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1 pickled bola/brisket, about 1.5 kilos (3 pounds)
I rinse the meat and place the pickled beef (bola or brisket, about 1.5 kilos in weight) in a large pot (a stock pot is a good choice) with plenty of water and add 6 peppercorns, one or two bay leaves (I grow my own and so use fresh but dried works well also), and I also add a tablespoon of vinegar.
The Spice and Spirit (Chabad) recipe book has a good recipe for actually pickling the beef if you have difficulty obtaining pickled beef locally. It takes around a minimum of two weeks to pickle the beef yourself.
I cook the meat in the same liquid for hours; I don't find it too salty and I use ample water.... it literally swims in the water! I don't like the thought of lifting the meat in and out of the hot water. I'm a bit of a klutz and would probably burn myself!
For Shabbat I use a blech and I bring the liquid to a gentle boil and then simmer it for hours. In winter when Shabbat comes in early it often stays in the pot for up to 22 hours. Otherwise I cook it for 3 to 4 hours.
Poster's Notes:
A hint from my previous next door neighbour (who was a butcher) - that one (when it is cooked for 3 or 4 hours) should always cool the meat in the liquid it was cooked in to ensure that it remains moist. He used to let it cool down overnight in the cooking liquid.
Another hint is that when cold it slices easily and can be simply reheated in the microwave and served with mashed potatoes, various green vegetables and steamed carrots. It makes a good sandwich filler also.
Posted by Linda Gold
Nutritional Info Per Serving: N/A
6 whole peppercorns
1 or 2 bay leaves (dried or fresh)
1 tablespoon of vinegar (white, apple, brown (I haven't used balsamic so I can't advise on that one but a cheaper one works very well))
water to fill the pot
It is, as others have mentioned, impossible to slice when hot and it does shrink, however the slivers and chunks are very tasty and my friends always rave about it. It is also a pleasant change from other hot meat meals for Shabbat lunch and basically foolproof! It also retains a deep dark red colour which looks impressive on my white dinner plates. I usually serve it at lunch as the main dish with plenty of potato salad, various condiments including mustard and horseradish, and various other salads. It is also a good alternative if you have forgotten to soak your beans for cholent on the previous night!