Beef brisket

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JSM83

Assistant Cook
Joined
Oct 17, 2022
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Location
Reading, UK
Heya - has anyone got any advice??

I bought some beef brisket, put it in a big enamel coated cast iron pot, filled with chicken stock, oven cooked on 100C for about 9 hours. The meat was dry. What am I doing wrong??
 
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Could be any number of things.
Was it tender? Cut with a fork tender?
What did you do about the fat?
Did you make a gravy or sauce to go with it?
Seasonings were what?
Did you slice it across the grain or with the grain...or somewhat of both?
 
Could be any number of things.
Was it tender? Cut with a fork tender?
What did you do about the fat?
Did you make a gravy or sauce to go with it?
Seasonings were what?
Did you slice it across the grain or with the grain...or somewhat of both?
Ah ok, so not going to be the simplest answer.

Store bought brisket piece that seemed to have the fat fairly trimmed off (I didn’t season/salt it-probably an error), homemade chicken stock, tin of peeled plum tomatoes, red wine, onions, garlic.

In my big pot, I sweat the onions in butter and olive oil, then seared the meat (I think I did this in the wrong order here) and set aside. I poured in a glass of wine, cooked away the alcohol, put my tin of tomatoes and the brisket in the pot, put all my chicken stock in (which caused the brisket to be fully submerged - this might have been another error). Covered with the pot lid, in the oven at the lowest setting (100 Celsius I assume), cooked until I had to turn the oven off (about 9 hours), let cool in oven over night and placed the whole pot in the fridge as I had to go to work. Tried the brisket today after work, it’s soft enough (could be softer) - I haven’t pulled the meat apart or cut it yet, I just peeled some off with my fingers for a taste, peels away easy, but when I taste it, it feels dry in the mouth.
 
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Ok...strings are dry. Braised meat is only good because of the gravy you pour over it.
So take that cooking liquid and thicken it with some sort of whitewash (flour and water or cornstarch and water mixed till smooth and the consistency of thin paint)
To thicken: bring the cooking liquid up to a boil (remove the meat) and using a whisk, while briskly stirring pour in the whitewash in a thin stream to the liquid until the desired consistency is achieved. I really wouldn't remove the beef fat because it makes the gravy taste great.
Then season the gravy with things like Worcester sauce and salt and pepper. Taste it often as you season...it's easier to add more than it is to remove.
Remember the strings? Slice the meat in such a fashion as to make them as short as your slices are thick...meaning across the grain.

You probably are going to want potatoes of some sort to help use that gravy...also some good crusty bread. And vegetables...maybe a selection of root vegetables like carrots, turnips/parsnips and even Brussel sprouts are good here. Possibly the ever present broccoli or asparagus.
 
and don't forget to let us know how it turned out. It sounds delish! Haven't had something like that for a while!
Here you go mate, in the end, I made a sort of “soup”.
Cooked pasta and put it in an empty bowl, shredded the beef, grated Parmesan and then poured the hot liquid over (after straining)
 

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Did you like it?
Errrrmmm - it’s not winning any awards but it’s a lovely winter warmer if you’re starving and in a pinch ;-). I wonder what would go well with it?? It feels like it was missing something??
 
'Peppery' dumplings sound very good! Plus, when you say spring onion, perhaps what you need would be a nice salad to help "refresh your palate" along with those dumpling or even a baguette (don't forget the butter).

edit: actually never thought of horseradish as I;ve only ever have it with roast beef or used in a recipe. Have to remember this!
 
I don't think brisket was overcooked. I do think leaving in the oven to cool down was a mistake. Besides that brisket is the cheapest piece of cow, or almost cheapest. Being dry, not surprising.
 
I don't think brisket was overcooked. I do think leaving in the oven to cool down was a mistake. Besides that brisket is the cheapest piece of cow, or almost cheapest. Being dry, not surprising.
I've only ever seen brisket grilled slow on a pit. I agree with you about leaving it in the oven. It's a rude cut of meat for sure.
 
You totally overcooked it. Like hammered it. That’s why it was dry.

And leaving it in the oven overnight was a recipe for food poisoning. You’re lucky you weren’t in the ER after eating it!
 

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