Summertime Peach And Bourbon Brisket

“Lighten up your wintery brisket with the flavors of summer. The caramel, wood, highlights the flavor of the peaches and vanilla notes in the bourbon. Add in the sweet crunch of corn and savory tomatoes and you’ve got summer on a plate! My 6 year old niece Marina says peaches are like a bright sunny day with sweetness!” says chef and culinary personality Hope Cohen, author of Fast, Fresh + Simple: Over 100 Delicious Recipes For Entertaining And Every Day.

3 ½ – 4 ½ lb. Brisket

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 tbsp. olive oil

½ cup good quality bourbon (Hope recommends Woodford Reserve)

4 cups beef stock, plus an additional 1 cup

8 dried peach halves, sliced

1 tsp. Thyme leaves

Pinch smoked paprika

6 large shallots, peeled and sliced

6 large cloves garlic, peeled and sliced

Peach, Corn and Tomato Salsa

2 large peaches peeled and sliced

1 tomato, chopped

1-2 ears sweet corn, cooked and kernels removed from the cob

1 tsp. white wine vinegar

1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

½ shallot, peeled and finely chopped

¼ tsp. jalapeno pepper, (optional) seeds removed and chopped finely

½ tsp. fresh thyme leaves, chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

Brisket

Preheat oven to 325°f. Season brisket liberally with salt and pepper on the side with no fat, set aside for 30 minutes on the counter. Flip the meat and season the fatty side with additional salt and pepper (use more than you think is necessary). Heat olive oil in a roasting pan just large enough to hold brisket, on medium high heat. Sear meat on fatty side first until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Flip meat carefully and sear on the opposite side until equally as brown. Remove meat to a platter and set aside. Drain excess oil from pan and turn heat down to medium. Add the bourbon to the pan and scrape all of the brown bits from the bottom of the pan as the alcohol cooks off, reducing the bourbon to about half. Turn off the heat. Place the meat and any accumulated juices into the pan, pouring over 4 cups of the stock. Sprinkle the top of the meat with the garlic first, then the shallots, thyme, and paprika. Scatter the peach slices around the meat. Cover tightly with heavy-duty foil and cook in the pre heated oven for 4.5 hours (until the house smells heavenly. Allow the pan to cool, and then refrigerate the whole thing overnight. The next day, remove the brisket from the pan, slice it thinly across the grain and place it back in the pan. If necessary, add an additional cup of stock the pan juices to create more liquid. Reheat the meat, covered, in a 325°f oven for about 15 minutes or until warm throughout. Serve the sliced meat on a platter garnished with the jus from the pan, the peach salsa, garnished with fresh thyme leaves (Hope like lemon thyme, if available).

Salsa

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl, tossing together. Taste for seasoning, adding additional salt if necessary. Made be made the day before, but remove from refrigerator and hour before using.

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