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[verbicide]

That was damn fun.

Sarah & siblings just left. I'm never sure if I've done pot roast right, since I didn't grow up with it and never order it--but they seemed to like it. It (as always) needed more salt. I feel the same way about brisket, I want to love it because it's beef-y and comforting, but I'm just not sure about it. My mom used to make corned beef, so I love that. The one thing I was excited about was the gravy--it's one of my particular weak areas, but I think I did it much better this time. I think putting it through the sieve is what worked for me, not that I'm dissing gravy-with-stuff.

I think the chipotle smashed sweet potatoes are still a shade too spicy, but they're fine when I eat them with other things (like pot roast). The cakes came out well, too. Nothing like a ramekin of warm chocolate cake.

I need to somehow package some food up for Jeff and Pete for tomorrow. I'm hoping ziplock bags will work, because I'm once again out of tupperware. I don't understand where it all goes. I keep buying gladware thingies and they all disappear!

I still have this enormous pot of marinara on my stovetop and have to package it up and put it away. Maybe I'll just shove the pot in the fridge and do it tomorrow. Because I am TIRED! Oh, but first need to put in a load of wheat bread for Jeff.

I'm not sure if this is rude, but I've started cleaning the kitchen while I still have friends over. Chatting with them makes the task go by so much faster, and once they're gone, I don't have to turn around and face a totaled kitchen alone, with no energy to clean. I've got a dishwasher load running, and everything else is pretty tidy.

Comments

[archaica.livejournal.com]

I see no problem at all with cleaning while your friends are there. As long as you're talking to them, and they're cool with sitting around and talking while you're cleaning (I know my friends wouldn't be, but that's because they're all JERKS :)), then there's nothing wrong with it at all. Hell, if anything, it lets you get what you have to get done done faster. Nothing wrong with that.

[verbicide.livejournal.com]

Totally--that's what happens. I have a pass-through in my kitchen, so I keep yammering at them while I tidy up. Makes for a much happier me! :D

[merhawk]

Heh. You're turning into my mother! She and her group of friends all do that at the end of a big party, except they all kick in.

Speaking of brisket (which I adore), I have some recipes I could send your way if you like.

[verbicide.livejournal.com]

At bigger parties, we all kick-in, too. And definitely my friends help by bringing stuff from the table to the kitchen, but it just makes it so much easier to get it done while hanging out talking.

Re: recipes. 'm not sure. I've had brisket before and everyone at the table was ecstatic, but I just thought it was okay.

I think I like my meat configured differently. Pot roast and brisket aren't at all bad, but I think they're just not for me!

[merhawk]

You could like your meat cooked differently. Or... maybe you've never had a good brisket recipe. Does your recipe have you cooking it at low temperature for 4-8 hours, with more than just meat and potatoes to keep it seasoned?

[verbicide.livejournal.com]

I think I just like my meat cooked differently. I only say that because the other people eating the brisket or whatever are always really excited/pleased --I just don't get the fuss.

The recipe I have involves browning the meat, then cooking it at low heat for 4-8 hours, adding some veggies (carrots, onions, potatoes) for the last hour.

Again, it's not gross or anything, but it's just not as spectacular as I think it ought to be.

[merhawk]

I can understand that. I, for example, can't stand shredded meat because of the texture. No other reason.

*wrinkles nose* If you ever want to try a better-sounding recipe for brisket, let me know. It sounds like you have the Irish brisket recipe. And as much of English/Irish food doesn't involve a lot of seasoning... *shrug*

Then again, you're probably right and you just don't like brisket. Which seems a shame to me, as I adore the stuff. My mother is making brisket when we go out to visit; probably the french onion recipe I adore, though she might do the horseradish one.

[verbicide.livejournal.com]

What the hell--send me the recipe.

I just realized that I forgot the seasonings that went into it, which was silly because you'd made a point to ask.:

- salt/pepper rubbed all over before browning
- rubbing the browned meat with horseradish before slow cooking

Anyway--by all means, send me the recipe you have, I'll be glad to try it out this winter. Esepcially since it's not a texture thing, it's a flavor thing, I'm generally underwhelmed by it.

