DENOMINATIONAL COERCIVE BRISKET

I asked Robbie (blog: http://rjmedwed.blogspot.com/) for his recipe for brisket.

Which you will find ripped off below, because I just love it when my friends write my posts for me..... Did I ever mention that I have a strong opportunistic (sounds better than lazy plagiarist, doesn't it?) streak?

If you want to know how the subject came up, or why it is a Denominational Coercive Brisket, you'll just have to read his posting here: http://rjmedwed.blogspot.com/2006/12/foiled-again.html

In the meantime, enjoy imagining the recipe below.

Please note two (loosely-constructed) points:
1. Cooking with Coca-Cola is not unusual. Essentially it is like cooking with any liquid that is over one-sixteenth sugar (such as one cup of sherry or rice wine with approximately a quarter cup of Ketjap Manis). Some recipes use broth and apricot preserves. Which also can, why not. The end-result is what counts. Just remember that Savage Kitten will maul you if you speak ill of Coca-Cola. Never use Pepsi.
2. This is a braised dish. Braising tenderizes tough meats marvelously, but also concentrates flavours. Long and slow is the operative concept. Letting the meat rest after cooking is also an operative concept.


Incredibly Easy Brisket
By Robbie
12/13/06

This isn't my recipe but I'll swear by it that you'll love it. Use real Coca-Cola - the drink will carmelize a little and make for love in the form of gravy. This brisket also nearly made a 10-year vegetarian start eating meat again. It's just that good!

Start with a cut of meat that could pass for brisket. Don't go too cheap or it'll be too tough. Trim off some of the fat (that's the rubbery white lumps all around the meat) and put it into a pan (I like the 9 x 13 pyrex, but be sure to wrap it in tinfoil first to simplifiy cleanup of burned-on bits).

Add one very small-diced plain old baking potato (peeled or not, no difference), about 3 small-chopped carrots and 2 large onions, chunked. Garlic's also a good addition - use the real thing and throw in a handful of peeled cloves.

Then add a packet or two (or a few shakes, if you have the big jar) of powdered onion soup mix. Spread it all around the meat and rub it in good. Then, take a two cans of Coca Cola (use Pepsi and I'll never forgive you) and pour it in to the pan.

Roast it at 350 Degrees F (or level "4" for the non-Americans) for about 3 hours, basting the meat every so often. When the meat is good and firm (about the firmness of the odd webby space between your thumb and forefinger), take it out of the oven and LET IT SIT to cool.

After it's cooled, slice it into strips and put it back in the pan to sit in the gravy until it's ready to serve. If the meat isn't done enough for you, you can put it back in for a little while to finish. If it's over done, well, that's your fault.

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Robbie also includes a recipe for Pumpkin Brownies (again, see his posting here: http://rjmedwed.blogspot.com/2006/12/robbies-recipes-part-1-damn-good.html), among the ingredients for which are Cinnamon, Dry Ginger, Nutmeg, and Clove.

Which is very reminiscent of both the spice-mixture used in some very nice cakes, such as lekach for Rosh Hashana if you're Amsterdam-Portugese, Honingkoek or Peperkoek if you are Flemish or Brabantine, or Spekkoek if you are an Indo. Also Gemberkoek, which is one of those things that you either know, or you don't. And speaking of which, if you are going to ramp up the spice content, be careful about cloves - they tend to dominate and dull.


Note: Robbie started off by writing about not being angst-ridden and having Jew-dar.

He had already written before, but then he started his blog (http://rjmedwed.blogspot.com/) in August of 2005 (http://rjmedwed.blogspot.com/2005_08_28_rjmedwed_archive.html), which, if you want to know about screaming babies, chicken soup, covering yourself with flour (something about preparing for Shabbes..., yes, that's it - "preparing for Shabbes"), the appropriate blessing for happy pills, and people who should not be let anywhere near computers (in addition to 'not-being-angst-ridden and having ..... Jew... - ..... dar!!!) you should probably start reading right now!

Brownie points to the first person who discusses the brocho for happy pills.