Julia Child’s Beef Brisket

Julia Child’s Slow Roasted, Smothered Beef Brisket Recipe

This is a slow roasted recipe, so plan well in advance (no last minute cooks on this one). Prep and cook time take a total of three hours and fifteen minutes, but you can prepare this up to a day in advance, and leave it unattended while cooking.

Those of you from the West Coast of the United States probably aren’t familiar with Brisket. Brisket is what the rest of the country eats instead of tri-tip. Regardless of where you’re from, give this delicious recipe a try, and don’t forget to share it with friends.

Ingredients:

• 1-2 cloves of garlic (pureed)
• 4 pounds lean, flat 2-inch thick center-cut single brisket
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1-1/2 cup sliced onions
• 1 cup sliced carrots
• 2 cups fresh Italian plum tomatoes, cored and chopped

Prep Instructions:

Trim the fat from your beef brisket, leaving a small layer on the fatty side (about 1/8 inch)

Thoroughly mix the thyme, salt, pepper, oil, and garlic together in a small bowl until it’s a pasty texture. Coat both sides of your brisket with the paste.

Mix onions, carrots, and tomatoes together with salt and thyme. Place half the veggies in the bottom of your roasting pan, and add the brisket, fat side up. Cover the brisket with the other half of your seasoned veggies, and cover the roasting pan tightly with aluminum foil. You can do all of this prep work in advance, so you have a ready to cook meal. Just make sure to refrigerate everything after prepping.

Cooking Instructions:

Pre-heat oven to 300 degrees fahrenheit. Place your prepared baking dish in the oven. Cook this dish for 3-4 hours, making sure to baste the meat with the juices every half hour or so if you want an extra tender brisket. You can probably skip this step if time is at a premium, but the brisket will not be quite as tender. Let meat rest for a bit after cooking, and serve hot.