Atlanta Brisket | Imamother

Amarante

Wed, Sep 23 2020, 11:26 am

I decided to try the classic Atlanta Brisket which is the product of the culinary genius of Southern Jews (allegedly Very Happy

) who melded the Southern tradition of Coca Cola with brisket.

I served it with a Potato and Mushroom Cake which was also a hit. I will post that recipe in the Side Dishes if anyone is interested.

At this point there are loads of variations of this classic recipe and somewhat like Goldilocks, they seem to be divided into three versions - one uses processed ingredients - one uses slightly less processed ingredients and one takes the flavor palate and uses more fresh food - e.g. instead of onion soup mix, it uses onions and spices.

This is Joan Nathan's recipe. I usually have success with her recipes in the same way that Ina Garten is reliable for her recipes as I've never made a dud.

But all versions use Coca Cola - and if you make it, don't use Diet Coke as you need real sugar and not artificial sweeteners.

I used Joan Nathan's version. It was uncomplicated and I prefer fresher ingredients if possible since slicing a few onions isn't a potchke in the scheme of things.

My verdict is that it's a good recipe and it was well received. The classic version (which I didn't make) would also be tasty I suspect - I remember a chicken dish that was all the rage when I was a kid - Russian dressing, apricot preserves; onion soup mix poured over chicken and baked. Very Happy

You can substitute your own method of actually cooking the brisket if you prefer. I liked this version where the meat is cooked the day before. This enables one to really get the fat out of the sauce. The meat is then sliced and put into the sauce and heated gently in the over. The flavor permeates the meat and it also made the meat fairly tender.

Atlanta Brisket

Recipe by Joan Nathan

INGREDIENTS

* 1 first-cut brisket, 6 to 7 pounds, rinsed and patted thoroughly dry
* 1 medium onion, peeled and quartered
* 1 2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled, cut into chunks
* 6 large cloves garlic
* 1 cup ketchup
* ½ cup dry red wine
* ¼ cup cider vinegar
* 1/4 cup soy sauce
* 1/4 cup honey
* 1/4 cup Dijon mustard
* 1 tablespoon coarsely ground pepper, or to taste
* 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
* 1 ½ cups Coca-Cola or ginger ale
* 1/2 cup olive oil

PREPARATION

1. Let meat stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before cooking. Heat oven to 325 degrees.

1. Place everything but the soda, olive oil and brisket into a food processor, and process with steel blade until smooth. Pour the mixture into a large bowl and whisk in soda and olive oil.

1. Place brisket, fat side up, into a heavy baking pan just large enough to hold it, and pour sauce over it. Cover tightly and bake for 3 hours. Turn brisket over, cover pan, and bake 2 to 3 hours more or until fork-tender. Cool, cover brisket and refrigerate overnight in cooking pan.

1. The next day, transfer brisket to a cutting board, cut off fat and slice with a sharp knife against grain, to desired thickness. Set meat aside. Remove any congealed fat from sauce and bring to a boil on top of stove.

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Taste sauce to see if it needs reducing. If so, boil it down for a few minutes or as needed. Return meat to sauce and warm in oven for 20 minutes. Serve warm.

Last edited by Amarante on Wed, Sep 23 2020, 11:37 am; edited 1 time in total

Amarante

Wed, Sep 23 2020, 11:28 am

For those who are interested, this is what I think is the original most simple version using processed ingredients.

I am including the cooking instructions as well as ingredients but obviously if one wants to try this recipe, your favorite way of actually cooking the brisket would work.

Atlanta Brisket

©From the Kitchen of Deep South Dish

Inactive time: 24 hours |Cook time: 4 hours | Yield: About 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients

* 3 to 5 pound beef brisket (not corned beef)
* 1 (12 ounce) can of Coca Cola classic
* 1 (10 ounce) jar of commercial or homemade chili sauce - Chili sauce which is a spicier version of ketchup is used in the simpler recipes in lieu of other herbs and spices
* 1 envelope of dry onion soup mix
* 1 teaspoon of liquid smoke, optional
* Kosher salt, freshly cracked black pepper and Cajun seasoning, to taste
* 1/2 of a Vidalia or other sweet onion, sliced, optional
* 1 tablespoon of cornstarch

Instructions

Place brisket into a large zipper bag or a glass baking pan for marinating. Whisk together the Coke, chili sauce and dry onion soup mix; pour over the brisket. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight, turning several times.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Join together enough layers of heavy duty foil to place in a baking dish and wrap around the brisket. Rub liquid smoke into the lean part of the brisket. Season brisket lightly on the lean side with salt, pepper and Cajun seasoning; rub in. Lay the brisket on top, fat side up and make several knife slices into the fat cap. Place onions on top and pour the contents of the marinade all over the top of the brisket; seal foil. Bake at 325 degrees F for about 4 hours (approximately 1 hour per pound), rotating the pan occasionally. Remove from oven, carefully open to check *internal temperature, and re-cover, letting the brisket rest in the sauce, for 30 minutes.

