by Nick Zukin
Strain the braising liquid into a small bowl, pressing down on the solids to extract any juices, then discard the solids. Allow the fat to separate, and then skim and discard all but 2 tablespoons of the fat. Place the pan back over medium-high heat and add the liquid. Boil the liquid until it reduces to about 1 cup, 15 to 20 minutes. Season with salt to taste. Pour the sauce into a bowl and cover to keep it warm.
Place the pan back over medium heat. Add the 2 tablespoons reserved fat and the remaining leeks. Cook until the leeks are tender, about 10 minutes. Add the remaining mushrooms and the thyme leaves. Cook until the mushrooms are just cooked through, about 5 minutes.
Cut the brisket against the grain into ½-inch-thick slices, or, if it is too tender to slice, pull it apart into large chunks. Serve the meat topped with the mushroom-leek mixture and the sauce spooned over the top.
Summer Brisket: Tomatoes, Fennel, and Summer Herb Sauce
Serves 6
Those who believe pot roast isn’t suitable for summer, think again. Our low and slow braised summer brisket is appreciably lightened with the flavors of the season. It incorporates red, ripe summer tomatoes, both the Roma variety and super-sweet little cherry tomatoes. The addition of lager or pilsner-style beer to the braising liquid continues the light and luscious summer theme. Even the sauce for the brisket, in the style of a tart, fresh herb–packed South American chimichurri, is ideal for a festive and easy-to-make warm weather meal with family or friends.
3 pounds beef brisket
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable or canola oil
1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
8 large cloves garlic, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 cup lager or pilsner-style beer
1 pound plum (Roma) tomatoes, chopped (about 3 cups)
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
1 large bulb fennel, trimmed and cut into ¾-inch-wide wedges
½ cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves
Summer Herb Sauce (recipe follows)
Preheat the oven to 300°F.
If needed, trim the excess fat from the brisket so that there is about a ¼-inch-thick layer remaining. Pat the brisket dry with paper towels and season it generously with salt and pepper. Select a Dutch oven or stainless-steel roasting pan that will be large enough to accommodate the brisket. Heat the pan over medium-high heat, and then add the oil. When the oil just begins to smoke, add the brisket, fat side down first, and brown it on both sides, 6 to 8 minutes per side.
Remove the brisket from the pan and set aside. Carefully pour off and discard all but about 1 tablespoon of the fat. Lower the heat to medium and add the onion, garlic, and vinegar. Scrape the bottom of the pan to release any browned bits. Cook, stirring occasionally until the onion is tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Pour in the beer and stir in the plum tomatoes and sugar. Return the meat to the pan, fat side up, with any accumulated juices; nestle it in so that it is partially covered by the vegetables and liquid. Increase the heat to high and bring the liquid to a boil. Cover the pan tightly with a lid or aluminum foil and transfer it to the oven.
Braise the brisket for 2 hours, and then turn the meat over in the pan. Cover and return the brisket to the oven. Braise for another 1¾ hours, and then add the cherry tomatoes, fennel, and basil, nestling them under and around the brisket.
Continue cooking until the fennel is tender when pierced with a fork and the meat is very tender and easily shreds, 30 to 45 minutes longer. To test the brisket for doneness, use two forks to gently pull the meat apart in the center. If it is still a bit tough, continue to braise the brisket for about 15 minutes more, and then retest. The internal temperature should be 195°F for lean brisket, or 205°F if it is a fattier brisket.
When the brisket is done, transfer it to a cutting board, fat side up. Use forks to pull it apart into large chunks. Taste the vegetables and braising liquid and season them with salt and pepper, if needed. Spoon the vegetables and liquid onto a large serving platter. Arrange the brisket in the center of the platter. Spoon the herb sauce over the brisket and serve immediately, passing any remaining sauce at the table.
