do this too quickly or they will develop a bitter flavor. Slow cooking the onions will bring out their natural sweetness. Don't rush this, it will take 15 o 20 minutes or so.
3. In a cast iron pan over medium high heat, add a little canola oil. Season the brisket with salt and pepper and brown the brisket on all sides before adding it to a covered roasting pan.
4. To the roasting pan, add all of the other ingredients, including the caramelized onions. Season with salt and pepper if necessary.
5. Cover the roasting pan with aluminum foil as tightly as possible before adding the lid. Place in a 325 degree oven for 4 hours or until the brisket is fall apart tender.
6. Skim the excess fat from the pan drippings and serve as a jus with the brisket or use it to make a gravy, whichever you prefer. 

Another fantastic serving suggestion for this tender beef brisket recipe and a perfect excuse to make additional Yorkshire pudding popovers, is this popover stuffed brisket sandwich with the French onion braising liquid as an au jus dip. Leftovers were never more satisfying or delicious than this.

French Onion Braised Beef Brisket Yorkshire Pudding Sandwich
with French Onion Au Jus Dip

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

How to Make Perfect Popovers + Cheddar Parmesan Popovers

UPDATED to provide instructions on making the Cheddar Parmesan version of popovers.

How to Make Perfect Popovers

The perfect popover is not as difficult to achieve as many think and I believe the absence of advice on good technique in many recipes is the reason why this simple recipe fails so often for so many; after all there are very few ingredients which are simply whisked together and baked, so what's the problem, right? Well I'd say careful measuring and careful preparation to create optimal conditions for the popovers to rise is the key.

Cheddar Parmesan Popovers

I now own a set of popover pans which allow great circulation around the individual cups and undoubtedly add to the lightness of the popovers. I had been on the lookout for a set for some time but you can still get excellent results from a very generic set of muffin pans. One of the absolutely vital steps in the preparation of great popovers is preheating the pan in a very hot oven. This will give the popovers a great head start in rising, as they don't have to wait for the pan to warm up in the oven. Do not pre-grease the pans with oil or butter when preheating them or you will quickly have a very smokey kitchen. Instead, I use melted butter which I pour into the bottoms of the muffin tins when they are hot and then very quickly brush it up the sides of the cups before pouring in the prepared batter. Using this method and making sure your pans are very clean before starting ensures that the popovers will pop straight out of the pan without sticking too...works for me every time.

It is also extremely important that the batter for the popovers be at room temperature or even slightly warmer. I use lukewarm milk in my preparation and make very sure that my eggs are at room temperature. I sometimes even place the eggs in lukewarm water for 10 minutes to give them just a little extra temperature boost. A final tip for the batter is about careful measuring. A proper popover batter should have 2 parts flour and milk to one part egg volume. That is why I ALWAYS measure my eggs. 3 extra large eggs typically produce about 175 ml in volume but using different sized eggs will obviously yield different amounts. I've found that 175 ml of  beaten egg with 350 ml each of sifted flour and milk produces the perfect amount of batter for 12 muffin tin sized popovers.

The popover recipe is the same whether you are serving them with your favorite roast beef dinner or, as we love to do at our house, serve them at  weekend brunch with some great seasonal fruit jam.

Perfect Plain Popovers, without the added cheese. An essential addition to a roast beef dinner.

Perfect Popovers

• 175 ml beaten egg, at room temperature
• 350 ml sifted all purpose flour
• 350 ml milk, at room temperature
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/3 cup melted butter

(For Parmesan Cheddar Popovers, to the batter add 1/4 cup  finely grated Parmesan cheese, then when the batter has been poured into the pan, before they go into the oven,  top each popover with a couple of tablespoons of grated aged cheddar cheese)

Preheat a 12 piece muffin pan in a 450 degree F oven

Whisk together the eggs and milk. Sift together the flour and salt and make a well in the center. Pour the egg and milk mixture into the well and whisk together just until the liquid is incorporated. Small lumps are not a problem. Let the batter stand for 10 minutes. I like to make this batter in a bowl with a spout to make it easier and faster to pour into the prepared muffin pans but if you don't have one I recommend transferring the batter to a large measuring cup.

Working as quickly as you can so that the pan does not cool down, pour the butter into the hot muffin tins to cover the bottom. Using a pastry brush, give it a quick brush up the sides of the muffin cups. Then quickly pour the batter evenly into the muffin pans. A ring of melted butter floating on the batter is normal and necessary at this point.

