Cuisine Featured: Jewish
The Melting Pot section is where we have placed recipes for cuisines brought to America by the many immigrants to our shores. Over the years these cuisines have been Americanized, i.e., most viewers of our site have probably been exposed to many of these cuisines, either via the dining-out route or, perhaps, directly within our own families due to the multi-ethnic makeup therein. As an example of this multi-ethnicity within a single family, I can cite my own case-- My family consists of the following ethnicities: English, Irish, Scottish, German, Polish and Greek. Is it any wonder then that America is called the Melting Pot?
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Jewish-style corned beef requires no exotic equipment or special skill in its preparation. It does, however, require time: the beef must mellow for 12 days in a simple brine before being cooked. Believe me, if you have the time, the effort is worthwhile; the delicately spiced home-cured beef is easily the match of the old-fashioned delicatessen specialty.
4 quarts water 8 large bay leaves
1½ c salt A 5-pound brisket of beef in one
1 T sugar piece
2 T pickling spice 8 cloves garlic, peeled
½ ounce saltpeter (this is available 2 onions, peeled
through pharmacists) 2 stalks celery
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In a 6- to 8-quart pot, prepare a brine by combining the water, salt,
sugar, pickling spice, saltpeter and bay leaves. Bring to a boil over high
heat and boil briskly for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool the
brine to room temperature.Place the beef in an enameled or earthenware crock or casserole and pour in the brine. Drop in the garlic, set a heavy pan or board on top of the meat to keep it immersed in liquid, and cover the crock or casserole with cheesecloth. Set aside in a cool--not cold--place for 12 days.
Remove the meat from the brine and discard the brine. Wash the meat thoroughly under cold running water and place it in a 4- to 6-quart casserole. Pour in enough cold water to cover the meat by at least 1 inch and bring to a boil over high heat. Taste the water; if it seems excessively salty, pour it off and add fresh cold water to the casserole. Bring back to a boil, meanwhile skimmimg the foam and scum that rise to the surface. Add the onions and celery, reduce the heat to low, and simmer partially covered for 3 hours, or until the meat is tender and offers no resistance when pierced withn the point of a sharp knife.
To serve Jewish-style corned-beef sandwiches, transfer the beef to a cutting board and, while it is still warm, slice it crosswise into 1/8-inch-thick slices. Serve on rye bread with spicy mustard, and accompany with sour pickles or sauerkraut. The meat can also be served sliced, as part of a main course or cold-cuts platter. Serves 12 to 14.
