Richard Blais's Brisket with Coriander, Black Pepper, and Brown Sugar

Updated August 30, 2018

With Passover right around the corner, it is the perfect time to perfect a roast brisket recipe. For something different than the standard salt, pepper, and go method, look no further than Richard Blais's Brisket with Coriander, Black Pepper, and Brown Sugar. Hidden towards the back of his new cookbook, Try This at Home, this brisket is piquant enough to awaken any family member dozing in the middle of an hours-long dinner. Blais takes the fatty end of a brisket and gives it a one-two punch of heavy hitters: pastrami spices and a mustard-brown sugar barbecue rub. Into a low oven it goes for the better part of a day, emerging tender and succulent. Perfect for dinner, and even more perfect for sandwiches the next day.

Why I picked this recipe: Blais's mashup of New York deli flavors and South Carolina mustard sauce was too intriguing to pass up, especially this close to Passover.

What worked: The potent rub permeates the brisket making for a deeply flavorful roast.

What didn't: I did not find it necessary to cook the brisket for 10 hours (feel free to attack in the comments). After 5 hours, my four-pound brisket had hit 205°, and a dull skewer slid in and out with ease. Perfectly tender and moist.

Suggested tweaks: With a whole tablespoon of cayenne in the rub, this brisket isn't exactly for the spice-shy. Back down if you're worried about heat levels. I saved the jus after roasting, degreased it, and then served it alongside the roast at dinner. Warmed leftover jus also works great for reheating leftovers.

Recipe Details

Richard Blais's Brisket with Coriander, Black Pepper, and Brown Sugar

Active 30 mins

Total 10 hrs

Serves 6 to 10 servings

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Ingredients

One 3- to 4-pound brisket, fatty end
1/4 cup coriander seeds, crushed in a mortar or under a pan
2 tablespoons kosher salt
2 tablespoons ground black pepper
2 teaspoons pimentón
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup yellow mustard

Directions

Rinse brisket under cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Season with coriander, salt, black pepper, paprika, and cayenne pepper.
Heat oil in a roasting pan over medium-high heat until just smoking. Sear brisket, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides. Remove it to a platter to cool, covered, about 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, arrange 2 long overlapping sheets of aluminum foil that are large enough to envelop brisket on a work surface.
Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C). In a small bowl, mix brown sugar and mustard to make a paste. Rub brisket with paste and place atop foil sheets, making sure to get every last bit of paste. Tightly wrap brisket in foil so that no mustard paste can escape.
Place brisket on roasting rack set in roasting pan and cook for 10 hours. A paring knife should pierce meat with ease. Let cool slightly.
Unwrap brisket, slice, and serve with mashed potatoes. Leftover brisket can be wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
510	Calories
31g	Fat
16g	Carbs
40g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6 to 10
Amount per serving
Calories	510
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 31g	40%
Saturated Fat 10g	52%
Cholesterol 144mg	48%
Sodium 916mg	40%
Total Carbohydrate 16g	6%
Dietary Fiber 2g	7%
Total Sugars 13g
Protein 40g
Vitamin C 1mg	4%
Calcium 61mg	5%
Iron 4mg	23%
Potassium 411mg	9%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.