Quickly return the pan to the hot oven and bake for 15 minutes at 450 degrees F before reducing the heat to 375 degrees F and baking for an additional 15-20 minutes. The popovers should be a deep golden brown. It is VERY, VERY important not to open the oven door at any point in the baking time or you risk your popovers falling. Remove from oven and let rest for only a couple of minutes before removing them from the pan. and serving.

When using popover pans like I did here, I've found it best to fill them almost to the top with batter for best results. The baking time at 450 degrees F is still 15 minutes but the time at 375 degrees should be increased to 25 to 35 minutes. The longer the better here, just take them out when they get a deep golden brown.

UPDATED to provide instructions on making the Cheddar Parmesan version of popovers.

How to Make Perfect Popovers

The perfect popover is not as difficult to achieve as many think and I believe the absence of advice on good technique in many recipes is the reason why this simple recipe fails so often for so many; after all there are very few ingredients which are simply whisked together and baked, so what's the problem, right? Well I'd say careful measuring and careful preparation to create optimal conditions for the popovers to rise is the key.

Cheddar Parmesan Popovers

I now own a set of popover pans which allow great circulation around the individual cups and undoubtedly add to the lightness of the popovers. I had been on the lookout for a set for some time but you can still get excellent results from a very generic set of muffin pans. One of the absolutely vital steps in the preparation of great popovers is preheating the pan in a very hot oven. This will give the popovers a great head start in rising, as they don't have to wait for the pan to warm up in the oven. Do not pre-grease the pans with oil or butter when preheating them or you will quickly have a very smokey kitchen. Instead, I use melted butter which I pour into the bottoms of the muffin tins when they are hot and then very quickly brush it up the sides of the cups before pouring in the prepared batter. Using this method and making sure your pans are very clean before starting ensures that the popovers will pop straight out of the pan without sticking too...works for me every time.

It is also extremely important that the batter for the popovers be at room temperature or even slightly warmer. I use lukewarm milk in my preparation and make very sure that my eggs are at room temperature. I sometimes even place the eggs in lukewarm water for 10 minutes to give them just a little extra temperature boost. A final tip for the batter is about careful measuring. A proper popover batter should have 2 parts flour and milk to one part egg volume. That is why I ALWAYS measure my eggs. 3 extra large eggs typically produce about 175 ml in volume but using different sized eggs will obviously yield different amounts. I've found that 175 ml of  beaten egg with 350 ml each of sifted flour and milk produces the perfect amount of batter for 12 muffin tin sized popovers.

The popover recipe is the same whether you are serving them with your favorite roast beef dinner or, as we love to do at our house, serve them at  weekend brunch with some great seasonal fruit jam.

Perfect Plain Popovers, without the added cheese. An essential addition to a roast beef dinner.

Perfect Popovers

• 175 ml beaten egg, at room temperature
• 350 ml sifted all purpose flour
• 350 ml milk, at room temperature
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/3 cup melted butter

(For Parmesan Cheddar Popovers, to the batter add 1/4 cup  finely grated Parmesan cheese, then when the batter has been poured into the pan, before they go into the oven,  top each popover with a couple of tablespoons of grated aged cheddar cheese)

Preheat a 12 piece muffin pan in a 450 degree F oven

Whisk together the eggs and milk. Sift together the flour and salt and make a well in the center. Pour the egg and milk mixture into the well and whisk together just until the liquid is incorporated. Small lumps are not a problem. Let the batter stand for 10 minutes. I like to make this batter in a bowl with a spout to make it easier and faster to pour into the prepared muffin pans but if you don't have one I recommend transferring the batter to a large measuring cup.

Working as quickly as you can so that the pan does not cool down, pour the butter into the hot muffin tins to cover the bottom. Using a pastry brush, give it a quick brush up the sides of the muffin cups. Then quickly pour the batter evenly into the muffin pans. A ring of melted butter floating on the batter is normal and necessary at this point.

Quickly return the pan to the hot oven and bake for 15 minutes at 450 degrees F before reducing the heat to 375 degrees F and baking for an additional 15-20 minutes. The popovers should be a deep golden brown. It is VERY, VERY important not to open the oven door at any point in the baking time or you risk your popovers falling. Remove from oven and let rest for only a couple of minutes before removing them from the pan. and serving.

When using popover pans like I did here, I've found it best to fill them almost to the top with batter for best results. The baking time at 450 degrees F is still 15 minutes but the time at 375 degrees should be increased to 25 to 35 minutes. The longer the better here, just take them out when they get a deep golden brown.

