Broccoli Beef Brisket

Ingredients

2 lbs. brisket (the fattier side is best)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 tbs. neutral oil (grapeseed or canola)
2 tbs. Sicilian olive oil
1 tbs. grated garlic
1 tsp. fermented black bean
2 lbs. Chinese broccoli, cut into 2-inch pieces (regular broccoli can be substituted but florets should be cut in half lengthwise)
1 tbs. oyster sauce
2 tbs. toasted white sesame seeds
2 tbs. flaxseeds

Instructions

Overnight or 14 hours before serving, preheat oven to 210 degrees. Season the brisket with plenty of salt and pepper. In a hot sauté pan, add oil and sear the brisket on every side until very brown (about 5 minutes). While hot, tightly wrap the meat in 3 layers of plastic wrap and finish off with a layer of aluminum foil, making sure the meat is sealed in to stop the juices escaping. Place the beef on a sheet pan in the oven, and cook slowly in the plastic and its own juices for 12 to 14 hours. The next day, keep the beef on your sheet tray and open the package. (We call this the poor man’s sous-vide at Mission Chinese Food.) You’ve successfully slow-cooked brisket in its own juices. Save the juices for the next step; they are very precious. Slice the meat against the grain into ½-inch slices. Arrange on a plate. The meat should be jiggly, and the fat should melt in your mouth. In a hot sauté pan or wok, add olive oil and quickly sauté the garlic and the fermented black beans. Toss in the Chinese broccoli and sauté for 2 minutes, then add the reserved beef cooking liquid and optional ¼ cup of water to steam. The broccoli should be bright green; the stalk should still have a nice crunch. Season with salt. Transfer broccoli from the pan to top the brisket. Drizzle oyster sauce on top of the Chinese broccoli and sprinkle with flax and sesame seeds. Drizzle more olive oil to finish. (Published 2015)