Recipe: Sugar-Brined Beef Brisket with Herbed Roasted Vegetables

Serves 6 to 8 For the brine:

1 cup kosher salt

1 cup brown sugar

1-½ tablespoons whole coriander seeds

1-½ tablespoons whole mustard seeds

1-½ tablespoons whole black peppercorns

1-½ tablespoons whole allspice

4 sprigs fresh marjoram

4 sprigs fresh thyme

2 bay leaves

1 beef brisket (unseasoned), about 2-½ to 3 pounds

Vegetables for cooking brisket:

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 onion, halved

5 carrots, coarsely chopped

½ head celery, including leaves, coarsely chopped

1 head garlic, halved

3 sprigs fresh thyme

2 bay leaves

Herbed Roasted Vegetables (see accompanying recipe)

1. Combine brine seasonings in a large nonreactive bowl. Add brisket (which may need to be cut into 2 pieces) and rub spice mix into meat. Pour cold water over meat until covered. Weight brisket down with a small plate so that it's completely submerged; cover and refrigerate. Brine the meat at least 3 days or up to 5 days.

2. Heat oven to 325 degrees. Heat a large oven-safe pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat and add olive oil. Add onion, carrots, celery, garlic, thyme and bay leaves, and cook until starting to soften, about 10 minutes. Remove meat from brine and rinse well. Set meat on top of vegetables, fat side up, and add water to just cover meat. Bring to a boil, skimming off any foam that surfaces. Cover and put into oven; bake 2-½ to 3 hours or until fork tender.

3. Remove meat from cooking liquid, cover with foil and let rest 20 minutes. Cut fat off meat and slice on the diagonal across the grain. Serve with Herbed Roasted Vegetables.