This is a recipe I had adapted from a restaurant we went to many years ago. The chef emailed me the recipe and over the years I have made a few adjustments based on the ease of ingredients to be found. I had last made this when we were in the original covid lockdown and we were staying in our friend's house in Pa.
I often make it without the Gremolata, since when I do make it for a dinner party many of our guests never really take any, or when they do, it usually is the only thing left on the plate. It does add a nice brightness to the dish but the dish can stand alone with out it - Enjoy
Brisket and marinade:
1 (7-pound) beef brisket with fat, fat trimmed to 1/4" thickness
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 head of garlic, peeled, smashed
1 cup walnuts
2 tablespoons honey
3 cups pomegranate juice, divided
Gremolata:
1 1/2 cups mint leaves
1/2 cup shelled roasted, unsalted pistachios
2 garlic cloves
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Directions
The day before
Season brisket all over with salt and pepper. Transfer to a large 2-gallon resealable plastic bag, vacuum bag, or bowl
Purée garlic, walnuts, honey, and 1 cup pomegranate juice in a food processor until very smooth. Add remaining 2 cups of pomegranate juice and blend until smooth. Pour marinade over Brisket. Seal bag or cover bowl tightly with foil. Chill, occasionally turning, at least 24 hours or up to 48 hours. Note: The vacuum bag works best here, it forces the marinade into the meat, and there is no turn involved.
The day of
Transfer brisket and marinade to roasting pan, cover tightly with foil and let sit at room temperature 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 275°F. Bake brisket, covered, until a corner of the meat shreds easily with two forks, about 5 hours; if meat is still tough, continue cooking, covered for an additional 1 to 2 hours. Note: you can shred the beef, but it looks better for presentation sliced.
Transfer Brisket to a cutting board and cover loosely with foil.
Transfer cooking liquid to a saucepan and spoon off fat from the surface. Cook over medium-high heat, skimming off fat and foam as it surfaces until reduced by two-thirds (you should have about 2 cups sauce). Season with salt and pepper if necessary. Transfer to a gravy boat to serve along with the meat. Note: after slicing, pour a bit of the sauce over the meat to prevent it from drying out.
Make the gremolata:
Pulse mint, pistachios, garlic, lemon zest, salt, and pepper in a food processor until coarsely chopped. Drizzle in oil, pulsing until just combined (do not overprocess).
To serve, slice Brisket against the grain and transfer to a platter. Spoon sauce over and top with gremolata.
Notes:
Now you can make the Brisket several days before the actual event date: Store the Brisket without slicing, two days early—cover and chill; warm before slicing.
Make the sauce and store it in a container. Leave at room temperate for several hours before severing.