Irish Spiced Beef

Name: Irish Spiced Beef
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 4 h
Total time: 4 h 20 min
Yield: 14 servings.
Cuisine: Europe, Irish
Ingredients: 1 fresh beef brisket (6 pounds); 1/3 cup packed brown sugar; 3/4 cup coarse sea salt; 1/4 cup chopped onion; 4 bay leaves, crushed; 3 teaspoons pepper; 2 teaspoons dried rosemary, crushed; 2 teaspoons dried thyme; 1-1/2 teaspoons ground allspice; 1-1/2 teaspoons ground cloves; 4 medium onions, sliced; 4 medium carrots, sliced; 2 celery ribs, sliced; 2 cups stout or beef broth; Optional: Rye bread, Swiss cheese slices and Dijon mustard

TOTAL TIME: Prep: 20 min. + chilling Bake: 4 hours + chilling YIELD: 14 servings.

The story goes that my Irish ancestors brought this recipe along when they immigrated to the U.S. Start it at least five days ahead to spice and tenderize the meat; the flavors are worth it. —Mary Shenk, Dekalb, Illinois

Ingredients

1 fresh beef brisket (6 pounds)
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup coarse sea salt
1/4 cup chopped onion
4 bay leaves, crushed
3 teaspoons pepper
2 teaspoons dried rosemary, crushed
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1-1/2 teaspoons ground allspice
1-1/2 teaspoons ground cloves
4 medium onions, sliced
4 medium carrots, sliced
2 celery ribs, sliced
2 cups stout or beef broth
Optional: Rye bread, Swiss cheese slices and Dijon mustard

Directions

1. Place beef in a 15x10x1-in. baking pan; rub with brown sugar. Refrigerate, covered, 24 hours.
2. In a small bowl, mix salt, chopped onion, bay leaves and seasonings; rub over beef. Refrigerate, covered, 3 days, turning and rubbing salt mixture into beef once each day.
3. Preheat oven to 325°. Remove and discard salt mixture. Place beef, onions, carrots, celery and stout in a roasting pan. Add water to come halfway up the brisket. Roast, covered, 4-4-1/2 hours or until meat is tender. Cool meat in cooking juices for 1 hour.
4. Remove beef; discard vegetables and cooking juices. Transfer beef to a 13x9-in. baking dish. Refrigerate, covered, overnight.
5. Cut diagonally across the grain into thin slices. Serve with rye bread, cheese and mustard.

Nutrition Facts

4 ounces cooked beef (calculated without bread, cheese and mustard): 268 calories, 8g fat (3g saturated fat), 83mg cholesterol, 560mg sodium, 6g carbohydrate (5g sugars, 0 fiber), 40g protein.