Brisket, Horseradish Polenta - Taste With The Eyes

Brisket and Horseradish Polenta

Oven-Roasted, Super-Tender, Umami-Rich
Beef Brisket
With Horseradish Polenta

L’Shana Tova Tikatevu

May Your Name be Inscribed in The Book of Life
For a Good Year

My tried and true, tender and tasty, umami-rich, oven-roasted beef brisket has a new look for Rosh Hashanah and the celebration of the New Year 5783. The brisket recipe hasn’t changed much, but the presentation has…

This year our beloved brisket is paired with horseradish polenta. I know that spicy pungent horseradish is not for everyone but horseradish lovers will certainly swoon. Everyone else can enjoy it with traditional polenta and be just as happy.

After the brisket is cooked, I add carrots to the sauce for flavor, texture, and color and as another symbol of the holiday. To observe Rosh Hashanah, traditional foods sweetened with honey, apples and carrots are served. They symbolize sweetness, blessings, abundance and the hope for a sweet year ahead.

Brisket and Horseradish Polenta

Brisket and Horseradish Polenta Recipes

For the Brisket

5 to 8 lb. beef brisket flat cut
2 – 3 yellow onions, sliced
sea salt and fresh ground pepper

For the Sauce

2 – 3 cans, no salt added tomato sauce, 15 oz. each
1 packet dried onion soup mix
1 T. ground ginger powder
1 T. garlic powder
1 T. mushroom umami seasoning blend
1 t. ground black pepper
1 c. dry red wine, good-tasting and not tannic
1/4 c. low-sodium tamari

Combine all the sauce ingredients in a medium bowl.

Notes: One pound of brisket serves 2 people. Since the process takes a while, we always make more than needed, as brisket is great when re-heated for leftovers.

How To Make Tender Brisket

Cook the brisket one day ahead of serving. Rinse and dry the brisket with paper towels. Season both sides with sea salt and fresh ground black pepper. Place brisket in a roasting pan under the broiler to get a nice caramelization on both sides.

Arrange the brisket in the roasting pan with the fat side up. Then cover the brisket with the sliced onions, ladle sauce over and around the onions.

Cover tightly with heavy duty aluminum foil. (Tent the foil if necessary, or place a piece of parchment between sauce and foil, to keep the acidic tomato onion mixture from touching the foil). Start the brisket at 325°F to get it going. After one hour reduce heat to 300°F and cook for an additional 4 – 5 hours. Check the brisket to make sure it is super-tender, cook longer if needed.

Remove the brisket from the oven and let cool to room temperature, cover and refrigerate overnight.

The next day remove the cold brisket from the sauce. Peel off the fat cap if desired. Slice against the grain.

Arrange meat slices vertically in a baking dish and ladle the sauce with onions over the meat and between the slices. Getting the sauce between the slices is important! Cover with foil. Now the brisket is ready to reheat at 325°F for later.

Brisket and Horseradish Polenta

Horseradish Polenta

3 1/2 c. water
1 t. sea salt
1 c. polenta (we like Bob’s Red Mill Organic Corn Polenta)
2 T. butter
1/2 c. milk
3/4 c. parmesan, grated
1 to 2 T. grated horseradish
fresh ground black pepper

Bring 3 cups of water and salt to a boil in a medium pot. Whisk in polenta slowly. Reduce heat to low. Continue to cook over low heat, for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add 1/2 cup of water to loosen half way through.

After 30 minutes stir in butter and milk. When butter is melted, slowly stir in parmesan. Add horseradish. Finish with plenty of fresh ground black pepper. Taste for seasoning.

Notes: Makes 3 to 4 portions of polenta. Adjust portions as needed. This recipe is not kosher as meat is paired with dairy in the polenta. Those who keep kosher can adjust accordingly.

Brisket and Horseradish Polenta

To Serve:

carrots
horseradish
parsley

Slice carrots on the bias and cook in boiling chicken stock until tender. Drain.

To Plate:

Scoop warm polenta into middle of serving bowls. Shingle slices of re-heated brisket over the polenta. Mix carrots with the sauce. Spoon carrots and sauce over the brisket. Serve with horseradish. Garnish with parsley.