Dry Rub
Toast ¼ c. coriander seeds in a dry skillet over medium-high heat until they are fragrant and turn dark golden brown; repeat with 2 T. cumin seed.
Let cool before grinding with a mortar and pestle or spice grinder (a coffee grinder dedicated to spices).
Combine all the spices and grind well; then mix with kosher salt. This is enough for a 10- to 15-pound brisket.
Sarsaparilla-Ginger Glaze
Place all ingredients in a small saucepan.
Reduce the liquid until it coats the back of a spoon. Set aside for later
Sarsaparilla-Ginger Glazed Brisket
Trim the excess fat from the brisket, leaving at least a ¼-inch fat cap.
Lightly rub with vegetable or grape-seed oil and then spread the dry rub on both sides of the brisket. (If you start this two days ahead and let it rest overnight, the brisket will be that much more delicious!)
Turn oven on to 325°F.
Prepare roasting pan by placing sliced oranges across bottom of dish.
Sprinkle sliced onions, chopped garlic, slivered ginger, thyme and bay leaves on top of oranges.
Place the spice-rubbed brisket fat side up on the bed of oranges and onions.
Cover tightly with foil and cook for 3½ hours at 325°F or until the internal temperature reaches 180°F.
While the brisket is in the oven, this would be a great time to make the Sarsaparilla-Ginger Glaze and Pickled Red Onion–Blood Orange Marmalade.
When the brisket is tender, remove the foil, turn the oven up to 425°F and brush Sarsaparilla-Ginger Glaze over the top of the fat cap.
Repeat every 5 minutes until the glaze is gone and a golden-brown skin has formed.
Remove the brisket from the pan and cool. (Be sure to save the braising liquid!)
Skim excess fat.
Once both are cooled, store the brisket in the braising liquid. Reheat brisket the next day in the liquid. You could also glaze it the day it’s served.
Pickled Onions
In a saucepan bring to boil vinegar, sugar, water and bay leaf.
Cut the onions in half from root to top, with the skin left on.
Place on an oiled sheet pan and roast in a 350°F oven for 45 minutes. Once the onions are tender, remove them from the oven, remove the outer skin and turn them over to cool.
Cut into ¼-inch dice, place in a container that will hold all the liquid and pour the brine over the cut onions.
Let chill in the refrigerator, ideally for a minimum of 24 hours, to pickle. These get better the longer they sit.
Marmalade
Cut the oranges in half and then place the cut side down on a cutting board to make slicing easier.
Slice each orange half into thin half-moons. Stack the slices and cut into ½-inch-wide pieces. Remove any seeds and stems.
In a wide pan, add water and sugar, grated ginger, bay leaf and star anise and bring to a boil.
Add the cut oranges and any juice that spilled out.
Cover and cook on medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. If the mixture is dry, add a little water or juice. Do not leave unattended, and be sure to stir from the bottom to prevent scorching. Once the orange peels are translucent and the mixture is thick and jamlike, chill.
Add the diced pickled red onions to the blood orange marmalade in a 1:3 ratio.(Hint: Keeping the onions separate will maintain their bright pink color and lend beauty to the final product.)
Taste for balance of sweet to tangy. Adjust with sugar or vinegar to your liking.
