Best Pomegranate Brisket Recipes

BRISKET WITH POMEGRANATE-WALNUT SAUCE AND PISTACHIO GREMOLATA

Steps:

• Marinate and cook the brisket:
• Season brisket all over with salt and pepper. Transfer to a large 2-gallon resealable plastic bag or bowl (use roasting pan only if necessary).
• Purée garlic, walnuts, honey, and 1 cup pomegranate juice in a blender until very smooth. Add remaining 2 cups pomegranate juice and blend until smooth. Pour marinade over brisket. Seal bag or cover bowl tightly with foil. Chill, turning occasionally, at least 24 hours or up to 48 hours.
• Transfer brisket and marinade to roasting pan, cover tightly with foil, and let sit at room temperature 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 275°F. Bake brisket, covered, until meat shreds easily with 2 forks, about 5 hours; if meat is still tough, continue cooking, covered, 1 hour.
• Transfer brisket to a cutting board and cover loosely with foil. Transfer cooking liquid to a saucepan and spoon off fat from surface. Cook over medium-high heat, skimming off fat and foam as it surfaces, until reduced by two-thirds (you should have about 2 cups sauce). Season with salt and pepper if necessary.
• Make the gremolata:
• Pulse mint, pistachios, garlic, lemon zest, salt, and pepper in a food processor until coarsely chopped. Drizzle in oil, pulsing until just combined (do not overprocess).
• To serve, slice brisket against the grain and transfer to a platter. Spoon sauce over and top with gremolata.
• Do Ahead
• Brisket can be cooked, without slicing, 2 days ahead. Cover and chill; warm before slicing. Sauce can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and chill.

BRAISED BRISKET WITH POMEGRANATE JUICE, CHESTNUTS AND TURNIPS

Steps:

• Place the brisket in a shallow roasting pan fat side up; add 2 1/2 tablespoons salt, the coffee and cardamom; and rub all over the brisket. Cover lightly with foil and refrigerate for two days.
• Preheat a broiler. Place the pan with the brisket under it until the meat is evenly browned and much of the fat rendered, about 15 minutes. Remove, transfer brisket to a platter and turn oven to 300 degrees.
• Pour the fat into a Dutch oven or other heavy covered pan large enough to hold the brisket. There should be about 1/4 cup fat; if needed, add vegetable oil. Place the pan over medium-high heat, and add onions, carrots, garlic and a pinch salt. Sauté until lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Add turnips, cumin, black pepper and turmeric. Cover and cook, stirring once or twice, for 5 minutes.
• Add licorice or licorice tea bag, and pomegranate juice. Stir, scraping the bottom of the pan. Add brisket, bring to a simmer, and baste with the juice.
• Cover the pan tightly and place on the middle rack in the oven. Cook until very tender, about 4 hours, basting every 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and discard licorice or tea bag and garlic halves. If desired, at this point, cool the brisket and vegetables, cover, and refrigerate overnight.
• Just before serving, skim the fat and place the pan over medium-low heat. Add chestnuts and reheat just until steaming. Stir in dill and parsley. Transfer brisket to a cutting board and slice against the grain. Serve with vegetables and sauce.

POMEGRANATE-BRAISED BRISKET WITH SWEET-AND-SPICY ZHUG

Steps:

