HOME-CORNED BEEF BRISKET & CABBAGE, NEW ENGLAND-STYLE

Steps:

• Mix salt and seasonings in a small bowl.
• Spear brisket about 30 times per side with meat fork or metal skewers.
• Rub each side evenly with salt mixture; place in a 2-gallon-size zipper-lock bag, forcing out as much air as possible.
• Place in a pan large enough to hold it (a jelly-roll pan works well), cover with second or similar sized pan, and weight with two bricks or heavy cans of similar weight.
• Refrigerate 5 to 7 days, turning once a day.
• Rinse meat and pat dry.
• Bring brisket to a boil with water to cover by 1/2 to 1 inch in a large soup kettle or stockpot (at least eight quarts), skimming any scum that rises to surface.
• Cover and simmer until skewer inserted in thickest part of briskest slides out with ease, 2 to 3 hours.
• Heat oven to 200 degrees F.
• Transfer meat to a large platter, ladling about 1 cup cooking liquid over it to keep it moist.
• Cover with foil and set in oven.
• Add vegetables from category 1 to kettle (see below) and bring to a boil; cover and simmer until vegetables begin to soften, about 10 minutes.
• Add vegetables from category 2 and bring to a boil; cover and simmer until all vegetables are tender, 10 to 15 minutes longer.
• Meanwhile, remove the meat from oven and cut across the grain into 1/4-inch thick slices.
• Transfer vegetables to meat platter, moisten with additional broth and serve.
• VEGETABLES-CATEGORY 1: Carrots-peeled& halved crosswise; thin end halved lengthwise; Rutabagas-peeled& halved crosswise; each half cut into 6 chunks; White turnips-peeled and quartered; New potatoes-scrubbed and left whole.
• VEGETABLES-CATEGORY 2: Boiling onions-peeled and left whole; Green cabbage-uncored (small head), blemished leaves removed& cut into 6 to 8 wedges; Parsnips-peeled& halved crosswise; thin ends halved lengthwise, thick end quartered lengthwise; Brussel sprouts-blemished leaves removed, stems trimmed and left whole.