Low and Slow Shredded Beef Brisket

This tender beef brisket is slow cooked with a combination of chipotle paste, stock, chopped tomatoes, honey and whiskey.  Shred and serve in soft rolls with caramelised sweet onions. A great recipe for barbecue or alfresco gatherings.

Prep Time: 15 mins

Cook Time: 3 hours 30 minutes

Serves: 6 people

Ingredients

  • 900g lean brisket joint (unrolled)
  • 2 tablespoons oil
  • 1 tablespoon chipotle paste (available at larger supermarkets)
  • 200ml good, hot beef stock
  • 1 x 400g can chopped tomatoes with herbs
  • 2 tablespoons runny honey
  • 3 tablespoons Bourbon whiskey, optional
  • For the Sweet Onions:
  • 2 red onions, peeled and sliced
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 2 tablespoons good balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon caster sugar
  • Bread rolls, to serve

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 150°C,130°C, Fan, Gas Mark 2.
  2. Heat half the oil in a large non-stick frying pan.
  3. Place the joint on a chopping board and season all over with salt and pepper. Brown the joint on all sides and transfer to a large flame/ovenproof dish with a lid.
  4. Add the chipotle paste, stock, tomatoes, honey and Bourbon (if used). Cover, transfer to the oven and cook for 3-3½ hours until the beef is tender.
  5. Meanwhile, prepare the sweet onions; put the onions in a small pan with the water and sweat the onions under a moderate heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add the vinegar and sugar.  Continue to cook the onions for a further 10-15 minutes until the soft and syrupy.
  6. Transfer the beef to a clean chopping board, reserving the sauce and `pull’ apart by securing with a fork and shredding the meat with a second fork.
  7. Pile the shredded brisket in rolls of your choice, spoon over the sauce and serve with the onions.

Tips:

The brisket can be reheated in a pan on the hob or on the barbecue. Alternatively, season brisket, cover and cook on the BBQ (indirect) for 3-4 hours. Transfer to a cast iron pot, add the wet ingredients, cover and cook over indirect heat for a further 3-4 hours for a optimum internal temperature of 95°C - perfect for pulling/shredding.