Roasted Beef Brisket

Tonight is the first night of basketball for my girls. They will come home exhausted, hungry, and with lots of homework. So, a little homecooking is just what the Mom ordered. This is a family favorite recipe from a cookbook called, "Cooking from Quilt Country," by Marsha Adams. I did make a few adjustments by increasing the garlic and spices used.

Roasted Beef Brisket

5 pounds fresh brisket
6 garlic cloves
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons black pepper
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 cup water
1 large onion
3 bay leaves

The night before serving, place brisket in a 9 x 13 glass baking dish. Peel and mince garlic. Make a paste with the garlic and kosher salt. Add paprika, pepper and lemon juice to the mashed garlic and salt mixture. Spread on both sides of the meat. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

The next day, preheat oven to 425 F. Turn brisket fat side up in baking dish. Add 1/2 cup water and bake, covered, for 45 minutes or until the roast is browned. You can add more water if necessary - just be sure it does not stick to the bottom of the pan. Next, slice the onion and place on top of roast. Add an additional cup of water and the bay leaves. Cover, reduce oven temperature to 350 F., and bake it for 45 minutes. Remove from oven and slice. Return meat to pan, keeping it in its original shape. Spoon juices over the meat, cover, and bake for an additional 1 1/2 hours. Check occasionally to be sure it does not bake dry. If the roast does appear dry, I like to add a beef broth.

Helpful Hint: I like to grate my garlic using a small grater or a rasp. Then I add the salt to make the paste. The mincing and mashing takes much longer and the result is pretty much the same.