Ruth'S Brisket

Name: Ruth'S Brisket
Ingredients: 1 teaspoon salt; 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; 1/2 teaspoon Hungarian sweet paprika; 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano; 1/2 teaspoon dried basil; 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme; 1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary; 3 to 3 1/2 pounds brisket, first cut; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 1 large onion, chopped; 1 large clove garlic, minced; 8 medium white mushrooms, sliced; 1/4 cup dry red wine; 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce; 2 tablespoons brine from kosher pickles, strained; 8 ounces tomato sauce; 6 to 10 ounces cold water (more or less as needed); 1 1/2 pounds baking potatoes (about 4 medium)

18 ingredients

23 steps

Ingredients

1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon Hungarian sweet paprika
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary
3 to 3 1/2 pounds brisket, first cut
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 large clove garlic, minced
8 medium white mushrooms, sliced
1/4 cup dry red wine
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons brine from kosher pickles, strained
8 ounces tomato sauce
6 to 10 ounces cold water (more or less as needed)
1 1/2 pounds baking potatoes (about 4 medium)

Directions

1

Mix together salt, pepper, paprika, and dried herbs in a small bowl.
2

Dry brisket with paper towels and place meat on a plate with fatty side top up.
3

Season fatty side with about half of the herb mixture.
4

Heat a large Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium heat and add oil to slick bottom.
5

Lower heat and add onions, garlic, and mushrooms to pot.
6

Saute until onions are transparent (but do not let garlic burn), then remove mixture to a plate.
7

Turn up heat under pot to medium-high and put meat, fatty side down, in the now empty pot.
8

Sear bottom of meat until nicely browned, about 5 minutes.
9

Season top side of meat with remaining herb mixture.
10

Turn meat to sear second side, an additional 5 minutes.
11

When meat is browned and there is a crust of brown bits on the bottom of the pot, remove meat to plate with onion mixture.
12

Add wine to the now-empty pot to de-glaze, scraping up browned bits from bottom of pan.
13

Stir in Worcestershire sauce, pickle brine, and tomato sauce.
14

Return onion mixture and the meat to the pot, with fatty side of meat up.
15

Add water as needed to come halfway up the sides of the meat so that the meat will braise.
16

Stir liquids in pot together to make a sauce and use a large spoon to transfer a little of sauce over the top of the meat.
17

Lower the heat and simmer, covered, for 2 hours.
18

Peel and cut the potatoes into quarters; nestle them in the pot around the meat.
19

Cover the pot and continue to cook over low heat for 1 more hour.
20

Remove the meat to a carving board and cut thinly across the grain.
21

Return the meat to the pot and cook until the meat is tender and the potatoes are done (but not falling apart), about 1 hour more.
22

Serve immediately, either from the pot or from a serving dish.
23

Note: The brisket tastes even better the next day! Allow brisket to cool then transfer all to an oven-proof serving dish or a large pot. After refrigerating, scrape off the fat from the top if there's a lot. Warm brisket, potatoes, and sauce in serving dish in 325° F oven for 1 hour or in pot on stove-top.