If you're looking for a crowd-pleasing recipe, look no further than this Pioneer Woman brisket recipe.
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While brisket recipes smoked on a wood pellet grill or traditional smoker may be getting a lot of fanfare these days, old-fashioned oven-baked brisket should not be forgotten.
This Pioneer Woman brisket recipe is no exception. Ultra-tender, loaded with flavor and slowly braised for hours in a simple overnight marinade, Ree Drummond’s brisket recipe is a streamlined take on this classic homestyle favorite.
Let’s see how it stacks up to other Pioneer Woman recipes (like her fabulous million dollar dip).
How to Make The Pioneer Woman’s Brisket
Lauren Habermehl for Taste of Home, GETTY IMAGES
First time buying brisket? Look for a good grade of meat and a cut that has an even thickness and width from end to end. This ensures even cooking and will prevent one end from drying out while in the oven. A great brisket should also have a generous 1/4-inch (or even 1/2-inch) thick fat cap on one side and visible fat marbling on the other. More fat equals more flavor!
Ingredients
Directions
Step 1: Marinade the brisket
In a large roasting pan, combine the beef consomme, soy sauce, lemon juice, liquid smoke and garlic. With the fat side up, lay the brisket in the marinade. Cover the pan tightly with foil and let the brisket marinate for 24 to 48 hours in the refrigerator.
Preheat the oven to 300°F. Transfer the foil-covered roasting pan to the oven and braise the brisket for 6 to 7 hours (about 40 minutes per pound). You’ll know the brisket is done when the meat is tender and easily shreds with a fork.
Editor’s Tip: While “fall-apart tender” is often used to describe brisket, you don’t actually want the brisket to fall apart once cooked. That’s a sign that the brisket was overcooked. A perfectly cooked brisket should still require some gentle pull when carving.
Step 3: Slice and serve
Transfer the brisket to a cutting board. Then, slice against the grain (it’s a top trick to make tough meat tender) and return the slices back to the juices in the pan. Serve warm, spooning reserved juices over the slices. If you’re into barbecue, Ree also recommends slathering with good barbecue sauce. Enjoy!
Here’s What I Thought
Lauren Habermehl for Taste of Home
This was hands-down the easiest brisket recipe I have ever made. I loved that it required very minimal prep work, and the oven did all the heavy lifting for me. All I really had to do was slice, serve and enjoy!
While this brisket recipe does come out super flavorful and tender, it is a bit on the salty side due to the amount of beef consomme and soy sauce used in the marinade. If you’re sensitive to salty foods, serve the brisket with a side of honey barbecue to balance the flavors.
Next time, I would add about 1/4 cup of honey, brown sugar or maple syrup to the marinade to give the brisket just a little sweetness that’s similar to the Marvelous Mrs. Maisel brisket recipe that I love.
Tips for Making The Pioneer Woman Brisket
Why is slow-cooking brisket necessary?
Brisket is a tough, muscular cut of beef that comes from a hard-working area of the steer. This means that, while flavorful, brisket tends to be tough unless cooked low and slow (like our favorite slow-cooked oven ribs). Whether smoked or braised, a low and slow cooking method helps the brisket retain moisture, render fat and relax the connective tissue to make a juicy, flavorful and tender dish.
What should you pair with The Pioneer Woman brisket?
Pair this braised brisket with an array of side dishes. Choose southern favorites like baked beans and skillet cornbread or other comfort foods like The Pioneer Woman’s mashed potatoes or baked mac and cheese. You really can’t go wrong!
What should you do with leftover brisket?
Keep leftover brisket refrigerated in an airtight storage container for 3-5 days. Enjoy chilled, at room temperature or reheated. Leftover brisket is especially good shredded and mixed into chili, stuffed into a baked potato or rolled up in tortillas and baked with homemade enchilada sauce.
Common go-to rubs include seasonings like garlic, herbs, and spices. Just be sure to take it easy on the rub so that your brisket doesn't come out too salty. If you plan to mop or baste your brisket while smoking, be sure to coordinate the flavors properly with your rub. Marinating is another option for smoked brisket.
Brisket was a favorite for holiday celebrations, such as Rosh Hashanah, Passover, Hanukkah, and Shabbat. Jewish communities first began to favor this cut because it comes from the breast of the cow, located in the front, which makes it kosher.
Although the two brisket cuts can often be used interchangeably, the flat cut is most often used in braises that are sliced, like those popular on Jewish holidays and for corned beef. The fattier point cut, meanwhile, is preferred for pulled beef, beef sandwiches and smoked barbecued brisket.
If you love a good smoked brisket, then you will love his smaller cousin, smoked chuck roast. I have heard of others smoking different cuts of beef as an alternative to brisket, including chuck roast, and I had to give this a try.
The three most well-known grades, in order from highest degree to lowest, are Prime, Choice, and Select. (There are grades lower than Select, but we'll leave those out of this discussion.) The beef is graded primarily on the marbling of the ribeye between the twelfth and thirteenth rib bones.
The fat melts as it cooks, infusing the brisket with incredible moisture and flavor. Marbling enhances brisket by naturally tenderizing the muscle fibers during low and slow cooking. For those dedicated to their brisket game, the main thing to remember is prioritizing marbling is key.
Technically, filet mignon is as kosher as any other cut of meat. The problem with filet mignon and other cuts from the rear is that they are located near the sciatic nerve and fatty deposits known in Hebrew as chelev, which are Biblically forbidden.
The muscles that make up a brisket come from the chest of the cow. Each cow has one brisket, which is generally split into two cuts: the flat and the point.
The Torah (Pentateuch) contains passages in Leviticus that list the animals people are permitted to eat. According to Leviticus 11:3, animals like cows, sheep, and deer that have divided hooves and chew their cud may be consumed. Pigs should not be eaten because they do not chew their cud.
When buying brisket at the grocery store, it is typically labeled as "beef brisket." It's a specific cut of meat that comes from the lower chest area of a cow. You might also find variations like "whole brisket", "brisket flat cut", and "brisket point," which refer to different parts of the brisket.
Cut and Trim Level: The way the brisket is cut and trimmed can affect its price. For example, a whole, untrimmed brisket might be less expensive than a trimmed or pre-packaged brisket. Supply and Demand: If there is a high demand for brisket and a limited supply, prices may rise.
Now, coming to the point (jokes aside), the point is where almost all of the fat resides. This is a small and thick visible piece of connective tissue. Off the bat, the point consists of more flavor due to the amount of fat present. However, once the fat is cooked down, there's still a lot of meat leftover.
Since this muscle is regularly used, it is a very tough cut of meat laced with tight connective tissue. These qualities make the brisket a terrible cut of meat for slicing like a steak, but the same qualities make it perfect for the low and slow love and dedication of a good smoke.
Where Do They Come From? Chuck roast comes from the forequarter—the front of the cow.It can come from the neck, shoulder blade, and upper arm areas.Meanwhile, beef brisket comes from the breast and lower chest area.
What is Poor Man's Burnt Ends? Poor Man's Burnt Ends are bite sized pieces of tender beef, caramelized in a sweet and sticky honey BBQ sauce. This beloved BBQ classic is prepared with chuck roast instead of a traditional brisket which does make it a nice budget friendly meal option!
Introduction: My name is Neely Ledner, I am a bright, determined, beautiful, adventurous, adventurous, spotless, calm person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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Lauren Habermehl for Taste of Home, GETTY IMAGES
Lauren Habermehl for Taste of Home