Garlic-Pepper Brisket

Ingredients:

1. Beef Brisket (mine was 3#)
2. Kosher Salt
3. Black Pepper
4. 5 Bay Leaves
5. 1 T dry Thyme (or 1 small bunch fresh)
6. 1 T dry Rosemary (or 1 sprig fresh)
7. 1 to 1-1/2 cups Beef Broth
8. 1 large head fresh Garlic
9. 187 ml favorite Red Wine
10. ~ 2 T 80/20 (blended) oil

What to do:

1. Rinse brisket under cold water and pat dry with paper towel.
   
2. Clean a full head of garlic (or more if you're worried about vampires) and pulse in your food processor until minced (you can mince by hand but this is much faster and is the way it's done in a restaurant by the bag full).
3. Rub a small amount of oil on both sides of brisket to coat evenly.
4. Generously sprinkle salt and crushed black pepper all over the brisket (the bigger the piece of meat, the more you will need-or in the words of Bobby Flay "make it rain").
5. Massage the garlic in the meat and wrap tightly.
6. Store in frig, preferable overnight.---
7. Preheat your oven to 300 degrees.
8. Bring your frying pan, cast iron pan or braising pan to its smoke point (the point at which you will see smoke rising from its surface).  Then add the oil.
9. Place unwrapped brisket directly in pan to sear for about 2-3 minutes. Flip over and sear other side for same amount of time.
10. Place brisket in pan (if not already using braising pan to sear).
11. Add all remaining ingredients to pan, cover with foil, poke holes in foil and cook for 45-60 minutes PER POUND to break down the cartilage and render the fat.
12. When the time is up, remove brisket from pan and let rest on cutting board to reabsorb the juices covered with foil.
13. In the meantime, scrape any pieces of meat off the bottom of the pan (this is called "fond") and pour all the liquid into a sauce pan and bring up to a boil.
14. In a separate bowl mix cornstarch (called a "slurry") with cold water in about a 2:1 ration-water to starch with a whisk to thicken and slowly add to the boiling "jus".  You will see a little sheen and thickening of the liquid when enough has been added.  Let cook for a few minutes to blend.
15. Slice brisket ACROSS THE GRAIN to make it even more tender, plate and ladle gravy over the top!

Serve with your favorite potato and/or veg!

Happy Eating!

--Chef JB