This recipe is melt in your mouth delicious.  It’s a perfect Sunday dinner that cooks by itself in the oven all afternoon while you weed, watch a soccer game, play golf or read a book.  On a rainy day, it’s a fabulous alternative to grilling a steak.  Not to mention, it makes scrumptious leftovers.

Funny, I’d never had brisket until a few months ago.  Brisket never seemed too appealing to me.  It sounded like a chewy dry piece of some kind of meat that may be not even edible.  And besides how would you possible go about cooking a brisket?  Boy, was I wrong!

My inspiration to give it a try came from one of my favorite farm to table restaurants, John Jeffries in Lancaster, PA.  While out to dinner there a few months ago, I asked the waiter for a recommendation on what to order.  His glowing description of how the brisket cooks all day in its juices convinced me to get it.  Wow, was I amazed by its tender, delicious, plate licked clean goodness. We are talking food orgasm good!

When I went to my local organic butcher,Dundore and Heister, to inquire about brisket, they didn’t have any available at the time. Then a month or so later I got my hands on some from another local farm, Country Lane.   Since then, I’ve bought it from both sources and always keep one in the freezer.   By the way, locally pasture raised, grass fed meat is the way to go, I will write more about that on another day 🙂

What’s your favorite Sunday dinner?

Braised Beef Brisket

3 pound piece of beef brisket
1 leek
1 bulb fennel
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
2 sprigs fresh thyme
4-5 fresh sage leaves
1 tablespoon coconut or palm oil
2 cups red wine or beef broth
sea salt
fresh ground pepper

Preheat oven to 250.  Cut off bottom end of leek and slice the white part of the leek into thin slices.  Rinse well under cold water to remove any grit.  Cut off bottom of fennel bulb.  Then cut in half and remove the center core using a sharp knife.  Slice fennel into thin slices.  Add fennel, leek, carrots and herbs to a large roasting pan with a lid.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.  Place brisket in the pan and brown on each side, about 3 minutes per side.  Place beef on top of the veggies and season with salt and pepper.  Pour wine or broth over the beef and veggies.  Put the brisket in the oven and bake for 3-4 hours.

Serves 6