Natalie McLaury is a St Louis based food writer with…
This recipe is a two day labor of love. The finished product melts in your mouth; the creamy polenta sops up all of the juices left behind and the caramelized onion jam takes the entire dish up a notch.
By Natalie McLaury
We are a family that is always on the go. A free weeknight is rare, a weekend, even rarer. I’m usually thinking two steps ahead and rushing full speed to get there. As I result, I tend to opt for quick and easy meals. Unfortunately, as much as I strive for efficiency, too often I fall into the trap of taking shortcuts and rushing through life. When I purposefully take a step back, slow down, and, cliche as it sounds, enjoy the ride, I witness a bit of perfection that would otherwise never come to fruition. I’ve noticed this in parenthood, in my marriage, and, yes, in my food. There’s something particularly satisfying about a meal that you planned and then took time perfecting, far more satisfying than a rushed and distracted thirty minutes.
The fact of the matter is, sometimes the best things in life take a little extra time…. waiting for homemade ice cream to churn and then freeze is ultimately more rewarding than anything you can eat out of a carton, Fiji Water, yes, you know the fancy water I’m talking about, tastes particularly fresh because it is tapped at the source after its journey from cloud to aquifer, and that ten year old friendship that’s been cultivated over years is always going to mean more than the new acquaintance down the street. The same can be said about this beer-braised brisket served over cheesy polenta.
It’s a two day process, beginning with a four hour cook in the oven, an overnight rest to soak up flavor, and a final reheat of the tender meat. The finished product melts in your mouth; the creamy polenta sops up all of the juices left behind and the caramelized onion jam takes the entire dish up a notch. This recipe is a labor of love, and one that deservedly tastes as such! Learn this lesson alongside of me; when you slow down enough to savor something, even at the expense of your supposedly valuable time, you gain perspective, patience, and, dare I say it, perfection!
Get this and many other Perfection Takes Time Recipes here or visit FIJI Water’s homepage.
This post is part of “Perfection Takes Time”, a partnership between Honest Cooking and FIJI Water.
Natalie McLaury is a St Louis based food writer with a passion for real food and experimenting in the kitchen. Her cooking ranges from healthy three course meals to decadent desserts, and she shares many of her food tips and recipes on her successful The Sweets Life blog . As an avid runner and fitness expert, she also gives the occasional tips on how to combine a serious interest in health with a sweet tooth.