Fall is coming. I can feel it in the air. Summer is over and school is back in session. For me, it’s back to a routine. A busy routine filled with homework and sporting events. But even with all of our busy schedules, I feel it’s important to make time for family meals. I like to believe that our lives are improved by these casual dinners. Our relationships strengthened by the gathering together of families. It’s a chance to wind down and share the highs and lows or our day.
When in reality, my kids are over the moon when we hit the drive-thru on the way home from a night jammed too full of activities and carpooling to cook at home. And, realistically most people don’t have the time or the desire to whip up something from scratch. (And, with kids, it’s not always easy to please everyone anyway.)
But there are times when a certain recipe is worth the time. It’s worth the effort, it can be the occasion. There are even fabulous meals with virtually no prep involved.
One such magical product is a beef brisket. A brisket is a wonderful piece of meat. It doesn’t require a lot of tedious prep or fancy footwork. If you are patient and allow the meat to slow cook, the end result will be purely delightful. Upon completion, the meat should fall apart and simply melt in your mouth.
But, to make it even easier, you can use a precooked brisket. It eliminates the cooking time for you and allows you to simply look as if you’ve spent the day in the kitchen. This brisket is so easy, you can opt to reheat in the microwave it or “boil it in the bag.”
My family loves this “recipe” and they beg and plead with me to “make” it again….and again. Johnnies carries various sizes of braised beef brisket, so it’s easy enough to find a size to suit your family unit. It’s ready and waiting, practically begging you to take it home. (And guess what, this week it’s on sale!!)
(Pre-cooked) Braised Beef Brisket
Sizes available from 2-5 lbs. (I used a 3 lb. brisket for my family of 4 and had plenty of leftovers)
Combine ingredients and place in a large roasting pan, crock pot, or microwave. (make sure to include all of the liquid goodies sealed up with the meat….) Cover with foil and reheat in 300 degree oven. (Unless of course you decided to microwave. Then, no foil!) My 3 lb. brisket took about an hour to fully reheat. Brisket will be fork tender when finished. It was also tender enough to pull apart, if preferred. Serve with cooking liquid.