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Mariel here. That Beer-Braised Brisket I made last week? Well I finally finished it off. After transforming it into delicious little sliders, I explored my inner Italian and whipped up a homemade ragu that far exceeded my expectations since a) I’m not Italian and b) I don’t have much patience when it comes to letting flavors mature over a lazy flame. But since the brisket was so tender and well-marinated to begin with, it easily metamorphosized into a rich sauce that would make our fairy-nonna – otherwise known as Mrs. A – beam with pride. As I had mentioned in last week’s post, I’m coming off of five weeks of grueling deadlines, so I’ve never been more grateful for a slab of red meat; this brisket got me through 7 day’s worth of dinners without ever feeling boring, bland or thrown-together. I highly recommend making Beer-Braised Brisket to anyone who has a life: once you’re finished with the prep – a protocol that entails little more than setting-it-and-forgetting-it – there’s no limit to what you can do with the leftovers. Case-in-point, the following recipe. Serve this on top of whole wheat pasta, orzo or cannellini. It’s so thick and hearty, you could even pile it on a toasted bun and call it a Sloppy Joe. I’ll leave you to the tinkering.
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Brisket Ragu Serves 6
Ingredients: 2-2½ cups of leftover Beer-Braised Brisket, shredded – leftovers ¾-1 cup of leftover brisket sauce – leftovers 1 large sweet onion, chopped finely – $0.99 26-oz can of strained or crushed tomatoes (I used Pomi) – $2.79 1/3 cup red wine – stock 2 Tablespoons of olive oil – stock 1 Tablespoon butter – stock ¼ teaspoon salt – stock 2 Tablespoons brown sugar – stock 2 large cloves of garlic, minced – stock Grand total assuming “well-stocked” kitchen: $3.78 Cost per serving: $0.63 Directions: 1. In a large heavy skillet, heat the butter and olive oil over high heat. Once hot, saute the onions and garlic until the onions start to caramelize and turn golden, about 10 minutes. Stir frequently to prevent burning. 2. Add the wine and cook for 30 seconds, until it mostly burns off. Add the brisket, strained tomatoes, brisket sauce, salt and brown sugar. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer (uncovered) for about 45 minutes. Stir occasionally and reduce heat as necessary to keep from boiling. The salt will thicken considerably. 3. Before serving, season with salt and pepper, as needed. Garnish with fresh parmesan, if desired.
This is a great recipe! 🙂
What a great idea. I have an Italian neighbor and this must be how he makes his pasta sauce. UMMM!
That look really good!
/You made me so-o PROUD Mariel—I’m still beaming!!! Love , Mrs.A
This looks so good and comforting. It’s warm here though, I’ve pulled out the shorts already. Well I never really put them up.
A great ragu! And an ideal use of leftover brisket. This one’s going on the must-try list.
Wow that looks amazing. What a great idea to use leftover brisket! 🙂
This is the kind of stick to your bones meal that I love. I’m a big fan of brisket. Turning it into a ragu is a brilliant idea.
Fantastic use of leftovers, I’ll be keeping that in mind when I have leftover brisket.
Looks like the perfect dish to take your mind off deadlines! YUM!
You two have really lived up to your blog name — first with the fabulous original brisket recipe and second with this dreamy use of the leftovers. Wow to both!
Thanks so much, Barbara! but I must warn you – we’re actually going to post a TOTAL splurge later on this week. Have to live it up once in awhile and then get back to sanity, right!? So good to hear from you. Best, M & M
I’m just now discovering your blog. Loving the recipes and adding you to my reader for sure. As for this ragu – yes, please! I haven’t made a brisket in ages and that sounds like the perfect thing to make on a rainy, drizzly day – and we’re having lots of those lately!
We’re so happy you found us! If you ever have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask away! And you’re right, this has certainly been the wettest winter in recent memory. Wonderful to hear from you. Best, M & M
I made the brisket, it was fabulous. I am making the ragu tonight and I am very excited to try it.
We’re so happy you were pleased with the brisket! Let us know how you and yours enjoy the ragu. Cheers! M & M
What a great idea to use up leftover brisket! Thanks for sharing! And thanks for commenting on my site so I could find yours 🙂
Oh my this looks delicious. I’ve always wanted to make brisket!