Corned Beef on Rye with Sauce Maria Rosa and Brussels Kraut (TTH)

FOR THE BRINE

• 10 cups water
• 5 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
• 5 tablespoons coarse salt
• 8 garlic cloves
• 12 juniper berries, crushed
• 8 whole cloves
• 1 tablespoon black peppercorns, cracked
• 1 tablespoon yellow mustard seeds
• 1 teaspoon allspice berries, crushed
• 1 bay leaf, crushed
• 3/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 beef brisket flat cut, fat cap intact (about 4 pounds)     

Combine 2 cups of water with remaining brine ingredients and bright to a simmer.

Let cool.  Put brisket in heavy-duty gallon-sized resealable bag or large non-reactive container.  Pour brine over and add remaining water.  Refrigerate in bring for at least 12 hours, and up to 3 days.

I managed about 24 hours.

FOR COOKING THE BRISKET

• 1 yellow onion, roughly chopped
• 1 carrot, roughly choppes
• 1 stalk celery, roughly chopped

Place well-rinsed brisket over chopped vegetables and cover with water.  Bring to boil.  cover and simmer until brisket is fork-tender, about 2 hours.

Remove brisket and let cool slightly.  Although it was much easier to cut when it had been sitting in the fridge for a bit.

FOR THE SANWICHES

• 8 thick slices rye bread or pumpernickel-rye swirl
• 1/4 cup Pastrami Mustard
• 1 cup Brussels Kraut
• 8 cornichons, sliced lengthwise
• 1/4 cup Sauce Maria Rosa

PASTRAMI MUSTARD 

• 1 1/2 tablespoons coriander seeds
• 1 1/2 teaspoons yellow mustard seeds
• 1 1/2 teaspoons black peppercorns
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 cup Beer Mustard [No, I don't this I'm making a subcomponent.  Plain dijon I think will be fine here.]

Toast coriander and mustard seeds.

Run them and the peppercorns through a coffee grinder and combine with paprika and mustard.

SAUCE MARIA ROSA

• 2/3 cup Aioli or good-quality store-bought mayonnaise
• 1/3 cup San Marzano Ketchup or store-bought ketchup
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 teaspoon grated lime zest
• 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
• 1/2 teaspoon Cholula hot sauce
• 3 drops Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Richard Blais' take on Thousand Island dressing is pretty awesome.

BRUSSELS KRAUT

• 1 pound Brussels sprouts, bottoms trimmed
• 1 cup cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon caraway seeds

Sandwich mise en place.

Regarding the Brussels Kraut, they are supposed to be cut in a "chiffonade" and blanched.  I didn't see much point in going through the trouble of blanching so I just skipped that step.

Combine with the vinegar and caraway and refrigerate for at least 2 to 3 hours.

Spread one slice of bread with 1 tablespoon mustard and arrange slices of brisket over.  The brisket wasn't really sliceable at the moment.

 

Top with Brussels Kraut and cornichons.  Spread other slice of bread with the Sauce Maria Rosa.

Really amazing, complex sandwich just like the one I used when I made mortadella.  It didn't take a lot of effort to make a slaw and a couple sauces.  Spread the sandwich around to various friends who all really liked the sandwich.
Eric S even said I should open up a sandwich store.  Ha.