Beef Brisket Pot Roast

Prep Time

35mins

Cooking 

4hrs 15mins

Time Total Time

4hrs 50mins

Ingredients

1. 2KG Beef brisket, flat cut or point cut.
2. Salt
3. 1-2 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
4. 3 Large onions, sliced.
5. 1 Sprig Thyme
6. 1 Sprig Rosemary
7. 3-4 Bay Leaves
8. 2 Cups of Beef stock
9. 2-3 Large Carrots, peeled and cut into 1 ½ -inch pieces.
10. Celery (Optional) 
11. tbsp mustard (optional)

Want to impress your dinner guests? This juicy Beef Brisket Pot Roast is a winner in my book. Brisket is a fabulous cut of meat, located between the shoulder and the forelegs. These muscles get a workout, giving the meat more flavour, also very well marbled with fat, adding even more flavour.

Note to Chef: A whole Brisket has two parts, the ‘Flat Cut’ and the ‘Point Cut’. The flat cut is obviously flatter and leaner than the point cut and more widely available. This cut is often used for roasts you intend to slice. However, the point cut is fattier and has much more marbling throughout thus, making it more flavourful and easier for it to just fall to shreds once cooked.

This brisket recipe is essentially a Pot Roast – a slow braise with lots of onions. A brief run-down just to show you how easy it can be. First, you score the fat side of the roast help it render while cooking. Then, you sear the brisket on all sides on a hot pan. Once the brisket is well browned, you brown a bunch of sliced onions in the same pan, add back the roast, add some herbs and stock, cover the pot and cook it in the oven for several hours, adding carrots near the end until the beef brisket is falling-apart tender. Sounds super easy right?

Method

1. Prepare the Brisket:

On one side of the brisket there should be a layer of fat, which you want. Although, if there are any large chunks of fat, cut them off and discard them. Large pieces of fat will not be able to render out completely.

Using a sharp knife, score the fat in parallel lines, about ¾ inch apart. Slice through the fat, not the Beef. Repeat in the opposite directions to make a crosshatch pattern. Salt the brisket well and let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.

2. Sear the Brisket:

You’ll need an ovenproof, thick-bottomed pot with a cover or a Dutch oven that is just wide enough to hold the brisket roast, allowing a little room for the onions.

Pat the beef brisket dry and place it, fatty side down, into the pot and place it on a medium high heat. Cook for 5-8 minutes, lightly sizzling, until the fat side is nicely browned. (Side note: If the Roast seems to be cooking too fast, don’t stress – just turn down the heat to medium. The idea is for it to be an even steady sizzle rather than a raging sear).

Turn the beef brisket over and cook for a few minutes more to brown the other side. 

3. Sauté the Onions and Garlic:

Once the beef brisket has browned, remove it from the pot and set aside. There should be a couple tablespoons of fat rendered in the pot. If not, add some olive oil.

Add the chopped onions and increase the heat to a high heat. Sprinkle a little salt on the onions. Sauté, stirring often, until the onions are lightly browned, 5-8 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook 1-2 more minutes.

4. Simmer the brisket and roast it:

Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C). Use kitchen twine or even just a little bit of string to tie together the bay leaves, rosemary and thyme.

Move the onions and garlic to the sides of the pot and nestle the brisket inside. Add the Beef stock and tied-up herbs. Bring the stock to a boil on the stovetop. Cover the pot, then place in the oven. Cook for 3 hours and flip the beef brisket every hour or so until it cooks evenly.

After 3 hours add the carrots and then cook for another hour until the carrots are cooked and the beef brisket is falling apart tender.

5. Make the sauce (optional)

This is a very simple and basic sauce that can be made using the remaining ingredients of the Pot Roast. Alternatively, you can experiment with any kind of sauce or gravy. Jerk or BBQ being a few suggestions.

To make the sauce, remove the Carrots and half of the Onions, set aside and cover them with foil. Pour the remaining into a blender and puree until smooth. If you want, you can add a tablespoon of mustard to the mix, to give it that extra kick. This sauce is best served warm.

Slice and serve this moth-watering Beef Brisket Pot Roast alongside carrots, onions – mashed, roasted or boiled potatoes and your choice of sauce or gravy.

A simply divine dish you can’t go wrong with! Bon Appetit!