Irish Spiced Brisket\Beef

Oh how delightful the holidays are.  The house is full of people you love the most. It is the time of exchanging gifts. Snuggling in front of the fire. While the kitchen emits the most wonderful aroma your senses can imagine.  This year I made an authentic Irish recipe with brisket.  The meat marniates for a week before cooking.  It is a recipe that I have made for years and each time I make it I am thrilled with the results. I, also, have a new Lodge Dutch oven.  I bought it on Sunday and I am thrilled with it so far. 

Ingredients:

6 lbs brisket or beef

Spicing ingredients:

3 bay leaves, crushed

1 tsp whole cloves

¼ tsp mace

1 tsp peppercorns

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp whole allspice

2 tbs brown sugar, firmly packed

2 tsp saltpeter (optional)

1/4 to 1/3 cup coarse rock salt, I used sea salt and it was too salty

Mix all of the above ingredients thoroughly in a small bowl.  Place the meat in a large dish and rub the mixture all over, including the sides.  Wrap the meat in plastic or place in a plastic bag.  This can be done up to 1 week before cooking.  Each day turn the meat and rub the meat spices into the meat as you turn it over. At the end of the week, rinse the beef with water and tie it for roasting.  (this year I was only able to marinate for 4 days)

Cooking ingredients:

1 stalk of celery, roughly chopped

1 medium onion, quartered

2 medium carrots, sliced

3 whole cloves

1 tsp ground cloves

1 tsp ground all spice

½ pint stout beer

Tie the meat so that it will not come apart during the cooking process.

Place the celery, onion, and carrots to the bottom of a large pot. Use a pot that will accommodate the brisket.

Add the whole cloves, ground cloves, and allspice to the vegetables. 

Place the meat on top of the vegetables and add enough water to come half way from the bottom of the pot. The meat will produce a lot of water.

Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to simmer and cook for 4-5 hours or until the brisket is cooked through and is tender.  Add the stout to the pot during the last hour of cooking. 

Place on a platter and carve.  Serve warm.  Enjoy!

Cooks note:  You can bake this instead of boiling.  Place the oven at 300 degrees.  Place the meat in a large glass dish.  Cover with foil. Or you can use a Dutch oven, which is what I did.