Slow cook it.
Doing the usual Sunday roast this weekend but instead of a topside of beef, I've bought a rolled brisket, (about 2.5kgs).
I've found this recipie online;
https://www.rspcaassured.org.uk/get-...harry-hewlett/
But thought I'd open it up to the chefs amongst us to see if there was a better way.
Don't want to cock this up as I have a very important pair of guests coming!
Thanks in advance
Dave
Slow cook it.
So clever my foot fell off.
If the guests are that important..................,take them out to lunch.
Another one
https://www.rivercottage.net/recipes...oes-and-onions
seal and brown then slow cook bought brisket by mistake a few months ago and have been both surprised and pleased with the flavour.
I'm with the banana- do it s l o w.
My approach is to lob the meat into a roasting tray with about 1.5l of beef stock and some spuds, cut to your preferred size. Cover with foil, and roast for 4+ hours at about 130C
Take a look every couple of hours to make sure it doesn't dry out. Take the meat out 30-50 mins before serving to rest, and stick the spuds back in separately to crisp, and to cook the yorkies (temp up to 220C).
Your meat should be falling to bits, and the spuds will have taken on a lovely meaty flavour. And you should have the start of some epic gravy.
I`m no expert chef, but I`ve learned my lesson with roast beef, I won`t cook it if I`m relying on serving guests with it. I`ve bought joints that looked OK but after careful roasting (NOT overcooked!) they've been as tough as old boots.....what my dad used to refer to as 'old cow'. If the meats from an old beast it's likely to be tough, that's my understanding, and unless you're a better judge than I am you can`t be certain you're not getting sold a bit of old cow. Have to confess to buying from the supermarket, perhaps a good quality butcher is a better bet......but try telling my wife that!
If that lovely lean joint turns out to be a piece of old cow, don`t despair, and don`t try to naw your way through it. Simply slice the meat up, boil it in water with an oxo in and a few pieces of onion for an hour or so, then test it. This usually makes the meat nice and tender, warm it up next day and it'll taste nice....and you'll be able to get your teeth through it.
Same applies to steak, if it's poor meat it doesn`t matter how carefully you cook it, it'll be tough. Boil it up and eat it later.
Here's another top tip: if you like tasty gravy try putting tinned tomatos in, blitz them first in a blender to make them smooth and add to taste.
Paul's beef, onion and tomato is awesome...trust me!
Slow and low is the secret with brisket.
My personal favourite is a rib eye joint, always on the table for Xmas dinner !
Oh an always buy from your local butcher, if not Costco does do some quality meat
Definitely worth buying from a good local butcher!
This has reminded me of an incident from childhood. My dad hated tough meat and prided himself on being able to choose the good from the not so good. He also knew the local butcher well, which helped.
One day, mum decided to buy some steak from another butcher, cooked it, and it was tough as old boots! Dad tried eating his, realised it was like leather, and started chuntering. After a few mouthfuls he picked the steak up, hurled it on the floor at the boxer dog, followed by these immortal words.....'Here dog, you have a go at it!'
I`m the same, I can`t stand tough meat, I`d rather have good sausage than mediocre steak.
Have done this one many timed, in fact last Saturday with 2 sauce, both with onion mushrooms and ignited brandy with cream and stock, one had chopped chilli
Great dish and simple to make
Had Brisket all the time in the USA always tasty the way they do it
Agree with the slow technique. My joint technique is seal/brown the joint in a mix of butter and oil initially, take out joint then add some chopped,onions and soften in oil/butter left in pan. Add some beef stock (400ml ish) making sure you scrape all the good stuff from pan, can also add red wine or a dark beer at this point, put beef back in on top,of onions (so they act as a trivet) cover and cook low (160ish) for 3-4 hours minimum. A meat thermometer is handy to check internal temp is OK towards end.
At end, take out beef, cover with tin foil and rest for at least 30 minutes. While resting, make gravy by adding more water to,pan juices (if needed), again scrape all the good stuff from sides and bottom of pan. Add a tablespoon of butter here to make gravy nice and glossy, then strain through a sieve or collander to remover onions. These work great as a side dish - caramelised beefy onions. Place gravy in boat, carve beef, service with onions as side. Roasties and Yorkshire’s compulsory obvs. Enjoy.
It's called "oven buster" for a reason
My wife simply place the joint in a pressure cooker for 6 hours. That's it, just the beef - no water, no salt or pepper, etc just the beef. She has added celery in the past, but it's a bit meh!
The meat comes out super juicy and you use the stock for the gravy.
Just add roast potatoes, roast parsnip, roast carrots some green veg and Yorkshire pudding. Sorted.
Whoever does not know how to hit the nail on the head should be asked not to hit it at all.
Friedrich Nietzsche
Reading the above is making me hungry.. :-) I use a slow cooker after sealing the meat, comes out so tender...
Low and slow, covered in a double layer of foil. I would use a dry rub too, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, mustard etc. prob 5-6 hours with a good 30-40 mins rest after
I brine mine for 24 hours then cover in cheap American style yellow mustard before rubbing with this stuff
I then smoke it in my ProQ for about 12 hours. looking for a good solid 110 degree internal temp for 5 or 6 hours. Its smoked indirectly as the smoker has a water pan to make sure I get that nice long slow smoke.
This is the result.
it's a lot of hassle but worth it. Can't get proper Texas style brisket anywhere near me so I resorted to learning how to make my own.
Last edited by jammie*dodger; 7th November 2018 at 13:27.
Thanks, like I say its quite a lot of trouble and needs a very early start in the day to be ready on time. As a result I only cook it once or twice a year. Its great to see the look on peoples face when they try it though.
My family who lived in Texas with me for a while do that thing where they close their eyes with the first bite and you can almost see the memories flooding back.
That does look good .
Now I'm really hungry!
The most secure way of cooking slow is always sous vide. There is simply no better way of being able to control the result of your cooking. That is especially important when you are having guests.
LINKY
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