Brisket ideas please!

[Waffler]

Having read about people's keenness on brisket, on the stew thread, I was pleased to find a piece of brisket reduced in price at the local farm shop yesterday. I grabbed it quick for £7 for just under 3kg (half price), but now am unsure of what to do with it. It's not a cut I've dealt with before, but I gather the approach is 'slow and steady'.
However, what I like the idea of is braising it in ale, or something along those lines, and I wondered whether anyone had any suggestions. I'm sure I could probably experiment to reasonable effect, but I'd rather not balls it up if there's a decent recipe I could follow!

Thank you, as always!

[Alice]

Hello Wafler, I cook brisket this way.

Lay out a peice of tinfoil big enough to wrap the joint
Put the brisket on it and season it with pepper and anything else you like
Wrap it up into a parcel and put it in a pot just big enough to hold it
Cover it with water and bring to a slow boil - you can add some vegetables to the water if you like
Simmer very gently for 45 mins per half kilo
Allow to cool before slicing
Use the liquid you cooked the meat in to make your gravy
Serve as for roast beef.

Will be interested to see what everybody else does.

[Gardeners Delight]

I always do it in tha slow cooker in something like guiness (? spelling) or a cheapo red wine always lvely & tender & a deliciuos stock ready for gravey and soup etc

[nick the grief]

How about this thread message #12

http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...highlight=cowl

[Waffler]

Yeah, I did look on that thread Nick, but nothing really jumped out at me (!) Well I had to do something, so it's in the oven now anyway, and this is the story so far:

Seared brisket all over in large (but not quite large enough) casserole. Removed to plate. Browned some whole shallots and button mushrooms. Added the brisket to the casserole and poured over a bottle of guinness and (don't shoot me!) half a tub of quality, but supermarket, beef gravy; I actually wanted beef stock, but they didn't have any and I had neither the time nor the wherewithall to make any. Covered with foil and put in the oven on 160C. The temperature was what I was unsure of; I know it has to be cooked slowly, so will that temperature be ok if I leave it for 3 - 4 hours?
I'm also planning on adding some chopped carrots and parsnips when there's a bit more room! Then I'm going to serve it with creamy mashed spuds and a good bottle of red wine.

I'll let you know how it turns out!

[Mrs Dobby]

Sounds nice that Waffler, any chance of a spare plateful coming this way?

Hope it tastes as good as it sounds!

[nick the grief]

My Mum used to do Briscket in the SLo oven on the AGA over night , it was absolutley beautiful. Sooooo tender you could cut it with a fork!!

Sounds OK to me. & the Cowl recipe I can recommend. I was treated to this once in wales with a noggin of Caerphilly & fresh bread & a big platefull of the Cowl - *drools on keyboard*

[Fezinio]

Its ages since i have seen a bit of brisket. Used to love fighting the string thinking it was a bit of meat when younger, silly me

Suppose the supermarkets have killed (pardon the pun) all the traditional cuts.

I was looking at some oxtail the other day and it was more expensive than steak !!!!

Anyway with cuts like shoulder or brisket i like to cook with my veggies with a little of stock and put in a casserole dish then seal the lid with flour and water (i think the Greeks do this). Cook on a very low heat for upto 24 hrs and I can tell you it is to die for

Fezinio

[Waffler]

That sounds an interesting idea Fezinio - but I bet the casserole dish is a bu***r to wash up!!

... still cooking...

[Fezinio]

Waffler,

yes i wondered why i didn't cook that way for ages

But leaving the pot in soak for a bit is well worth the hassle when you have food like this.

secret is to cook on the lowest heat possible. I think i will have to have another go now my mouth is watering.

I have tried with lamb,pork and beef before but i am not sure if chicken etc can be done this way.

looking forward to see how your brisket turns out

Fezinio

[nick the grief]

The Slooooowwwww cooker is another good way of doing it

[Waffler]

We don't have a slooooooooowwwwwwwwwwwww cooker! However, if we ever get this blasted kitchen replaced (sore point -should've been done by now) we will be putting in a Redfyre (like an AGA, for those not in the know) in, which is currently sat in pieces in our shed!

So to the brisket...

Turned out really rather well, if I do say so myself. I was pleasantly surprised, in that it was lovely and tender, if a bit fatty (I'm more of a 'Jack Spratt', than a Mrs Spratt). I think it could really have done with longer, so we only ate a few slices off one end and I shall continue cooking it for an hour or so. The gravy was fine, but I added a little cornflour just to thicken a bit. All in all a great success story. Thank you for mentioning the brisket on here - if it weren't for you, I wouldn't have given it a second look yesterday.

[nick the grief]

The cheaper cuts on meat have so much more flavour I think. I always prefer Shoulder to leg of Lamb, but Mrs grief doesn't so we have leg.

And whilst on the subject of lamb, Breast of lamb boned, stuffed & cooked is nice but even better the next day cold in a doorstop sarnie with lashings of brown sauce - do you think this accounts for my figure

[Alice]

Hello Waffler, glad your brisket turned out. If you think it needed a bit longer, I think it's always like that if you do it in the oven. Have another think about the method I suggested above. Comes out like very tender roast meat. Then tart it up with vegetables and gravy afterwards.

[Alice]

Lets see your figure Nick and we'll give you an opinion.