February can seem like the longest month of the year, especially given current weather conditions. But I'm sure skiers have enjoyed this season.
My wife, Jennifer, and daughter, Devon, are both great fans of the slopes. I've been known to join them at times, generally for first run. Then I return to the warmth of the fire and the company of my French bulldogs, Gaston and Lulu. When Jen and Devon come in from the cold, I like to welcome them with a rib-sticking, cold-weather delight: my famous forked beef brisket.
While it's considered a secondary cut of beef - New York strips and filet mignon are primary - the beef brisket is, for me, one of the prize pieces of meat on the cow.
Long a staple of southern U.S. cuisine (think barbeque) and used to make pastrami and corned beef, the brisket is a well-exercised muscle from just behind the foreshank that's filled with flavour - as long as one knows how to unlock it. Due to the amount of connective tissue through the cut, brisket is not suited for cooking by direct heat. One must braise or slow-roast it in order to convert the tough collagen found throughout the meat into silken gelatin (which lends body and richness to the cooking liquid).
Chef David Lee's forked beef brisket with chicken and veal broth will add warmth to a cold winter night. (Ashley Hutcheson for The Globe and Mail)
I enjoy the conversion process, taking a tough piece of meat and turning it into something soft and rewarding, and my favourite method of preparing brisket involves a pressure cooker.
The basic premise of a pressure cooker is that it raises the boiling point of the liquid held within so that it cooks items at a faster rate than boiling in an open pot - sometimes up to 70 per cent faster. It is a more healthful method of cooking, as there is less nutrient loss due to evaporation. I find that flavours are more intense for the same reason. When shopping for a pressure cooker, look for one made of stainless steel that goes to 15 pounds per square inch.
While your instinct may be to go for the well-marbled strip loin or delicious-looking rib steak, try something a little more challenging the next time you are at your local butcher's.
If you have the time, a pressure-cooked beef brisket will provide a warm comforting glow on a cold winter night. *****FORKED BEEF BRISKET
What you need
4-5 pounds beef brisket
1 medium onion, 1-inch dice
4 sprigs thyme
2 cloves garlic, smashed
10 cloves
1 piece cinnamon bark
1 dried pasilla chili
2 litres chicken stock
2 litres veal stock
100 millilitres white wine
1 whole celery root, cut into 2-inch wedges
2 medium-sized carrots, peeled
6 small, white turnips
What you do
Before starting this recipe, be sure to read the pressure-cooker manufacturer's instructions carefully; methods may vary slightly depending on the model. (You should have a six-quart, stainless-steel pressure cooker.)
Split the brisket into four equal-sized pieces. Season the meat with sel de Guerande and freshly ground black pepper, and rub surface with vegetable oil.
In a cast-iron skillet, sear the meat over medium-high heat until you get an even colour (caramelizing the meat at this point will lend more flavour to the dish).
In the pressure cooker, sweat the onions, thyme, garlic, cloves, cinnamon and chili for two minutes. Deglaze the pot with white wine.
Add the chicken and veal stock and bring to boil. Adjust seasoning as needed (it should be intensely seasoned). Place the meat in the pressure cooker (the liquid should just cover the meat), lock the lid in place and turn the heat to high.
Once the pressure cooker starts to whistle, reduce the heat to low. Cook for one hour, release the pressure, remove the lid and check for doneness. The brisket is ready when the meat can be pulled off in strips with a fork. If the brisket is not done, lock the lid back in place and cook for another half hour, checking every 30 minutes.
Once the brisket is approaching doneness, add the vegetables and cook for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the meat and vegetables from the broth; cut the vegetables into bite-sized pieces. Serve in a warmed bowl with some of the broth, vegetables and brisket.
***
Beppi's wine match
The depth and spice of this hearty meat dish calls for a red wine with plenty of fruity richness. On the expensive side, think Châteauneuf-du-Pape or Bandol from southern France. Also good, and expensive, would be Barolo from Italy. More affordable: Australian shiraz, Argentine malbec or a Chilean carmenere, such as Santa Alicia Carmenere Reserve (about $11).
Beppi Crosariol
Chef David Lee is co-owner and executive chef at Toronto's Splendido.
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