Brisket of Beef, Hungarian-Style

For the holidays, there’s always a debate about what to serve, whether it’s the right occasion to try some new gourmet treat, or whether it’s better to stick with the family’s old favorites. After trying each method, I have concluded that those old favorites are preferrable, offering yet another link to tradition.

My mother’s family was Hungarian; more accurately, Mother’s maternal grandmother had been born in “Kosice,” a little town in what, at the time of her birth, proudly had been part of Hungary; today, it has been re-partitioned into the independent country of Slovakia. Like most Hungarians, she reportedly was a good cook, and she used paprika with abandon when in the kitchen.

So, for a family which had arrived in the United States with little in the way of material possessions, this recipe has become one of our heirlooms.

The pot roast is very simple, but there are a few tricks to it. Each of these tricks regards the matter of onions. The quantity of onions used must slightly exceed the weight of the brisket, because these evaporate so excessively during cooking.

The onions must be sautéed before the roasting commences, and more than browned. To achieve the proper flavor, the onions should be neither golden nor toasty; these actually must be allowed to blacken at the edges--and do not try to take a shortcut by not browning the onions properly or the gravy will be pale and flavorless.

The final trick here is never to trap any of those onions under the brisket after turning the meat in the pot, because trapped onions will burn.

Eventually, the onions will cook into a gravy that has the texture of melted ice cream. Though the individual pieces of onion in the gravy will be visible to the eye, they will be virtually indiscernible on the tongue. Any leftover gravy may be used to braise chicken cutlets--and there’s almost never any leftover brisket. In fact, this cut of meat shrinks radically in the cooking.

The basic recipe is brisket, onions, salt, pepper and paprika. At the very end of the cooking, add potatoes and carrots.

Mother recommends making this pot roast at least one day in advance, so the flavors can meld. Chilling the dish overnight also makes it easy to degrease. The potatoes, however, should not be added until the meat in the pot is ready to be re-heated for serving.

BRISKET OF BEEF – HUNGARIAN STYLE

1/3 cup of vegetable oil, approximately, more if not using a non-stick skillet to saute the onions
4 pounds of onions, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon of paprika
1 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
4 pounds, approximate weight, First-Cut Brisket of Beef
8 tender young carrots, peeled and quartered
8 to 12 new potatoes, peeled

Equipment: Slotted spoon, a large skillet, preferably a non-stick one, and a Dutch Oven with a lid. Tongs also are helpful for turning the meat.

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in the skillet. Divide the onions into three batches; add the first batch to the pan. Cook over medium heat for about 10 to 15 minutes. Stir to make sure that all pieces of onion are coated with oil; add more oil as necessary. Cook until the onions have browned and are starting to blacken. Remove with a slotted spoon to a large bowl. Repeat with the remaining batches of onions, adding oil as needed. When all onions have been browned, toss with the paprika, salt and pepper.

Put 2 tablespoons of oil in the Dutch Oven and heat. Brown the brisket on all sides, 3 or 4 minutes per side. Remove the meat from the pot and drain out the rendered fat. Put the meat back into the Dutch Oven and arrange the sautéed onions on top of the meat, and on either side. Do not trap any onions under the meat, as these will burn. Cook over medium heat, covered, for approximately 15 minutes. Then, turn the meat and reduce the heat to gentle, cooking for about 2 hours longer, still with the pot covered. After the first hour, turn the meat every half-hour, taking care, once again, not to traps onions under the meat. The meat should be completely tender when pierced with a fork; if it is not, cook an extra half-hour.

One hour before serving, add the carrots and potatoes to the pot if the brisket is to be served the same day, or withhold the potatoes until ready to re-heat prior to serving. At this point, the onions will have melded with the meat juices and almost liquefied. Submerge the carrots and potatoes in this gravy. Test the gravy for seasonings and correct to taste.

This keeps beautifully in the refrigerator for about 4 days; the flavor of the finished dish actually improves if the ingredients are allowed to meld a day or two in the refrigerator.

Before serving, skim off any congealed fat, bring the brisket to room temperature, and simmer for about an hour, turning two or three times. Add the potatoes at this point.

Eggplant Spread

4 large ripe tomatoes, washed and cut into chunks

4 medium-large eggplants, washed and halved lengthwise

salt, approximately 1 cup, for sprinkling on eggplant halves

2 cloves garlic, minced, or to taste

2 medium-large onions, peeled and coarsely chopped

6 lemons, juiced

salt to taste

ground black pepper to taste

1/2 cup to 1 cup oil, preferably olive oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F., or fire up a charcoal grill. Grease 2 medium baking pans.

If possible, peel and seed the tomatoes. Chop the tomatoes and place them in a sieve positioned over a bowl, to allow draining.

Gash each of the eggplant halves in several places with a knife and sprinkle generously with salt. Invert on a rack or racks such as cake cooling racks, positioned over paper towels, and allow draining for at least one-half hour. Wipe off salt and, over the toweling, gently squeeze the eggplant halves so that they exude their liquid. If cooking in an oven, arrange the halves in the greased pans in a single layer and bake for about 40 minutes, until soft and golden, or place over the coals if cooking outdoors and cook until soft. Allow the eggplants to cool after cooking.

When the eggplants are cooled, take a spoon and gently scrape the “meat” of the vegetable from the skin. Add to a chopping bowl or a food processor with the chopped tomatoes, minced garlic, chopped onion, lemon juice and salt and ground pepper. Mash together well. Taste to adjust seasonings. Beat in the oil until mixture is smooth.