Summer Herb Sauce
1 cup lightly packed fresh basil leaves
1 cup lightly packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
1 cup lightly packed mixed leaves of other fresh summer herbs, such as mint, tarragon, marjoram, and oregano
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 large cloves garlic, peeled
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
½ teaspoon kosher salt
Place the basil, parsley, mixed herbs, oil, vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, crushed red pepper, and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Process the mixture until the herbs and garlic are finely minced, about 10 seconds. Transfer the sauce to a small bowl, cover, and refrigerate it until needed. The sauce will keep for up to 2 days.
Fall Brisket: Cider and Butternut Squash
Serves 6
Once summer clicks over to autumn, the seasonal merry-go-round brings fresh apples and a multiplicity of winter squash varieties into the farmers’ markets and grocery stores. Our fall brisket recipe uses apple cider and the sweet, orange flesh from butternut squash. The acidity from the cider and wine work together during braising to break down the tough fibers in the brisket. The cooking vapor, fragrant with thyme, bay leaf, and garlic, will work like a snake charmer’s music to entice household members and invited guests to the dinner table. The earthy fall flavors and textures of the squash and pot roast will do the rest.
3 pounds beef brisket
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable or canola oil
4 cups apple cider
2 cups dry red wine, such as Merlot, Syrah, Zinfandel, or Côtes-du-Rhône
6 sprigs fresh thyme, plus 1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme
4 large cloves garlic, smashed
2 bay leaves
1 (2-pound) butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 2-inch chunks
3 medium red onions, peeled and quartered, leaving the root intact
Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat it to 300°F.
If needed, trim the excess fat from the brisket so that there is about a ¼-inch-thick layer remaining. Pat the brisket dry with paper towels and season it generously with salt and pepper. Select a Dutch oven or stainless-steel roasting pan that will be large enough to accommodate the brisket, vegetables, and braising liquid. Heat the pan over medium-high heat, and then add the oil. When the oil just begins to smoke, add the brisket, fat side down first, and brown it on both sides, 4 to 6 minutes per side. Remove the brisket from the pan and set aside.
Carefully pour off and discard all of the fat from the pan. Quickly add the cider, wine, thyme sprigs, garlic, bay leaves, and 1 teaspoon salt and scrape the bottom of the pan to release any browned bits. Return the meat to the pan, fat side up, with any accumulated juices. Nestle the meat into the liquid so it is nearly covered. Increase the heat to high and bring the liquid to a boil. Cover the pan tightly with a lid or aluminum foil and transfer it to the oven.
Cook the meat for 1½ hours, and turn the meat over in the pan. Cover and return the brisket to the oven. After another 1¾ hours of cooking, add the squash and onions to the pan, nestling them under and around the brisket. Continue cooking until the squash and onions are tender when pierced with a fork and the meat is very tender and easily shreds, 30 to 45 minutes longer. To test the brisket for doneness, use two forks to gently pull the meat apart in the center. If it is still a bit tough but the squash and onions are done, transfer the vegetables to an ovenproof dish using a slotted spoo
n; set them aside, covered with aluminum foil to keep warm. Continue to braise the brisket for about 15 minutes more, and then retest. The internal temperature should be 195°F for lean brisket, or 205°F if it is a fattier brisket.
When the brisket is done, transfer it to a cutting board, fat side up, while you finish the sauce. Decrease the oven temperature to 200°F. Remove the butternut squash and onions from the braising liquid using a slotted spoon and place them in an ovenproof dish (if you did not do this earlier). Taste the vegetables and season them with salt, if needed. Cover the dish and put the vegetables in the oven to stay hot.
Strain the braising liquid into a small bowl, discarding the solids. Allow the fat to separate, and then skim and discard it. Clean out the pan and pour the braising liquid back in. Bring the liquid to a boil over high heat, and cook, stirring occasionally, until it is reduced to a thickened sauce that coats the back of a spoon, 15 to 20 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper.
