Mediterranean Brisket with sun dried tomatoes is a show-stopper, but couldn’t be easier to prepare! The meat slowly cooks in an umami rich tomato sauce until it’s practically falling apart. Tomatoes in three forms create the backbone of this dish: peeled whole tomatoes lend substance to the sauce, tomato paste adds depth and richness, and sun dried tomatoes give a true Mediterranean flavor. You can use whatever herbs you have lying around to make your aromatic bouquet, and feel free to experiment with different varieties of tomatoes!
Ingredients
SERVES: 4-6 people
TIME: approximately 4 hours (3 1/2 hours cooking time)
- Brisket, 1.5 kg / 3-4 lbs
- Coarse sea salt, 1 tsp
- Black pepper, 1/2 tsp, coarsely ground
- Large yellow or white onions, 3, thinly sliced
- Anchovy colatura, 1 Tbsp
- Tomato concentrate, 2 tsp
- 100% Italian peeled tomatoes, 800g / 28.2 oz
- Sun dried tomatoes, 1/4 cup, drained and chopped with 1 tablespoon oil reserved
- Herbs: rosemary, sage, parsley, thyme, bay… whatever you have!
- Homemade vegetable or chicken stock 240ml / 1 cup
- Red wine, 240ml / 1 cup
Preparation
- Preheat oven to 350˚F / 175˚C. Sprinkle the brisket with the salt and black pepper and gently massage into the meat.
- In a large pan or Dutch oven, heat the oil from the sun dried tomatoes over medium-high. Brown the brisket on all sides, approximately 10 minutes, then remove the meat from the pan and set aside.
- Add the sliced onions and the anchovy colatura to the pan and stir to combine in the fat. Cook down until they sweat, 7-10 minutes, stirring occasionally and scraping up any bits that have stuck to the bottom of the pan.
- Mix the tomato paste with a bit of water in a small bowl to thin it out, then add it to the onions along with the peeled tomatoes, sun dried tomatoes and bouquet of herbs. Stir and cook for 5 minutes to allow flavors to combine.
- Add the stock and the wine to the onion and tomato mixture and bring to a simmer.
- Return the brisket to the pan and spoon some of the tomatoes and onions over the meat.
- Cover the pan and bake in the oven for 3 1/2 hours, or until the meat is fork-tender (you can add a layer of aluminum foil if you’re concerned about how tightly your lid fits.)
- Remove from the oven and check the meat for doneness. Remove the brisket to a cutting board and tent with foil to keep warm. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning if necessary.
- Slice the brisket and serve with a generous helping of sauce. You can plate brisket on its own or alongside farro, rice, or pasta.
