Oven Brisket at the Cuban Redneck Kitchen

Hi and welcome to the Cuban Redneck Kitchen, where today we are going to settle a dare! Yes, many of my gringo friends keep daring me to make an authentic American dish, and other than the hamburger, I don’t think there is anything more American than brisket! It would have been easy to go to YouTube and look for a brisket recipe, but you know that is not how I roll! Believe it not, this is my recipe, although the basics I learned while living in Texas. Over the years, I have perfected this oven brisket recipe to where I can now make it with my eye close.

I have wanted to make this recipe for a while, but after finding a corned beef brisket at Aldi’s on sale, I jump on it! Know that for the money, you can’t touch this oven corned beef brisket recipe! And, yes, a flat-cut fresh beef brisket would have been a little better.

Unlike in Texas, brisket is not something you’ll find in every corners restaurant in the South Florida rea growing up. In fact, I don’t recall ever seen it or having brisket before living in Texas. I think that brisket has an unfair reputation for being dry, tough, and somewhat tasteless. Well, know that is not the case with this recipe.

As I often do when cooking, I go through the fridge, and whatever is there or soon to expired or go back end up in the dish that I am making. On this day, mushrooms ended up on the plate, and I have to say this is something I will consider going forward. Something else I have used in the past has been baby potatoes. So, here is the list of ingredients for our brisket in oven recipe:

• 1 – 3.5 lbs. Corned Beef Brisket
• 1 – tsp. of McCormick Grill Mates Mesquite Seasoning
• 1 – tsp. of Salt
• 1 – tsp. of Oregano
• 1 – tsp. of Cumin
• 1 – tsp. of Onion Powder
• 1 – tsp. of Garlic Powder
• 1 – tsp. of Black Pepper
• 2 – tsp. of Liquid Smoke
• 2~3 – tsp. of Lemon Juice
• 1 – Onion
• 1 – Head of Garlic
• 2~3 – Carrots
• 2 – Cup of Lemonade
• 1 – Cup of mushroom (optional)

As said, usually, a flat-cut, fresh beef brisket is the way to go but know that the corned beef brisket was excellent and maybe my preference in the future. While corned beef briskets are not ideal for smoking, BBQ, Grilling, or even oven-baked brisket recipes, it works pretty well for anything that is braised. For clarification, both fresh beef brisket and corned beef brisket start as brisket, and that is as much as they have in common. The corned beef brisket is brine-cured, meaning it is s a little more salty and peppery – something you need to keep in mind and compensate when substituting fresh beef brisket with corned beef brisket. With that said, please know that this recipe will work for either.

We don’t want more than 1/8 of an inch of fat for this recipe if any. So, let’s start by trimming the beef.  After trimming it and rinsing it pat it dry with a paper towel, sprinkle it with salt and pepper. Go light if you use the corned beef variety, but a little heavier if you are not! Place the brisket in a large deep saucepan or pot. Try to find something that will keep the beef from touching the bottom of the pan. I have been using a steaming rack that seems to work well. Cover it and place it in the refrigerator for 12 to 24 hours.

The next day we’ll start the cooking process by taking the brisket out of the pan. Adding a little bit of oil and start with your mushrooms. We want to cook these under medium heat until they get a little bit of color. Usually 3-4 minutes. While that cooks, let’s cut half of the onion into rings and dice the remaining half. As the mushroom starts to get some color, add the onions and cook for about 3-4 minutes. At which time we’ll add our dry spices and cook for a couple of minutes or until you can smell the aromas.

Let’s add the lemonade and bring that to a boil on high heat. After it comes to a boil, add the garlic and the carrots. Bring back to a boil and turn off the heat. Depending on the size of your pot, you may want to take out a little bit of this mixture with some liquid. Place the brisket in the center and pour some of the onions and mushrooms on top, along with some of the juice.

We are to cover our saucepan well and place it in the center of a preheated 350-degree oven, 30 minutes for every pound for the first leg. After the time expires, lower the heat to 250-degrees and bake, 45 minutes per pound.

At the halfway point, take the brisket out of the oven and check for tenderness. At this point, it should still feel a little firm. Add 2-3 tsp of lemon juice, baste it with the juices, cover it back up, and back in the oven.

After the second leg timer has expired, take the brisket out of the oven and place it in a baking dish. Pour all the liquids into a measuring cup or similar container, and after skimming the fat from the top, pulse it with the emerging blends a couple of times to thicken the sauce into a gravy. Some people like to leave it in the pan, put it on the stove, bring it up to a boil, and add flour. I am not a fan of super thick southern gravies, but this is an option. After your brisket has been resting for 5-10 minutes, pour the dressing over it, followed by the veggies remaining in the pot, slice it and serve.

I don’t care if you have a competition brisket recipe. If it is raining or snowing outside and you are in the mood for some super savory, tender, and juicy oven brisket, give this recipe a try! Thank you for watching.

I look forward to having you as a subscriber and know that you are welcome to post your recipes at the Cuban Food Nation group on Facebook.