Roast brisket

For some reason brisket isn't something we eat much of in the UK, we might cure it and make salt beef, but we rarely roast it. Whereas in America, brisket is basically the (historic) staple of any Jewish celebration.  

Slow roasting it ensures the fat and collagen melt slowly and baste the meat as it cooks.  I'd also suggest asking your butcher to hang your brisket as you might rib before you roast it.  It adds significant depth of flavour to the final dish.

This is the recipe I used at my recent demonstration at JW3.

Serves: 10/12 

Timing: 4.5 hours (4 hours + 0.5 hour resting) 

Ingredients

• 2.5 / 3kg brisket
• 6 cloves of garlic
• 2 fresh bay leaves or 1 dried
• 2 carrots - peeled & cut into large dice
• 2 onions - peeled & cut into large dice
• 1 stick of celery - peeled & cut into large dice

Heat the oven to 165ºC.

Place the carrots, onions and celery into a roasting tray.  It will need to be relatively large to fit the beef, but you want it to fit snugly.

Place the beef on top of the vegetables.

Liberally rub into the beef salt and pepper.  Add more than you think you need.

Make sure the beef is fat-side up i.e. you can see the fat.  When it cooks this allows the beef to be self-basted.

Sprinkle the cloves and the bay on to the beef.

Add a dash of liquid to the dish. This could be water, wine, cider or stock.

Cover tightly in silver foil.

Place in the middle shelf of the oven.

After 4 hours remove from the oven, leave the foil on and allow it to rest for 30 mins.

Once rested, slice against the grain and serve.