Slow Cooked Brisket
Brisket is a cheaper cut of beef, and is best cooked low and slow with a tasty liquid to keep it moist. This recipe uses red wine, but you could also use beer, cider or water.
Ingredients (serves 4)
1.5kg brisket of beef, boned and rolled
1 medium onion, chopped 400ml (approx)
Red wine or other liquid
2 bay leaves
Sprig of thyme
1 tbsp hedgerow jelly
1 tsp oil or butter
Salt and pepper to taste
Method: Pre-heat the oven to 160oC. Heat a teaspoon of oil or butter in a flying pan and brown the brisket, turning so each side is browned. This gives it a good colour and improves the flavour. Remove the brisket and pat off any excess fat. Soften the onions in the same pan. Find an oven-proof casserole dish with a close-fitting lid that is just larger than the joint of meat. Put the brisket in the pot and put the onions around it. Add the herbs and wine so that about a third of the beef is ‘underwater’. Put the lid on and place in the oven for 2 hours for a 1.5kg joint. To calculate the cooking time, work on 30 minutes plus 30-40 minutes per 500g. When the time is up, check that the meat is done to your satisfaction and then remove from the pot and put somewhere warm. The liquid can now be thickened to form a gravy. Put the pan on the hob and bring to a brisk simmer to reduce. Check the seasoning and add hedgerow jelly to thicken and sweeten. Serve with mashed root vegetables (a mix of carrots, swede, turnip, celeriac, parsnip, depending upon seasonal availability) or mashed potatoes and steamed greens.