michael-in-phoenix
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MargCDN2: Brisket update? Do you have time?
- Thread starter michael-in-phoenix
- Start date
michael-in-phoenix
Well-known member
I know this is a busy time of year... but I'm curious.
Yep. Just came on with that in mind. Thanks for asking.
This was a lovely piece of meat with ample marbling. At $20, I wanted it to be the best I've made. I tried to locate an open mind about this, however, if my mind did open, it closed pretty quickly.
Eventually, I found an element on this gas contraption that wanted to cooperate with me. I got a nice little simmer going (not as nice as on my glass-top stove of course, with which one does not need a diffuser) but after 4.5 hours, the meat was not tender in the less-marbled areas.
So it's midnight and this piece of beef should not be allowed to take over my essential beauty sleep. I put the works into a different pot that could go into the oven. I figured at 300, there would be enough space at the top of the pan that I would not experience any problems. I was certain that with these rather top-quality new appliances I have here, deciphering the automaticableness of the oven should not be a problem even at that hour and in the dark. Fine. Pretty logical. Off to bed. It's nearly 1 am by the time I waited for the signals on the oven to confirm that I had set it properly and could relax a bit.
At 2 am, I was not quite awakened from a really deep sleep by the smell of 'simmering' brisket. I thought that I had underestimated how good it would be because at least it really was aromatic now. Too sleepy to waken completely, I slept again with pleasant thoughts of culinary success. After another 10 minutes of sleep, sensibilty began to nudge me. I opened the oven door and was swamped by thick tomatoey goo rising up from the floor of the oven and the pot in a state far beyond simmering. I can't tell you how overly-sensitive the smoke detectors are in this building so I slammed the oven shut and prayed that they hadn't noticed.
By 3 am the oven had cooled off enough for me to open it again. I clamped 2 handles onto the pot so there would be no opportunity for a mess on my new white wool carpet that I had to traverse to get to the trusty BBQ on the balcony. Just as I approached the carpet with the scalding hot pot, the cat decided to change course of one of her frequent dashes, slamming into my shins. Oh, it really was such a good idea that I wanted to try a tough cut of meat again.
I opened windows, cranked the fan up to high and went back to bed. Couldn't escape the smell of the oven goo, even under the sheets, but it's just too dark in my kitchen to start digging out an oven in the wee hours. As it turns out, there was very little damage done to the rug and some good chemicals and elbow grease in the morning, erased all signs of my fury. The oven was a different story. I slopped up the major mess but the rest had to wait for a better humour.
I returned the meat to the original pot and gave it another 4 hours on the stove. Finally, it was tender. But I hated the sight of it. The thrill had diminished with each hour that I could not sleep. Two days later, I ate it. It was okay but I won't be doing anything like this again. The tenderness was fine, not thrilled with the stringiness of this cut, the flavour was just okay but I'd rather place my money on a superb beef rib roast and let the vegetables sit around it and get crispy in only AN HOUR!!
I am sure that all those tough cuts that my mother cooked to disaster when I was a kid, have turned me off. I may not be able to be totally objective in this matter. Don't care, not doing it again.
I do lots of other braising and that's about the only thing I like about winter. Braised beef shanks in onions, pork roast with mustard and rosemary, osso bucco for goodness sake, all the time. But these briskets won't make it to my kitchen again.
I recalled my adventure at 5:30 this morning when the cat and I and the entire rest of the building were awakened by the intolerable shriek of the fire alarms, everywhere. (Has anyone figured out that this new noise is so intolerably high-pitched now that people will just hole up in the bathroom with towels around their heads, rather than seeing if escape is warranted??) First time. While the cat clawed her way under the bed for relief, I dashed out to the balcony to see if, along with all the nightclothes parade, there was some culprit standing out there sheepishly with a scalding pot of brisket.
This was a lovely piece of meat with ample marbling. At $20, I wanted it to be the best I've made. I tried to locate an open mind about this, however, if my mind did open, it closed pretty quickly.
Eventually, I found an element on this gas contraption that wanted to cooperate with me. I got a nice little simmer going (not as nice as on my glass-top stove of course, with which one does not need a diffuser) but after 4.5 hours, the meat was not tender in the less-marbled areas.
So it's midnight and this piece of beef should not be allowed to take over my essential beauty sleep. I put the works into a different pot that could go into the oven. I figured at 300, there would be enough space at the top of the pan that I would not experience any problems. I was certain that with these rather top-quality new appliances I have here, deciphering the automaticableness of the oven should not be a problem even at that hour and in the dark. Fine. Pretty logical. Off to bed. It's nearly 1 am by the time I waited for the signals on the oven to confirm that I had set it properly and could relax a bit.
