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Slow-Braised Brisket
Rolled brisket braised low and slow in ale and stock until it falls apart. The ultimate make-ahead Sunday centrepiece.
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The exact cuts from our counter, delivered fresh across Essex.
Brisket is a hard-working muscle loaded with connective tissue — which is exactly why it's so good braised. Given four gentle hours, all that collagen turns to gelatine and the meat slices like butter with a gravy that needs nothing added.
Method
Heat the oven to 160°C (140°C fan). Season the brisket well all over.
Heat the oil in a large casserole and brown the brisket deeply on all sides — a good 10 minutes. Remove and set aside.
Add the onions and carrots to the pot and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and tomato purée and cook for 1 minute more.
Pour in the ale and scrape the bottom of the pot clean. Add the stock, bay and thyme.
Return the brisket, fat-side up. The liquid should come halfway up the meat — top up with water if needed.
Cover with a tight lid and braise in the oven for 3 hours 30 minutes to 4 hours, until a fork slides in with no resistance.
Rest the meat for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, strain the braising liquid, skim the fat, and reduce by a third for the gravy.
Slice thickly against the grain and serve with the gravy, mash and buttered cabbage.
Pro tips from the block
- Braise a day ahead: brisket improves overnight, and the fat lifts cleanly off the chilled gravy.
- Fork test, not clock: when it yields without argument, it's done. Before that, it isn't.
- Keep the string on: slice after resting, then remove the string — the joint holds its shape.
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