Texas Brisket

Do you ever have those days where you wake up and you just know it isn't going to go well? It's just a feeling sometimes but it can still put you in that frame of mind, just waiting for something to happen. Well, I was waiting for it. But things started to change, thankfully. A good blogging friend of mine and such a kind lady, Diana of Diana's Cocina was lucky enough to attend a book signing in Dallas of a mutual love of ours, Nigella Lawson. I started getting photos of Nigella texted to me, then one of Diana and Nigella, then one of Nigella signing a book for me. I was so excited for Diana and she looked radiant in her photos. The next thing I know, Diana calls me and says something I will never forget: I have Nigella here and she wants to talk to you. Um, WHAT? On comes Nigella Lawson, the lovely British cook, telling me about the book signing, meeting Diana and how she has heard about my blog. She wished my family and I well for the holidays and apologized for cutting our conversation short due to the crowd waiting to have their book signed. Incredible. I can't even describe how amazing it all was that she took the time to call me. It isn't often a chef or celebrity does that, if even at all. Many thanks and much love to Diana for including me in her day.

So in honor of Diana in Texas and Nigella, I made Nigella's Texas Brisket. I am not sure how authentic this recipe is as I have never been lucky enough to experience Texas BBQ, but let me tell you this: this dish is pure heaven. Succulent meat cooked slow and low in a sauce that includes Worcestershire sauce, liquid smoke and steak sauce to name a few, will leave you and your family speechless. Anything more authentic might make me pass out at the table from bliss. I served this alongside some buttermilk chive mashed potatoes.

Nigella signing my book. Lovely!

Texas Brisket

Tweaked from Nigella Kitchen

2 large yellow onions, sliced and peeled

2.5 pound brisket, preferably hormone free! (the recipe calls for a 5 lb brisket that feeds 12 but scale down as needed)

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

1/4 cup soy sauce (I used low-sodium)

1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce

1/4 cup strong black coffee

1/4 cup liquid smoke (I used mesquite)

1/4 cup all natural steak sauce such as A1

salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.

Scatter the onions on the bottom of a roasting pan that is just large enough to hold the brisket. Place the brisket on top of the onions with the fat side up. Salt and pepper the brisket.

Place in a roasting pan and roast tightly covered, for 2-1/2 hours to 3-1/2 hours depending on the size of the brisket you choose. Mine took between 2-1/2 and 3. (I think it was bigger than what the butcher told me, actually). You want it to come out fork-tender.

Remove roasting pan from oven and transfer brisket to a cutting board. Tent with foil. I let mine sit for about 10 minutes.

Make a gravy by blending the cooked onions and a little of the liquid from the roasting pan. Blend until smooth. Leaving it a little chunky would be tasty too. Set aside.

Slice meat across the grain. Serve with the onion gravy and love every bite.