Oven Barbecued Brisket

From EatingWell: October/November 2006 — Subscribe Now!

A relatively inexpensive cut of meat, a brisket needs to tenderize overnight before it's baked. Here we use a full-flavored, smoky barbecue dry rub, then it's slowly baked and basted. Brisket cuts are notoriously fatty, but the flat "first-cut" section is a far better choice for healthy eating than the fattier "point cut." It may be worth calling ahead to make sure your supermarket or butcher has one on hand.

12 servings

Active Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 12 hours (including 8 hours marinating time)

Nutrition Profile

Ingredients

2 medium shallots, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 teaspoons chili powder
4 teaspoons smoked paprika or Hungarian paprika
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon kosher salt
4 pounds first-cut brisket, (or flat-cut), trimmed of fat
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1 14-ounce can no-salt-added diced tomatoes
1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/4 cup cider vinegar

Preparation

Combine shallots, garlic, chili powder, paprika, cinnamon, oregano and salt in a small bowl. Rub into both sides of meat. Set the meat in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish, cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight.
Pour Worcestershire sauce over the meat. Cover the pan with foil and set aside at room temperature while the oven heats to 350°F.
Bake the brisket, covered, for 2 hours. Meanwhile, blend tomatoes, brown sugar and vinegar in a large blender or food processor until smooth.
After 2 hours, pour the tomato mixture over the meat; continue baking, covered, until fork-tender, basting with pan juices every 30 minutes, for about 1 1/2 hours more.
Remove the meat from the sauce. Let rest for 10 minutes, then slice against the grain. Skim the fat from the sauce in the pan; pour the sauce over the meat and serve (or follow make-ahead instructions).

Tips & Notes

Make Ahead Tip: Bake, let the sliced brisket cool in the sauce for 1 hour, cover with foil and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 1 month. Reheat, covered, in a preheated 350°F oven for 40 minutes; if frozen, defrost in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.

Nutrition

Per serving: 228 calories; 7 g fat (3 g sat, 3 g mono); 64 mg cholesterol; 8 g carbohydrates; 32 g protein; 1 g fiber; 221 mg sodium; 351 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Zinc (53% daily value), Iron (20% dv), Vitamin A (15% dv).

1/2 Carbohydrate Serving

Exchanges: 1/2 other carbohydrate, 4 lean meat