sheltering in place cooking

Hello friends! It’s been a while. A long while! The last time I posted here was nearly 4 months ago. Harmony Boards has been such a wonderful ride this last 18 months but I do miss blogging, posting recipes and feeling connected to you all!

On March 14th, I posted this on my personal Facebook page:

“I’ve wondered what I would do if I was literally stuck in my home for 14 days…

*I would brainstorm new ideas for my business and refresh my websites. I’d actually have time to return to my blog, LesPetitesGourmettes.com, which I have neglected for months!

*I’d clean out closets, cabinets, files, drawers, the garage, the sheds–you name it! What an opportunity to start fresh and start dreaming again!

*I’d choose to see this extra time as a gift, the gift of slowing down and taking stock.

*I’d put on not one ounce of makeup and wear facemasks, and teeth whiteners and moisturizers all day! The next big run and hoarding at the stores are going to be these such items! Why not!?

Little did I know that that time would come as quickly as it has. I temporarily closed down Harmony Boards on March 17th and began actually cooking again the next day. (something I have not done much of for many months!) My son, Connor, came over and we made a variety of seven dishes for ourselves and to share with my (almost) 89-year-old dad and with my dear friend, Kim Howard, and her family. More on the Howard family and the events that have been unbelievably devastating to them in future posts.

A big part of the incentive to get cooking was to be able to post here again and to use up the surplus of fresh vegetables that I had in my refrigerators that were to be used for Crudités Harmony Boards. Even before I closed the business, orders were canceled or postponed left and right and I certainly wasn’t going to let all that pre-purchased fresh food go to waste. Ironically, this first recipe doesn’t use any of said vegetables, but the recipes to follow in the coming days use many of them, I promise.

This first recipe uses something else I had a surplus of and that is Coors Light. My niece, Megan, was in town in January for the Phoenix Open and Super Bowl. Megan went to college in Colorado and loves Coors Light. She hosted a Super Bowl party at my house and bought a case. She may have been the only one who drank it. There are SO many cans LEFT! That is what inspired this recipe. Sadly, it only eliminated two cans! Who knows, maybe I’ll get desperate during this Sheltering in Place time and drink some of it!

I purchased my brisket at Costco. A brisket purchased at a grocery store may be about half the size. The recipe may be easily cut in half. Adjust the cooking time to 70 minutes. Also, I used a new seasoning blend from Trader Joe’s, Everything But the Elote Seasoning Blend. If you can’t find it or would rather not give it a try (you should though, it is delish on SO many things!) use basic chili powder, not a single chili powder, such as chipotle powder. The reason is that basic chili powder is actually a blend of chilis with cumin added and this is what you want, a blend.

BBBB aka Bodacious Beer Beef Brisket

• 5 to 6-pound beef brisket, trimmed of most of the fat
• 1 teaspoon liquid smoke, optional
• 2 teaspoons Trader Joe’s Everything But the Elote Seasoning Blend or chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 large onions, peeled and thinly sliced
• Two 16-ounce cans or bottles of beer of your choice
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

Cut brisket in half; rub with liquid smoke if desired.

Then rub with the Elote Seasoning Blend or chili powder, salt, and pepper.

Place brisket fatty side up in an Instant Pot. Top with onions.

Pour the beer and the Worcestershire sauce over the meat. Lock the lid; close the pressure-release valve. Adjust to pressure-cook on high for 95 minutes. Allow pressure to naturally release for 10 minutes, then quick-release any remaining pressure. If brisket isn’t fork-tender, reseal the cooker and pressure cook for an additional 10 to 15 minutes. Repeat the pressure release as above.

Remove brisket, cover with foil and keep warm. Keep the onions and juices in the Instant Pot. Select the sauté setting and adjust for high heat; bring the liquid to a boil and boil for 10 – 20 minutes, or until the sauce is to your desired consistency. Serve sauce with the onions over the beef.

Serves 10 -12