Ingredients
One 5-pound well-trimmed brisket
For the Brine:
3 quarts plus 1 cup water, divided
2 bay leaves
1 orange, sliced
¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
1 bunch parsley, roughly chopped
Freshly grated black pepper
½ cup Kosher salt
For the Brisket:
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons butter or olive oil
4 large onions, sliced
3 tablespoons fresh thyme
3 cups chicken stock
8 whole medium carrots, peeled
For the Gremolata:
Zest of 1 orange
1 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley tops
1 cup carrot tops
¼ cup almonds, toasted
Preparation
Pat the meat dry and pierce it all over on both sides with the tip of skewer or small, sharp knife tip.
In a large, 2-gallon, re-sealable plastic bag, combine 3 quarts of icy water, bay leaves, orange, Worcestershire, parsley and black pepper. Bring remaining 1 cup of water to a boil and add the salt to dissolve. Add salt water to icy brine. Add the meat, then remove all the air and seal the bag. Place on a tray in the fridge and weigh the meat down under a second tray to keep it submerged. Refrigerate for 1-2 days.
To cook, remove the meat from the brine and pat dry. To a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, add olive oil and meat, and brown the brisket on all sides. Remove meat to a plate and add butter or olive oil to pan to melt. Once it foams, add onions, thyme and chicken stock. Bring to a bubble and add brisket back. Cover, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 2 ½ hours. During the last 45 minutes of cooking, add whole carrots, cover and keep cooking.
For the gremolata, on a large cutting board, finely chop the orange zest, parsley, carrot tops and toasted almonds together.
Remove the vegetables to a warm platter, then slice the meat and top with the stock to keep moist. Serve topped with gremolata.
