Beef Brisket in a Pressure Cooker

I treated myself this year to a pressure cooker, an item that I have always been frankly afraid of from hearing so many terrible stories of exploding stews and soups.  But technology has caught up.  These new devices are programmable and safe to use, with many safety features built in to the units.

Smoked brisket is probably my favorite cut of meat; when it's done right the meat practically melts in your mouth, with plenty of, but not overpowering smokey flavor. The problem is that it takes hours to smoke.  I used to have a hobby of smoking meats but in recent times that's not really viable for me. So experimented a bit and came up with this recipe:

Ingredients

2-3 lb. Beef Brisket
2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
2 Tbsp. Chili Powder
1 Tbsp. Ground Cumin
1 Tbsp. Onion Powder
1 Tbsp, Garlic Powder
1 Tbsp. Sweet Paprika
1 Tsp. Salt
1 Tsp. Fresh Black Pepper
1 Tsp. Dry Mustard
1/2 Cup Brown Sugar
1 Tbsp Liquid Smoke
2 Tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 Cup Lager Beer
1/2 Cup favorite Barbecue Sauce (I make my own), plus a 1/2 cup reserved
1 Small Onion, Diced
2 Cloves Garlic, Chopped

Combine the dry spices and rub over the brisket.  Let set for at least 30 minutes.  If you have time, you can do this the night before as well.

Set the pressure cooker to brown and add the olive oil.  When the oil is hot place the brisket in the pan insert and brown on both sides.  Remove and set aside after browning.  Toss in the onions and garlic and sweat in the oil and meat juices until the onions are clear.  Now add the beer, barbecue sauce, Worcestershire Sauce, brown sugar,  and liquid smoke to the pot.  Stir add the beef and it's juices.

Now cancel the browning mode and set the pressure cooker on Soup/Stews, or whatever is the equivalent on your pressure cooker for 60 minutes. Close the lid and the pressure valve, and then relax, the real work is done! After the 60 minutes are elapsed don't open the steam valve -  let it release the steam on its own naturally.  You'll know when this process is complete because the pressure cooker will let you open the lid.

Pull out the meat and let it rest on a cutting board.  Some people like to shred with two forks at this point, but I am not a big fan of  shredded meats. Slice a cross the grain and serve with a vegetable and more of the reserved barbecue sauce.  You'll find the meat tender, juicy and with just the right amount of smoky flavor.

My Quick Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe

I've always enjoyed a good bowl of chicken noodle soup, but I'm usually disappointed when I order it in restaurants because of the heavy salt, or worse, the sometimes high fat content.  Some soups even taste greasy, a real downer for me.  Whenever I find myself wanting a healthy soup here is how I make it (note: this recipe is for two). This one is easy, quick and you can adjust to your liking.

Ingredients

1 chicken breast, split (You can use thigh meat too.  I buy organic or free-range when possible)
4 cups chicken stock, low sodium. If you have time, make your own. Skim to cut fat.
1 cup water
1 tsp Better Than Bouillon Chicken stock extract (salty - a little goes a long way - but will add flavor to the water).  If you don't have this, dry bouillon will work.
11/2 cups dry egg noodles
1 tsp olive oil
1 shallot, finely minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 sprig of rosemary, chopped
1 tbsp chopped thyme, fresh
1 tbsp chopped parsley, fresh
1 dash of dry sage
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

If the chicken breast is small cut it into small cubes.  If it's a large breast you may want to filet it and just use one half, preserving the rest for another dish. Lightly salt and pepper the chicken after cubing it and set aside.

Heat the oil in a medium pot on and saute the shallot and onion for a minute, being careful not to burn the garlic. Pour in the cubed chicken and continue to saute, stirring often until the chicken is white but not browned. Add the stock, water and bouillon extract and bring to a boil. Reduce to low heat and then season with the herbs and test for salt and pepper to taste. I add the egg noodles at this point, then cover with a lid and simmer on low for about 10 more minutes.

Remove the bay leaf  and serve with crusty bread, or water table crackers and white wine.  Delish!