How To Cook Beef Brisket
How To Cook Your Brisket
Brisket is a versatile and affordable cut of beef and arguably the most flavoursome part of the animal given the right TLC. Cooking your brisket to perfection is the key to unlocking its full flavour potential and that means cooking low and slow. Read on to discover the not-so-secret top tips for cooking your delicious beef brisket to perfection.
What is Brisket Anyway?
Brisket is a cut of beef that runs from the lower neck of the animal down to under the ribs. It’s one of the cheapest cuts of beef available but not so easy to find. So, for a good piece of brisket your best bet is to visit your local butcher or farmer’s market, as it’s not so readily available in the supermarkets. Brisket contains a lot of connective tissue, which can make it tough (but is also incredibly good for you) so it requires patience when cooking for a sumptuous and tender outcome. But with the right treatment brisket can be the star of your roast, with an unbelievable flavour and melt-in-the-mouth texture.
How to Cook Your Brisket to Perfection
As we enter the winter months it’s easier (and more realistic!) to oven roast your brisket. Having said that, in the warmer months of the year beef brisket is a barbecue favourite and tastes amazing smoked.
Whichever your cooking method, the secret to cooking your brisket just right is to cook low and slow, that is cooking at a low temperature and slow speed. Once you’ve mastered the low and slow principles, here’s how to oven cook your brisket to perfection.
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (for a conventional fan oven)
- Season with sea salt and cracked black pepper
- Take a deep-sided, heavy bottomed roasting tray and line with a vegetable trivet and herbs of your choice – this acts like a bed for the meat, helping it to cook evenly
- Place your brisket onto the veg trivet fat side up – this will help to retain moisture and add flavour as it cooks
- Roast in the oven for an initial 30 minutes at 200°C then reduce the temperature to 120°C and continue to roast for 6-8 hours
- No need to check the temperature of the meat, you'll know it's done when it falls apart when you put a fork into it, if it doesn't, put it back for an hour or so
- Once you’re happy your brisket is cooked to your liking, remove from the oven and cover in foil then allow to rest for a good 20 minutes before pulling it apart
- Add 500ml quality beef stock to the juices of the meat and deglaze the pan for an amazingly tasty gravy – serve with the veg trivet and some crispy roast potatoes and you're done!
As the nights cut in and the temperatures drop, autumn is the perfect time of year to get back into the swing of slow cooking for a tasty and tummy-warming feast that’s ready from the moment you step through the door. The perfect Sunday roast or midweek slow cooker feast, why not make beef brisket the star of your next dish?