• For the brisket: Season the brisket generously on both sides with salt and pepper and let it come to room temperature, 25 to 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Heat the olive oil in an 11-by-15-inch flame-proof roasting pan over medium-high heat until shimmering, swirling to coat the pan. Add the brisket, fat-side down, and sear until browned and some fat is rendered, 3 to 4 minutes. Flip and sear on the other side for about 4 minutes longer. Remove the brisket from the pan, add the apples and onions and cook, stirring occasionally and scraping the browned bits from the bottom of the pan, until the apples are slightly browned and the onions just begin to soften, about 4 minutes.
• Turn off the heat. Add the garlic and bay leaf to the pan and toss to combine. Clear a spot in the center and return the brisket fat-side up to the pan. Add the pomegranate juice; it will reach about three-quarters up the sides of the brisket. Cover the pan with a layer of parchment and then cover tightly with aluminum foil (see Cook's Note). Bake for 90 minutes.
• Remove the pan from the oven. Carefully peel back the foil and parchment at the far end of the pan (not the side closest to you) to avoid being scalded by steam escaping from the pan. Flip the brisket over, fat-side down, and sprinkle the dried cherries evenly around the brisket. Cover tightly again and braise until the brisket is very tender but holds together when sliced, about 90 minutes more.
• Carefully remove the brisket and let it rest on a cutting board. Transfer as much of the fruits and vegetables from the pan to a large bowl with a slotted spoon. Strain the braising liquid into a large saucepan and bring to a rapid boil. Cook, stirring occasionally, until reduced by one-third, about 10 minutes. You should have about 3 cups. Pour it into a large glass measuring cup and let sit until the fat rises to the surface.
• Meanwhile, for the sweet-and-spicy zhug: Place the chile peppers in a food processor followed by the cilantro, parsley, olive oil, pomegranate molasses, cumin, coriander, garlic and 1 teaspoon salt. Pulse until combined, 4 to 5 times, then scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula and process until smooth and fully combined, about 2 minutes. The sauce should be the consistency of pesto. Taste and add more salt if needed. Makes about 1 and 1/2 cups.
• Slice the brisket across the grain and shingle it onto a serving platter, tucking the apples, onions and dried cherries around the meat. Skim off and discard the fat from the braising liquid and pour about 1 1/2 cups over the brisket. Sprinkle all over with the pomegranate seeds. Serve the zhug and remaining braising liquid alongside.

MEYER LEMON BRISKET WITH POMEGRANATE GREMOLATA

Steps:

• Make the brisket: Mash garlic and a pinch of salt using a mortar and pestle or the side of a knife until a paste forms. Season brisket with 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon coarse salt and 1 teaspoon pepper, then rub with one-quarter of the paste. Transfer to a baking dish. Refrigerate, covered, for at least 2 hours.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Finely zest and juice 2 lemons. Juice remaining lemon. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear brisket until browned on all sides, about 10 minutes. Pour lemon juice over brisket, and add enough water to come halfway up the sides of the meat (2 to 3 cups). Raise heat to high, and bring to a boil.
• Braise brisket, covered, in oven for 1 hour 15 minutes. Flip brisket, add remaining garlic paste, and continue braising until brisket is easily shredded with a fork, about 1 hour. Stir in reserved zest. Braise, uncovered, for 10 minutes more. (If the sauce seems too thin or not flavorful enough, remove brisket, and bring to a boil until desired consistency and flavor are reached.)
• Make the gremolata: Toss together pomegranate seeds, parsley, chives, lemon zest, and garlic. Season with sea salt.
• Slice brisket. Serve with pan juices and pomegranate gremolata.

POMEGRANATE BRISKET

Steps:

• Mix the marinade ingredients in a small bowl with ¾ tsp fine salt. Put the beef in a large, ovenproof dish. Pour half the marinade over the beef and spread evenly, then turn it over and pour the rest over the meat over the meat to coat. Cover and chill overnight.
• Remove the meat from the fridge up to 1 hr before cooking to come up to room temperature. If it's a hot day, you can reduce that to 30 mins. Heat the oven to 240C/220C fan/gas 9.
• Turn the meat in the marinade to make sure it is well coated, leaving the fatty layer on the top. Put half the sliced onions underneath the meat and spread the rest over the top. Cover the dish loosely with foil, making sure it is properly covered.
• Roast for 15 mins, then turn the oven down to 170C/150C fan/gas 3 and cook for a further 2 hrs 30 mins-3 hrs. Check it to see how tender it is - a fork should go in and come out easily and the meat should flake well, if not, put back in the oven for another 30 mins.
• Rest the brisket for 15 mins, still covered with foil, then transfer to a board. Decorate with the pomegranate seeds. Serve with the giant couscous, if you like, or shred with two forks, then spoon over some of the pomegranate sauce, then serve with pitta bread and dips of your choice.