<space>

It’s no secret that I don’t feature beef very often on this blog. Well, to be exact… I’ve never featured a beef recipe before this one. It’s not that I hate beef, (do you hear that National Cattlemen’s Association?) in fact, Mr. K loves beef. It’s just that it’s not something we eat very often around the house.

I think the reason we don’t eat a lot of it is that 1) it’s more expensive than the other foods we eat (such as grains, beans, and pasta) and 2) I simply don’t like beef all that much and uh… I do the cooking.

But, the past few weeks, we’ve been trying a few new beef recipes. Mostly because I discovered that my local winter farmer’s market had it’s very own Colorado beef vendor. And I was bored.

Plus, I saw this recipe on Smitten Kitchen, and pretty much anything that Deb makes is solid gold. So off I went to the farmer’s market to buy (very scientific term coming up here) a veritable crapload of beef. Because I’m hardcore like that.

As predicted, this recipe is amazing. Even I, president of the “Let’s make chicken instead” club, wanted seconds. Although I couldn’t find Heinz chili sauce (or really figure out what she was referencing, honestly) I just used my old standby – sriracha – because I wasn’t about to make another trip to the store to find this elusive chili sauce. (Plus, this further proves my point that sriracha can be added to almost any food to make it better.) I also neglected to puree the sauce when I was done (I would have had to clean my blender so… that’s not going to happen).

And although Deb explains how to make this brisket in the oven, I chose to make it in the slow cooker. I am very much a fan of “set it and forget it.” After all, I have hockey and Gossip Girl to watch. Let’s remember our priorities, people.

<space>

<space>

Tangy Spiced Brisket, the Lazy Way

Adapted from Smitten Kitchen

Serves 6

<space>

Gather:
2 large onions, sliced
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 garlic cloves, peeled and halved
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoons black pepper
1 teaspoons garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoons onion powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
2 cups beef stock (unsalted or low salt)
1/2 cup ketchup
1 tablespoon sriracha chili sauce
1/2 cup brown sugar (light or dark)
4 pounds brisket

<space>
Prepare:
Heat oil over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, sauté onions in olive oil, about 15 minutes or until lightly caramelized but not burnt. Add garlic and sauté for 3 more minutes. Stir in salt, pepper, and spices (through thyme) and stir to coat onions and garlic with spices. Set aside.

Whisk together beef stock, ketchup, sriracha, and brown sugar in a large bowl. Place brisket in slow cooker, spread onion mixture over top, and pour beef stock mixture over the onions and beef. Cover with lid and cook on low for 10 hours.

After the 10 hours have elapsed, scrape any fatty bits off of the meat (unless you like that stuff. ew.) Carefully transfer the brisket to a baking dish, pour sauce over top, and chill in fridge for at least 2 hours and up to a day. (It’s best to wait until the brisket has cooled to just above room temp, otherwise the temperature of your fridge will rise considerably, and might spoil the other refrigerated foods.)

About an hour before serving, preheat your oven to 300°F, and remove the baking dish from the fridge. Remove all of the fat that has solidified in the sauce with a slotted spoon for a less oily finish.

Carefully remove the meat from its sauce and place on a large cutting board. Cut the brisket into 1/2-inch slices. Carefully replace the sliced brisket back into the sauce and cover with sauce. Cover the dish tightly with foil and reheat in the oven until hot (about an hour).

<space>

<space>

Now Playing: The Black Keys / Tighten Up - the new album comes out May 18th, but to whet your musical taste buds… here’s the new single. (Try not to spontaneously combust like I did on my first listen)

Oh and did I mention? I got tickets to their show here in Denver. *dies*

<space>