A slow-cooker friendly and freezer-friendly meal.
Ingredients
Serves 12
Prep 20 mins
Cook 4 hours
- 1.75kg beef brisket 2 tbsp rapeseed oil a knob of butter
- 6 red onions, cut into wedges 500ml beef stock
- 120ml balsamic vinegar 4 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme
- 3 tbsp cornflour
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
To serve:
- Mashed potatoes
- Steamed cavolo nero
- Steamed baby carrots
Method
This is very simple to batch cook and the extra portions can be frozen for a later date. I've suggested serving it with some creamy mash, but it would also be delicious with jacket potatoes, polenta or rice to mix things up. The brisket runs from the bottom of the neck down under the ribs. Cut from the breast, this braising cut is excellent value in your local butcher and must be cooked slow and low.
- Preheat the oven to 160°c (325°F/gas mark 3).
- dry the brisket with kitchen paper and season generously. heat half of the oil in a casserole over a high heat and brown all over for about
- 5 minutes. transfer to a plate.
- Add the rest of the oil to the casserole with the butter and sauté the onions for 6–8 minutes, until they are starting to colour. transfer to a bowl and set aside.
- Put the stock in a jug and whisk in the balsamic, honey, soy, garlic and thyme. Put the brisket back into the casserole and pour over the stock mixture. cover and cook for 2 hours, then remove from the oven and add the onions. cover again and cook for another 1½ hours, until the beef is meltingly tender.
- Carefully lift out the brisket and transfer it to a board. Snip the string and use two forks to shred the meat, discarding any fatty bits. Put the cornflour in a small bowl and stir in 2–3 tablespoons of water until you have a smooth paste. Whisk this into the liquid in the casserole, then stir in the shredded beef. Bring to a simmer over a low heat and cook for a few minutes to thicken the sauce slightly.
- Serve the sticky balsamic beef in wide-rimmed bowls with some mashed potatoes, cavolo nero and baby carrots. Freeze the extra portions.
