Here’s a bit of culinary irony: Slow cookers make fast work of putting together a meal. Combine a few ingredients; plug in the slow cooker and, hours later, you’re rewarded with complex aromas and a hearty family meal.
This brisket recipe, designed for a slow cooker, was sent in by Nancy Hablutzel of Chicago. She describes this brisket as not quite traditional, but delicious with lemony overtones: “My daughter, Margo Lynn, developed it from a medieval lamb recipe for me to serve for our play-reading group when we were reading a Shakespearean play from that period. It was a big hit.”
Based on several conversations with Good Eating readers, there continues to be a strong interest in this appliance, which has been around for more than 25 years. Feel free to share any slow cooker recipes you consider exceptional.
Slow lemon brisket
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 10-12 hours
Yield: 10 servings
2 ribs celery, halved lengthwise
2 onions, quartered
1 first cut or flat cut (leaner section) beef brisket, about 4 pounds, trimmed
2 lemons, cut into thin slices
1 cup raisins or to taste
1 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper
2 low-sodium beef bouillon cubes, dissolved in 2 cups water
1. Line the bottom of a large slow cooker with the celery and onions; top with brisket. Place lemon slices and raisins on the brisket; season with salt and pepper to taste. Add dissolved bouillon.
2. Cook on low until meat is fork-tender, about 10-12 hours. Remove meat to cutting board; let stand 15 minutes. Skim fat from cooking broth. Adjust seasonings, if needed. Remove lemon slices; cut in half. Pour broth into a serving bowl; add lemons. Slice meat across the grain into thin slices; serve with the broth and lemons.
Nutrition information per serving:
301 calories, 25% of calories from fat, 8 g fat, 3 g saturated fat, 77 mg cholesterol, 17 g carbohydrates, 39 g protein, 322 mg sodium, 2 g fiber
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Share your dish!
Linda Hoch of Gibsonia, Pa., is a former Chicago resident looking for a special recipe. “I was born and raised in the shadow of Wrigley Field,” Hoch wrote. “My mom delivered me at Swedish Covenant Hospital … and had her first taste of Swedish limpa bread while there. … Would any Chicago Tribune reader have a simple, good recipe for this bread?”
Send us your favorite recipe with a paragraph describing what’s special about it online at chicagotribune.com/yourdish or send it via e-mail to dpierce@tribune.com, with “Dish” in the subject line. You also can mail it to: “What’s Your Dish?” Chicago Tribune, 435 N Michigan Ave., Chicago, IL 60611.
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