Slow Roasted Beef Brisket

Disclaimer: I have never been to Texas or Mexico so sorry for the horrible cultural appropriation.  Tex-Mex conjures up images of terrible all you can eat buffets such as Big Luke’s – this slow roast is hopefully a far cry from that. This method is a bit unconventional as the rub goes on after sealing the meat.  Goes nicely in a wrap with some avocado/guacamole and refried beans. Or throw together some onions, garlic, peppers with some spices and some kidney/borlotti beans.  Also good with sweet potato fries…

Gear

• Large oven dish/roasting tray
• Decent knife
• Chopping board (prob 2 or 3), one for raw meat, one for chopping shallots etc., one for cooked meat
• Large frying pan
• Tongs to turn your beef and to help carve it.
• Big bowl to mix spices/large plate to rub the meat
• Pestle and mortar

Slow Roasted Beef Brisket

(‘Tex/Mex’ style)

Ingredients

For the roasting

• 800g – 1kg beef brisket (usually comes rolled in string, I remove the string and unroll for this, try to get one without too much fat on the outside).
• 3 large shallots sliced in half lengthways, skin off (or on if you prefer).
• 6 cloves of garlic kept whole, skin on.
• 6 green/red finger chillies.
• 250ml of beef stock (hot) (Optional put a couple of teaspoons of gravy powder in there too).
• approx. 3 tbsp of good quality rapeseed oil Sea salt and pepper

Here’s the rub

(muck about with this bit; I’ve never made it the same way twice)

• 1 tbsp smoked paprika.
• 1tbsp regular paprika.
• 1 tbsp cumin seeds (crushed in pestle and mortar).
• 1tbsp coriander seeds (crushed in pestle and mortar).
• several black pepper corns (crushed in pestle and mortar).
• 1tsp turmeric.
• 1tsp cayenne chilli powder (adjust to taste).
• 2tsp good quality cocoa powder.
• Good pinch of sea salt A few tsp of white caster sugar (like 3 ish).

Method

Method

1. Get your oven preheated to 180^oC. Put 2tbsp of the oil in the bottom of your oven dish/roasting tray. Arrange the shallots in a row with the garlic and chilli arranged regularly between them.
2. Trim off some of the excess fat from the brisket, whilst it should render down in the cooking, too much can be a bit off putting.  Do leave a bit of fat on if you like this though (I personally do).  Sprinkle a bit of sea salt and freshly ground pepper all around the meat.
3. Put your frying pan on the hob with the other 1tbsp of oil and get this hot (like nearly smoking).  Then add the beef, fattiest side down first.  Seal for about 2 mins, then turn and seal the other side for about 2 mins.  Then seal each ‘side’ for about 45 seconds each. Remove from pan and place in a bowl with the rub or onto a chopping board or large plate, bowl is probably the least messy option.
4. Allow the brisket to cool for a few mins and then rub the ‘rub’ all over the brisket, apologies you will get yellow and brown stains all over your hands from the turmeric/cocoa combo. Try to get it fairly even and into any ‘flaps’, basically you want as much meat covered as possible.
5. Okay we are set to start cooking, this is where the ‘magic’ happens.  Lay the brisket on top of your shallots/garlic/chilli layer and carefully add the beef stock into the bottom of the dish/tray (don’t pour it over the beef!).
6. Place the dish in the oven for 20 mins to allow the spices in the rub to toast a bit and brown.  Remove the tray from the oven. Reduce the oven temperature to 140^oC.
7. Place a small piece of greaseproof paper over the meat.  Then tightly cover the tray/dish with a double layer of foil.  You want it sealed so none of the steam/juices can get out, otherwise the beef will dry out.
8. Place the beef back in the oven and cook for about 3 hours. Remove and leave to rest for about 15 minutes.
9. Remove the foil and place the beef on a board to carve.  I usually like to slice it horizontally, try and go with the direction where it doesn’t fall apart and remains as slices.
10. Place these slices into a clean dish and pour the cooking juices over the top, you can pop the bits of garlic out of their skins too if you like.