Remove brisket and transfer to a cutting board to rest. Skim fat from the top of the sauce, and transfer to a large skillet; bring to a boil. Whisk together cornstarch with just enough water to make a slurry and slowly stir into the boiling sauce; let boil for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring constantly, until nicely thickened and smooth. Remove from heat and taste sauce; season with salt and pepper as needed. Slice brisket across the grain and transfer slices back to the sauce, or place on a large platter and pour sauce over the top.

Cook's Notes: Brisket may be prepared ahead, sliced and stored in the sauce, covered, in the refrigerator. To reheat, skim off additional hardened fat, cover and heat in a preheated 350 degree F oven for 45 minutes.

May substitute a homemade onion soup mix using 3 tablespoons of dried onion flakes, 1 tablespoon of beef base (like Better than Bouillon) or 2 tablespoons of granular beef bouillon, plus 2 teaspoons of onion powder and 1/4 teaspoon of seasoned salt (like Lawry's). *The brisket will be cooked through at 160 degrees F, however, take it higher to about 180 for the most tender beef, re-cover and let it sit and continue to cook with residual heat, to about 185/190 degrees or slightly higher.

Slow Cooker: Prepare as above and place into an appropriate sized slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for about 6 to 8 hours, though actual time will depend on the size of the brisket.

Last edited by Amarante on Wed, Sep 23 2020, 11:37 am; edited 1 time in total

Amarante

Wed, Sep 23 2020, 11:32 am

And this is the "Mama Bear" version of Atlanta brisket which is slightly less processed than the simplest version as it uses onion powder, fresh onions, spices, brown sugar instead of just onion soup mix.

FWIW, Cook's Country is actually America's Test Kitchen but highlights more classic American dishes. But their recipes produce good results just as America's Test Kitchen/Cook's Illustrated are reliable sources for recipes.

Cook's Country Atlanta Brisket

Two great culinary traditions come together in this one recipe: Southern food and Jewish food. The brisket is a cut of beef beloved by both groups, so put a little Southern spin on your Hanukkah dinner this year.

This recipe from KCET show Cook's Country gussies up the Georgia classic at little: there are fresh vegetables and dried herb in place of soup mix. But it's not too fancy -- ketchup and Coke are vital ingredients. Enjoy

Serves 6

Ingredients

* 1(3 1/2-pound) beef brisket, flat cut, fat trimmed to 1/4 inch
* Salt and pepper
* 4 teaspoons vegetable oil
* 1 pound onions, halved and sliced 1/2 inch thick
* 2 cups cola
* 1 1/2 cups ketchup
* 4 teaspoons onion powder
* 2 teaspoons packed dark brown sugar
* 1 teaspoon garlic powder
* 1 teaspoon dried thyme

Using fork, poke holes all over brisket. Rub entire surface of brisket with 1 tablespoon salt. Wrap brisket in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 6 or up to 24 hours.

Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Pat brisket dry with paper towels and season with pepper. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Place brisket fat side down in skillet; weigh down brisket with heavy Dutch oven or cast-iron skillet (this will keep the cooking even) and cook until well browned, about 4 minutes.

Remove Dutch oven, flip brisket, and replace Dutch oven on top of brisket; cook on second side until well browned, about 4 minutes longer. Transfer brisket to plate.

Heat remaining 2 teaspoons oil in now-empty skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer onions to 13 by 9-inch baking dish and spread into even layer.

Combine cola, ketchup, onion powder, sugar, garlic powder, thyme, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper in bowl. Place brisket fat side up on top of onions and pour cola mixture over brisket. Place parchment paper over brisket and cover dish tightly with aluminum foil. Bake until tender and fork easily slips in and out of meat, 3½ to 4 hours. Let brisket rest in liquid, uncovered, for 30 minutes.

(TO MAKE AHEAD: Follow recipe through this step. Allow brisket to cool in sauce, cover, and refrigerate overnight or up to 24 hours. To serve, slice brisket, return to sauce, and cover with parchment paper. Cover baking dish with aluminum foil and cook in 350-degree oven until heated through, about 1 hour.)

Transfer brisket to carving board. Skim any fat from top of sauce with large spoon. Slice brisket against grain into ¼-inch-thick slices and return to baking dish. Serve brisket with sauce.