How to Cook Brisket

Brisket is a cut of meat that is taken from the breast section just beneath the ribs. It is quite a tough cut of beef and requires prolonged cooking time to make it tender. Brisket is ideal for braising, stewing or pot roasting as these cooking methods help in softening the meat. When you are cooking beef brisket do not trim the fat as the fat allows the flavor of the meat to be more intense and prevents it from becoming to dry.

How to Cook Brisket in Oven

This is one of the most quickest and easiest way to cook a brisket. Select a brisket that is evenly thick and do not trim any extra fat. Rub the brisket thoroughly with coarse sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Heat the oven to 330 degrees and place a roasting tin in it. Remove the roasting tin from the oven when it gets hot, and add 4 tablespoons of any vegetable oil. Add the brisket and put in the oven for 5 to 6 minutes until it is browned on one side. Flip the brisket on the other side and sear until it is browned on this side too. Remove the roasting tin from the oven and transfer the seared brisket to a platter.

In the roasting tin, add a cup of sliced onions, minced garlic, chopped tomatoes along with the seared brisket and a cup of red wine. Cover the pan with an aluminum foil and roast the meat for 2 hours in the oven. After two hours, remove the aluminum foil and roast for another 30 to 45 minutes until the brisket is tender. Transfer the meat to a chopping board and pour the sauce from the roasting tin into a medium-sized pan. Heat the pan with the sauce over a medium flame and reduce the sauce to half. Add 2 tablespoons of vinegar and check the seasoning. Now thinly slice the brisket with a sharp knife and arrange the slices in a platter. Drizzle the sauce over the sliced briskets and serve hot.

Cooking Brisket in a Crock Pot

Here is an easy crock pot brisket recipe. The beauty of this recipe is that once you put all the ingredients in the crock pot, you can forget about it.

Ingredients

• 1 beef brisket
• 2 medium-sized red onions, chopped
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons mustard paste
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 2 tablespoons freshly ground pepper

Method

Arrange the chopped onions at the bottom of the crock pot and then place the brisket over it. Add the minced garlic, salt, bay leaf and freshly ground pepper. In a small bowl, combine the vinegar, mustard paste and sugar. Pour this mixture over the brisket and then add the chopped tomatoes. Now add beef broth and cover the crock pot. Cook at a medium heat for 4 to 5 hours. Remove the brisket from the crock pot, and place it on a plate. Cover the plate with an aluminum foil and let it stand for some time. Mix 2 tablespoons of flour with a little water and add to the crockpot stirring constantly until the gravy is reduced. Remove the aluminum foil from the brisket and cut the brisket into thin slices.

Grilling Beef Brisket

Grilling is also another way of cooking brisket. So here is a grilled brisket recipe that is very delicious and retains the juiciness of the beef.

Ingredients

• 1 beef brisket
• 1 cup tomato sauce
• ¼ cup white wine vinegar
• juice of 1 lemon
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon mustard sauce
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper
• 1 medium-sized onion, chopped
• 2 tablespoons salt

Method

In a large roasting tray, add the chopped onions, minced garlic, tomato sauce, white wine vinegar, lemon juice, mustard sauce, salt, pepper and brown sugar. Marinade the brisket in the roasting tin for 7 to 8 hours, preferably overnight. Grill the brisket with a little oil until it has browned and thinly slice it across the grain to serve.

Now that you know how to cook brisket, you can serve your family a delicious and mouth-watering brisket. The leftovers can be used by shredding the meat and using it for making salads and sandwiches.