Taking the Brisket

Brisket is a superb value cut of beef that needs to be cooked low and slow until it is melt-in-the-mouth tender.  There are two styles of cooking that I like with Brisket, with BBQ being my favourite and pot roast being the classic Englsih version.

BBQ
If you have a Big Greeen Egg BBQ or similar, then you need to set up indirect cooking at 110°C.  Depending on the size of your brisket will depend on your cooking time, but you need to get the brisket to 92°C for perfect results.  Definitely add woodchips at the start of your cook to give that smokey flavour.

Pot Roast
If you want to go for the slow pot roast, then a rolled brisket is the cut you need. Here is a simple, but extremely tasty recipe, ideal for a Sunday lunch after a long walk, with mashed potatoes, cabbage and carrots.  Make sure to get extra, as a brisket sandwich with piccalilli is hard to beat the next day.

Pot Roast Rolled Brisket Recipe

Serves 6

Ingredients:

• 1 rolled brisket (2kg)
• 2–3 Tbsp butter
• 5 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 3 stalks celery, chopped
• 2 medium/small onions, sliced
• 400g Chestnut mushrooms quartered
• Whole garlic bulb, cut in half
• small bunch parsley
• a few sprigs of thyme
• 500ml red wine, beef stock or beer
• Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 190°C/Gas 5/fan oven 170°C.
2. Pat dry and heavily season brisket with salt and pepper
3. Heat the oil in a thick-bottomed casserole dish (with lid) on medium high heat and brown the brisket on all sides.
4. Remove the brisket, lower the heat, add the butter and the chopped veg for 7 minutes
5. Return the brisket to the pan and add your liquid of choice and the herbs. Add water if necessary until the brisket is 2/3rd covered and bring to a simmer.
6. Cook at 190°C for 20 minutes before reducing the heat to 160°C and cook for two hours until tender, or until brisket has reached an internal temperature of 92°C
7. Place brisket in foil to rest, remove the fat from the juices, stir in mustard, season to taste.  Serve with mashed potatoes, seasonal greens and the juice.