Cut the brisket against the grain into ½-inch-thick slices, or, if it is too tender to slice, pull it apart into large chunks. Arrange the vegetables on a large serving platter, with the sliced brisket in the center. Spoon the sauce over the brisket and vegetables. Garnish with the minced thyme. Serve immediately, passing any remaining sauce at the table.
Winter Brisket: Riesling Sauerbraten
Serves 6
For impoverished shtetl dwellers, beef was a luxury. Even when it was available and affordable, the Ashkenazis settled for the lesser (and tougher) cuts bypassed by the well-heeled. Brisket—along with offal—became the centerpiece of Ashkenazic beef cookery. This remained the case even after the migrations to America. To tenderize brisket, clever cooks relied on techniques such as marinating and braising—long, slow, low-temperature cooking in liquid. Sauerbraten, meaning “sour beef” in reference to its tangy marinade, is a traditional German preparation in which the brisket gets the benefit of both techniques. Avoid the temptation to trim all the fat from the brisket before cooking. The fat helps ensure a flavorful and tender cut of meat on the dinner table.
Marinade
1 (750-milliliter) bottle dry Riesling wine
1 cup white wine vinegar
1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 celery stalk, coarsely chopped into ½-inch pieces
1 carrot, peeled and coarsely chopped into ½-inch pieces
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
6 juniper berries
6 whole cloves
1 bay leaf
3 pounds center-cut beef brisket
Braise
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 leeks (white and light green parts only), halved lengthwise and thinly sliced into half-moons
1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
1 bay leaf
2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and cut into ½-inch dice
1 cup golden raisins
Sauce
1 cup homemade beef stock or Homemade Chicken Broth or canned low-sodium beef or chicken broth
¼ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
To marinate the brisket, place the wine, vinegar, onion, celery, carrot, peppercorns, juniper berries, cloves, and bay leaf in a large nonreactive pot or Dutch oven and bring the marinade to a boil. Decrease the heat to medium and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool to room temperature.
Add the brisket to the marinade and push it down so that it is completely submerged. Cover and refrigerate for 4 days, turning the meat once each day.
To braise the brisket, remove the meat from the marinade. Pat it dry with paper towels, and season it generously with salt and pepper. Strain and reserve the marinade; discard the solids.
Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat it to 300°F.
Select a Dutch oven or stainless-steel roasting pan that will be large enough to accommodate the brisket, vegetables, and braising liquid. Heat the pan over medium-high heat, and then add the oil. When the oil just begins to smoke, add the brisket, fat side down first, and brown it on both sides, 4 to 6 minutes per side. Remove the meat and set aside.
Pour off all but about 2 tablespoons of the fat from the pan. Decrease the heat to medium and add the leeks and onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until they are tender and golden brown, about 15 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Pour in the reserved marinade and scrape the bottom of the pan to release any browned bits. Add the thyme, bay leaf, and 1 teaspoon salt and stir to combine. Return the meat to the pan, fat side up, along with any accumulated juices. Nestle the meat into the liquid so that it is almost covered. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring the liquid to a boil. Cover the pan tightly with a lid or aluminum foil and transfer it to the oven.
Cook the meat for 1½ hours, then turn the meat over and stir the apples and raisins into the liquid. Return the brisket to the oven to braise for 1½ to 2 hours longer. To test for doneness, use two forks to gently pull the meat apart in the center of the brisket. If it is still a bit tough, continue to braise for about 30 minutes more, and then retest. If it is tender and easily shreds apart, it is done. The internal temperature should be 195°F for lean brisket, or 205°F if it is a fattier brisket.
When the brisket is done, remove it from the oven and allow it to rest in the braising liquid at room temperature for at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour. (At this point, it can be cooled to room temperature and then refrigerated, covered, for up to 5 days before reheating, finishing, and serving.)
Transfer the brisket to a cutting board while you prepare the sauce. Add the stock to the pan and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Cook until it is reduced to a thickened sauce, about 10 minutes. Stir in 2 tablespoons of the parsley, and season the sauce with salt and pepper to taste.
