Grass Fed Brisket

This is not something I say lightly, or often, but I must declare, this grass fed brisket dish may be the best thing I have ever made!  It took some time; I started it last night, let it cool overnight, and cooked it again tonight.  Believe me when I say it is worth every second of time that went into it.  It wasn’t difficult, and you can be flexible in the amounts in the recipe, but my one piece of advice is this, don’t leave anything out, it is perfect.  It tastes even better than I imagined it would.  Make this today!  

You are going to be seeing a lot more grass fed beef this year.  In fact according to an article in the L.A. Times demand for grass fed beef is growing at a rate of about twenty percent a year.  As consumers learn more about feedlots, from the conditions for the animals, to the impact these feedlots have on the environment, as well as on our health as beef eaters people are looking for an alternative. We’re starting to see the long term costs of the choices we make compared to the money we save today shopping for our groceries.  Unfortunately it isn’t consumers of raw meat as much as consumers of fast food that drive the market for low cost (inferior) beef. 

If you grew up eating and liking beef, the taste you are familiar with is that of grain fed beef.  Grain fed beef is more tender than grass fed, but grass fed has a deep, meaty flavor.  It’s a bit mineral-y and so loaded with flavor, you really need to scale back on the seasoning, especially the salt!  Tonight I am eating a grass fed brisket from Philly CowShare, and like most briskets it needed a long time to cook.  Sure you could make this same recipe with conventional beef, and it will still be really good, but if you’ve cut back on the amount of red meat you’re eating, why not make sure the meat you do eat is the best quality and best tasting meat available?  

I wish I could invite you all over to try this brisket!  I made it a bit sweet with onions, carrots, white sweet potato, pomegranate molasses and dried cherries, and a bit savory with garlic, and beef stock.

Here is the recipe, it is different from any brisket I’ve made before, so if you try it, please le me know what you think about it!  As I already said, I think it is sublime.    

Braised Sweet and Savory Brisket

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Ingredients

• 2-4lb Brisket (Grass Fed if available)
• 3 tablespoons Oil
• 1 Large White Sweet Potato (Peeled and cut into 1)
• 1 Large Carrot (12-14 Ounces Peeled and Cut on the bias 1/2)
• 1 Large Onion (12-14 Ounces Sliced cut in half and sliced thin)
• 10 cloves Garlic (Peeled and Chopped)
• 3 cups Beef Stock
• 1/4 cup Flour
• 1/3 cup Brown Sugar
• 1/2 cup Dried Cherries
• 1 tablespoon Garlic-Chili Paste
• 1 tablespoon Pomegranate Molasses

Directions

Step 1

Preheat oven to 300F Heat oil on medium in a heavy pot with a tight fitting lid, or a dutch oven Add onions and saute for a few minutes, until just starting to brown, add garlic, and cook another minute, remove onion mix from pot, and set aside

Step 2

Add meat to pot and brown on both sides, meat is ready to turn when it lifts easily from pot When meat is browned remove that and set aside, if there is fat in the pan add the flour and stir well (if there isn't much fat in the pot, add an additional 1-2 TBL of oil to pot) Let flour and fat cook for a minute or two, then add stock, sugar, chili paste and pomegranate molasses stir and bring to a boil, allowing sauce to thicken a bit

Step 3

Return meat to pot, then add back onion-garlic mix Add carrots, sweet potato and cherries, bring to boil

Step 4

Cover pot and put into oven for 2 1/2 hours, turning the meat once after 1 1/2 hours

Step 5

Meat is done when it is fork tender. This means when you insert a long fork, the meat easily slides off the fork. Taste sauce for seasoning Let cool, and slice the meat. Put all ingredients into the refrigerator overnight

Step 6

Preheat oven to 350F and put covered pot back into oven Cook for 1 1/2- 2 hrs until meat is heated through