Slow-roast beef brisket
This slow-roast beef by Gill Meller features a wonderful brisket cut of beef with a deep, rounded flavour. It responds really well to slow cooking, becoming so very tender. Roast it gently for several hours in a heavy casserole dish or cast-iron pot. This helps the meat stay lovely and moist, and creates fantastic juices to serve with it at the end.
- Serves8
- CourseMain meal
- Prepare15 mins
- Cook4 hrs 10 mins
- Total time4 hrs 25 mins
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil or beef dripping
- 1.7kg Aberdeen Angus boned and rolled beef brisket
- 6 large garlic cloves, peeled
- 4 medium red onions, cut into wedges
- ½ x 20g pack fresh thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 75ml red wine
- ½ tbsp red wine vinegar
- ½ x 25g pack flat leaf parsley, leaves roughly chopped
Method
Preheat the oven to 140˚C, gas mark 1. Heat the oil or dripping in a wide, heavy-based, flameproof, lidded casserole dish until it’s nice and hot. Season the brisket, then carefully put in the pan. Fry the meat in the fat, turning occasionally, for 4-5 minutes, until it becomes a deep golden colour
Tuck the garlic cloves, onion wedges, thyme and bay leaves around the meat, then add the wine and 250ml water. Put a lid on the pan and pop it in the oven. Cook for 4 hours, turning the meat once or twice during this time (try not to break up the onions too much)
Remove the beef from the oven and carefully lift it onto a large, warm platter to rest. Arrange the onions and garlic around the meat. Meanwhile, skim off any excess fat from the juices in the casserole dish, then set over a medium heat. Add the red wine vinegar. Bring to a low simmer and cook for a minute or so. Carve the meat into thick slices, then spoon the sauce over it, scatter with the parsley and bring to the table. I love to serve this with rich, buttery, soft polenta but it is equally delicious served with mash.
Nutritional
Typical values per serving when made using specific products in recipe
Energy | 2,104kJ/ 505kcals |
|---|---|
Fat | 32g |
Saturated Fat | 12g |
Carbohydrates | 6.4g |
Sugars | 4.1g |
Fibre | 46g |
Protein | 0.3g |
Salt | 1.1g |