International Recipe: Oven-Simmered Beef Brisket

Oven-Simmered Beef Brisket

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups sweet vermouth or apple juice
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 dry bay leaves
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
• 1 beef brisket (about 4 pounds), trimmed of fat
• 1/4 cup cornstarch blended with 1/4 cup cold water (if serving meat hot)

Cooking Procedures:

1. In a large glass baking dish, combine vermouth, soy sauce, oil, bay leaves, garlic, onion, ginger and pepper; mix lightly. Add brisket; turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate, turning meat occasionally, until next day.
2. Leave meat in marinade and bake, covered, in a 350°F (175°C) oven until tender when pierced, about 3 hours. Transfer meat to a serving dish. Skim and discard fat from pan juices; discard bay leaves.
3. To serve brisket hot, stir cornstarch mixture into pan juices. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until sauce is thickened; offer sauce to spoon over individual servings.
4. To serve brisket cold, omit cornstarch mixture. Return meat to pan juices and let cool; then cover and refrigerate until cold or for up to 2 days. Lift our meat and cut across the grain into thin slices.

Makes 8 to 10 servings.