At 2 am, I was not quite awakened from a really deep sleep by the smell of 'simmering' brisket. I thought that I had underestimated how good it would be because at least it really was aromatic now. Too sleepy to waken completely, I slept again with pleasant thoughts of culinary success. After another 10 minutes of sleep, sensibilty began to nudge me. I opened the oven door and was swamped by thick tomatoey goo rising up from the floor of the oven and the pot in a state far beyond simmering. I can't tell you how overly-sensitive the smoke detectors are in this building so I slammed the oven shut and prayed that they hadn't noticed.
By 3 am the oven had cooled off enough for me to open it again. I clamped 2 handles onto the pot so there would be no opportunity for a mess on my new white wool carpet that I had to traverse to get to the trusty BBQ on the balcony. Just as I approached the carpet with the scalding hot pot, the cat decided to change course of one of her frequent dashes, slamming into my shins. Oh, it really was such a good idea that I wanted to try a tough cut of meat again.
I opened windows, cranked the fan up to high and went back to bed. Couldn't escape the smell of the oven goo, even under the sheets, but it's just too dark in my kitchen to start digging out an oven in the wee hours. As it turns out, there was very little damage done to the rug and some good chemicals and elbow grease in the morning, erased all signs of my fury. The oven was a different story. I slopped up the major mess but the rest had to wait for a better humour.
I returned the meat to the original pot and gave it another 4 hours on the stove. Finally, it was tender. But I hated the sight of it. The thrill had diminished with each hour that I could not sleep. Two days later, I ate it. It was okay but I won't be doing anything like this again. The tenderness was fine, not thrilled with the stringiness of this cut, the flavour was just okay but I'd rather place my money on a superb beef rib roast and let the vegetables sit around it and get crispy in only AN HOUR!!
I am sure that all those tough cuts that my mother cooked to disaster when I was a kid, have turned me off. I may not be able to be totally objective in this matter. Don't care, not doing it again.
I do lots of other braising and that's about the only thing I like about winter. Braised beef shanks in onions, pork roast with mustard and rosemary, osso bucco for goodness sake, all the time. But these briskets won't make it to my kitchen again.
I recalled my adventure at 5:30 this morning when the cat and I and the entire rest of the building were awakened by the intolerable shriek of the fire alarms, everywhere. (Has anyone figured out that this new noise is so intolerably high-pitched now that people will just hole up in the bathroom with towels around their heads, rather than seeing if escape is warranted??) First time. While the cat clawed her way under the bed for relief, I dashed out to the balcony to see if, along with all the nightclothes parade, there was some culprit standing out there sheepishly with a scalding pot of brisket.
Oh Marg, sorry to be laughing so hard at your misfortune, but you wrote it so funnily. I know what
you mean about fire alarms being so terribly high pitched. Right after we moved in here, one went off at 3:30 a.m. And we found out the hard way that when one sounds off, it triggers the rest of them. The din was unbelievable. And why do there have to be so many so close together? We couldn't figure out which one was malfunctioning and dh got a step ladder and started disarming them until he reached the culprit. We replaced them all, but I live in fear of it happening again. I might have a heart attack if it does.
you mean about fire alarms being so terribly high pitched. Right after we moved in here, one went off at 3:30 a.m. And we found out the hard way that when one sounds off, it triggers the rest of them. The din was unbelievable. And why do there have to be so many so close together? We couldn't figure out which one was malfunctioning and dh got a step ladder and started disarming them until he reached the culprit. We replaced them all, but I live in fear of it happening again. I might have a heart attack if it does.
michael-in-phoenix
Well-known member
Hmmm. Should I be sorry I asked? Re-living the nightmare might be too much!
florisandy
Well-known member
Bummer, Marg! "The best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry" I think we've all
experienced disasters in our kitchens. Yes, I've set off the fire alarm in my tiny kitchen in Philly. I can laugh at it now, and so will you.
Thanks for sharing your experience.
Now back to your regularly scheduled cooking shows sans brisket!
experienced disasters in our kitchens. Yes, I've set off the fire alarm in my tiny kitchen in Philly. I can laugh at it now, and so will you.
Thanks for sharing your experience.
Now back to your regularly scheduled cooking shows sans brisket!