Easter Cooking, Part 2 - Beef Brisket

I love American style food for feeding a crowd of hungry people and this beef brisket recipe, which as it cooked made a delicious BBQ sauce, didn't disappoint over the Easter weekend. It is inspired from a Gordon Ramsay recipe.

First you will need a 1.5 kg good quality beef brisket joint from the butchers or supermarket. Start by making a dry fun using 4 tsps of smoked paprika, 2 tsps mustard powder, 2 tsps of cayenne chilli pepper, 2 tsps celery salt and salt and pepper. Rub into the meat.

Preheat the oven to gas mark one, about 110 degrees. In a hot pan using a glug of oil seal the meat on all sides and set aside. Take 3 large onions and slice, fry in the meat juices with 2 tablespoons of light brown sugar and 1 tablespoon of tomato puree until the sugar is caramelised and onion soft. Tip the onions and juice into a large roasting tray and place the sealed meat on top. Next de glaze the pan with 300mls of lager and pour into the roasting tray. Add 2 bay leaves, 350ml beef stock and seal the tray tightly with foil. Cook for 3.5 hours basting occasionally with the juices. When the meat is soft rest it for 15 mins on a plate and reduce the sauce in the roasting tray adding a glug of white wine vinegar. The meat is then ready to slice into chunks, pour over the tasty sauce and serve with homemade coleslaw and potato wedges.

Carly xx