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Burgundy Thyme Pot Roast with Yorkshire Pudding Popovers and English Style Roasted Potatoes

Burgundy Thyme Pot Roast with Yorkshire Pudding Popovers
and English Style Roasted Potatoes

Spouse had the day off yesterday and decided to cook one of our favorite pot roast recipes for dinner. I came home to a fantastic Friday supper of burgundy thyme pot roast with shallots and root vegetables and sides of perfect light, airy Yorkshire pudding popovers and perfect English style roasted potatoes...and of course, burgundy thyme gravy to pour liberally over everything.

Who wouldn't love to return from work to such a wonderful home cooked comfort food meal? It was a perfect start to the weekend  but would make a terrific Sunday roast dinner too.

Serves 4

4 lb blade roast (chuck roast)

I like to make sure the roast is tied tightly with butcher string which helps it hold together in the oven and easier to remove from the roasting and serve.

Season  the roast on all sides with salt and pepper. Heat 3 tbsp vegetable oil in a cast iron over medium high heat and brown the roast on all sides before transferring it to a covered roasting pan.

To the roasting pan add:

2 1/2 to 3 cups beef stock ( If using store bought stock, use salt-free or low sodium brands)
1 1.2 cups burgundy wine ( any dry red wine can be substituted)
2 bay leaves
3 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1 tsp black pepper
6 springs fresh thyme ( or 1 tbsp ground dry thyme)
3 cloves finely minced garlic

Cover the roasting pan with aluminum foil before adding the cover in order to keep as much moisture in as possible and roast at 325 degrees F for 1 1/2 to 2 hours before adding your favorite root vegetables. We use about:

1  pounds carrots
1 pounds parsnip
1/2 pound peeled shallots or pearl onions

Cover and roast for about another hour or until the vegetables are fork tender. Remove the roast and vegetables from the pot and hold in a warm oven.

Skim any excess fat from the top of the stock in the roasting pan, then bring the liquid to a boil on the stove top. Prepare a thickening slurry by whisking together until smooth or shaking together in a covered mason jar:

about 1 cup warm water
1/4 cup all purpose flour

Slowly pour the flour slurry into the boiling roasting stock whisking constantly and quickly so no lumps form in the gravy. Use only as much of the slurry as necessary to bring the gravy to the consistency you like.

Serve with Yorkshire Pudding Popovers and Perfect Roast Potatoes

Find those recipes by clicking the links below:

The Perfect Roast Potato ( English Style Roast Potatoes)

Perfect Popovers

Burgundy Thyme Pot Roast with Yorkshire Pudding Popovers
and English Style Roasted Potatoes

Spouse had the day off yesterday and decided to cook one of our favorite pot roast recipes for dinner. I came home to a fantastic Friday supper of burgundy thyme pot roast with shallots and root vegetables and sides of perfect light, airy Yorkshire pudding popovers and perfect English style roasted potatoes...and of course, burgundy thyme gravy to pour liberally over everything.

Who wouldn't love to return from work to such a wonderful home cooked comfort food meal? It was a perfect start to the weekend  but would make a terrific Sunday roast dinner too.

Serves 4

4 lb blade roast (chuck roast)

I like to make sure the roast is tied tightly with butcher string which helps it hold together in the oven and easier to remove from the roasting and serve.

Season  the roast on all sides with salt and pepper. Heat 3 tbsp vegetable oil in a cast iron over medium high heat and brown the roast on all sides before transferring it to a covered roasting pan.

To the roasting pan add:

2 1/2 to 3 cups beef stock ( If using store bought stock, use salt-free or low sodium brands)
1 1.2 cups burgundy wine ( any dry red wine can be substituted)
2 bay leaves
3 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1 tsp black pepper
6 springs fresh thyme ( or 1 tbsp ground dry thyme)
3 cloves finely minced garlic

Cover the roasting pan with aluminum foil before adding the cover in order to keep as much moisture in as possible and roast at 325 degrees F for 1 1/2 to 2 hours before adding your favorite root vegetables. We use about:

1  pounds carrots
1 pounds parsnip
1/2 pound peeled shallots or pearl onions

Cover and roast for about another hour or until the vegetables are fork tender. Remove the roast and vegetables from the pot and hold in a warm oven.

Skim any excess fat from the top of the stock in the roasting pan, then bring the liquid to a boil on the stove top. Prepare a thickening slurry by whisking together until smooth or shaking together in a covered mason jar:

about 1 cup warm water
1/4 cup all purpose flour

Slowly pour the flour slurry into the boiling roasting stock whisking constantly and quickly so no lumps form in the gravy. Use only as much of the slurry as necessary to bring the gravy to the consistency you like.

Serve with Yorkshire Pudding Popovers and Perfect Roast Potatoes

Find those recipes by clicking the links below:

The Perfect Roast Potato ( English Style Roast Potatoes)

Perfect Popovers

reade more... Résuméabuiyad