Name: Irish Spiced Beef
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 240 min
Total time: 260 min
Yield: 14 servings
Cuisine: Europe, Irish
Ingredients: 1 fresh beef brisket (6 pounds); 1/3 cup packed brown sugar; 3/4 cup coarse sea salt; 1/4 cup chopped onion; 4 bay leaves, crushed; 3 teaspoons pepper; 2 teaspoons dried rosemary, crushed; 2 teaspoons dried thyme; 1-1/2 teaspoons ground allspice; 1-1/2 teaspoons ground cloves; 4 medium onions, sliced; 4 medium carrots, sliced; 2 celery ribs, sliced; 2 cups stout or beef broth; Optional: Rye bread, Swiss cheese slices and Dijon mustard

The story goes that my Irish ancestors brought this recipe along when they immigrated to the U.S. Start it at least five days ahead to spice and tenderize the meat; the flavors are worth it. —Mary Shenk, Dekalb, Illinois

Ingredients

1 fresh beef brisket (6 pounds)

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

3/4 cup coarse sea salt

1/4 cup chopped onion

4 bay leaves, crushed

3 teaspoons pepper

2 teaspoons dried rosemary, crushed

2 teaspoons dried thyme

1-1/2 teaspoons ground allspice

1-1/2 teaspoons ground cloves

4 medium onions, sliced

4 medium carrots, sliced

2 celery ribs, sliced

2 cups stout or beef broth

Optional: Rye bread, Swiss cheese slices and Dijon mustard

Instructions

1 Place beef in a 15x10x1-in. baking pan; rub with brown sugar. Refrigerate, covered, 24 hours.

2 In a small bowl, mix salt, chopped onion, bay leaves and seasonings; rub over beef. Refrigerate, covered, 3 days, turning and rubbing salt mixture into beef once each day.

3 Preheat oven to 325°. Remove and discard salt mixture. Place beef, onions, carrots, celery and stout in a roasting pan. Add water to come halfway up the brisket. Roast, covered, 4-4-1/2 hours or until meat is tender. Cool meat in cooking juices for 1 hour.

4 Remove beef; discard vegetables and cooking juices. Transfer beef to a 13x9-in. baking dish. Refrigerate, covered, overnight.

5 Cut diagonally across the grain into thin slices. Serve with rye bread, cheese and mustard.