To serve, cut the brisket against the grain into ½-inch-thick slices. Select and warm a large serving platter. Spoon some of the sauce in the center of the platter and arrange the sliced brisket over the top. Spoon a bit more of the sauce over the brisket and garnish with the remaining 2 tablespoons parsley. Serve immediately.
Caplansky’s Delicatessen:
A Throwback in Toronto
One of the stained-glass window-style posters adorning an exposed brick wall inside Caplansky’s Delicatessen in Toronto reads: “Kickin’ It Old Shul.” The slogan suits the place. Owner and chef Zane Caplansky’s Jewish food destination is old school for sure and, like so many Jewish delicatessens, it ranks second only to the shul, Yiddish for “synagogue,” as a place for the Jewish community to gather. While the shul is all about religious ritual, Caplansky’s is nondenominational hallowed ground for disciples of the almighty smoked meat sandwich (the Canadian variation on pastrami) and a dozen other deli menu icons.
The smoked meat is hand-carved to order, leaner or fattier, as customers dictate. Caplansky smokes his briskets for eight hours for an old-world flavor that mass-produced meats can’t match. Schmaltz, the classic Ashkenazic frying medium and harbinger of deliciousness, is used unapologetically and often. Everything that can be made in-house is. There’s even kishke, Jewish haggis of sorts that time has nearly left behind. Beyond deli classics, Caplansky’s offers riffs on the old ways to delight the serious fresser—and make his cardiologist cringe. Case in point: smoked meat poutine, with the flavor-packed protein joined by French fries, cheese, and gravy. Another latter-day glory is the smoked meat knish combining Caplansky’s flagship product with mashed potatoes and herbs, all encased in flaky puff pastry.
Caplansky’s is decked out in the blue and white colors of the Israeli flag and the City of Toronto. It has linoleum-square floors; salamis hanging behind the deli counter stocked
with mustard, pickles, and rye bread; and pithy slogans posted throughout. Caplansky—who legally changed his Anglicized surname of Caplan back to that of his grandfather—originally sold his sandwiches from the back of a second-story dive bar. Following critical acclaim and long lines, he moved to this clean, bright space near Kensington Market, the historic center of Jewish life in Toronto. The kitsch collection may offer homey comfort here, but it’s Caplansky’s kitchen craft that is the star.
After the food, the highlight at this popular eatery is Caplansky himself. He’s there leading his gastronomic house of worship both in person and on a poster showing the portly, curly-haired chef with arms crossed, striking a deli man’s Iron Chef pose, still nerdy with big black horn-rimmed glasses, white T-shirt, and throwback diamond-shape disposable cook’s cap. Caplansky looks like a comic book superhero in everyday disguise, a kitchen-connected Clark Kent. What distinguishes him above all is his passion for his craft. As with the other artisan deli operators we met as this book took shape, it is easy to tell from a few minutes of conversation that Zane Caplansky thinks and cares deeply about the food—its origin and history, where the cuisine is headed, and the role he’s playing to carve out a future for the Jewish delicatessen in the robust Toronto food community and beyond. And it is plain that Caplansky relishes his time-machine ride to revive an anachronism.
Kishke
Serves 4
Getting kicked in the kishkes refers to taking a shot to the gut, but eating a kishke means chomping into a pork-free, patty-shaped Jewish sausage that’s been stuffed into a segment of beef intestine, or derma (a “gut” of sorts). Kishke stuffing was inexpensively made with bread crumbs, eggs, onion, schmaltz, and seasonings. Kishke were customarily pan-fried or slowly braised in a pot of tzimmes similar to our Ginger- and Orange-Glazed Carrot and Fruit Tzimmes and served for Friday night Shabbat dinner. Caplansky’s, the revivalist deli in Toronto, has resurrected and updated this rarely served comfort food classic. Our adaptation dispenses with the derma, opting instead for simple free-form patties.