Three recipes, brisket #1 recipe

[merhawk]

I've got three recipes. Recipe 2 is my favorite, followed by recipe 3. I think I've had recipe 1 (these came from my mother), but I don't recall.

Recipe for Brisket #1:


4-6 lb. brisket, trimmed but leaving a thin layer of fat
2 large onions, thinly sliced
Brown sugar to taste (approximately 1/3 to 1/2 cup)
Vermouth or white wine (approximately 1 cup)
Salt, pepper and garlic, to taste

Place brisket, fat side up in baking dish (metal or glass) that has been sprayed with Pam. Pierce meat with a sharp meat fork approximately every inch. Sprinkle brown sugar along with other seasonings (to taste) on brisket and then cover with thinly sliced onions. Pour wine over top of brisket and seal pan tightly with aluminum foil. Bake in 225 degree oven until tender. This will take several hours (check after 30 minutes per pound). If it is a large brisket, I cook overnight in the oven. Make sure that your pan is deep enough for the juices that accumulate.

When tender, remove from oven, uncover and allow to cool. Remove fat from gravy/juice. Puree onions with juices to make gravy, if desired. Thinly slice brisket when cool. Serve warm with gravy. Freezes well. Double wrap to keep fresh.

Three recipes, brisket #2 recipe

[merhawk]

Brisket # 2:

4-6 lb. brisket, trimmed but leaving a thin layer of fat
2 large onions, thinly sliced
3-4 Tbs. Horseradish
8-12 oz. Ketchup
Vermouth or white wine (approximately 1 cup)
Salt, pepper and garlic, to taste

Place brisket, fat side up in baking dish (metal or glass) that has been sprayed with Pam. Pierce meat with a sharp meat fork approximately every inch. Season with salt, pepper and garlic, if desired. Cover with thinly sliced onions. Mix horseradish, ketchup and wine thoroughly and pour over top of brisket. Seal pan tightly with aluminum foil. Bake in 225 degree oven until tender. This will take several hours (check after 30 minutes per pound). If it is a large brisket, I cook overnight in the oven. Make sure that your pan is deep enough for the juices that accumulate.

When done, remove from oven, uncover and allow to cool. Remove fat from gravy/juice. Puree onions with juices to make gravy, if desired. Thinly slice brisket when cool. Serve warm with gravy. Freezes well. Double wrap to keep fresh.

Three recipes, brisket #3 recipe

[merhawk]

Brisket #3
4-6 lb. brisket, trimmed but leaving a thin layer of fat
1 pkg. Lipton or Mrs. Grass’s Onion Soup and Dip Mix
Vermouth or white wine (approximately 1 cup)
Salt, pepper and garlic, to taste

Place brisket, fat side up in baking dish (metal or glass) that has been sprayed with Pam. Pierce meat with a sharp meat fork approximately every inch. Season with salt, pepper and garlic, if desired. Cover evenly with Onion Mix and gently pour wine over top of brisket. Seal pan tightly with aluminum foil. Bake in 225 degree oven until tender. This will take several hours (check after 30 minutes per pound). If it is a large brisket, I cook overnight in the oven. Make sure that your pan is deep enough for the juices that accumulate.

When done, remove from oven, uncover and allow to cool. Remove fat from gravy/juice. Thinly slice brisket when cool. Serve warm with gravy. Freezes well. Double wrap to keep fresh.

Re: Three recipes, brisket #1 recipe

[verbicide.livejournal.com]

For recipe #3 --do you just sprinkle the dry onion soup mix on, or do you mix it with some water first?

I will have to try one of these --they sound very good!

Re: Three recipes, brisket #1 recipe

[merhawk]

Evenly sprinkle it on dry. When you pour the wine over it, that'll help reconstitute it along with the brisket juices as it cooks. At least, that's my memory of how I made that last time.

And, yes, they are good. I told you that there's good brisket recipes out there!

Re: Three recipes, brisket #1 recipe

[verbicide.livejournal.com]

Will try and report back!