Slow cooked Brisket, Olde English Flavours!!!!!!

This is something of a signature dish of mine and one that I created almost eighteen years ago after doing some reading on the food of Medieval England. If you try this recipe, I hope that you enjoy it.

Slow cooked Brisket, Olde English Flavours!!!!!!

Brisket!!!!!!

Piece Brisket, weighing about 1.5kg

500mls Guinness

100gms Honey

Zest of two oranges (removed with a peeler)

1/4tsp cloves

100gms roughly chopped carrot

100gma roughly chopped onion

100gms Roughly chopped leek

1 cinnamon stick

10mls Rapeseed oil

20gms butter

Salt and Pepper

500mls Brown Veal or Beef stock

20gms butter and 10mls rapeseed oil ( For reheating the brisket)

Braised Red Cabbage

500mls red wine

200mls red wine vinegar

I medium red cabbage, quartered, core and finely shredded

½ tsp powdered cinnamon

4 granny smith apples, peeled, cored and quartered

2 Red onions, peeled, cut in half and thinly sliced

50gms butter

15mls Rapeseed oil

150gms Dark Muscavado sugar

To finish the sauce!!!

2tblspns Double cream

20gms butter

Salt and Cracked black pepper to taste

Beer battered onion rings!!!!

1 white onion, peeled, sliced and split into rings

300mls Olde English ale

150gms Plain flour

oil for deep frying

To Garnish!!!!!

Punnet baby watercress

Cooking the Brisket!!!!

Note that the brisket should be a flat boneless piece, not boned and rolled. Season the meat with salt and pepper and in a hot, cast skillet, heat the oil and butter until foaming. Place the meat in the skillet and brown thoroughly on all sides and then transfer to a roasting dish with a tight fitting lid. Add the vegetables to the skillet and brown thoroughly and then add to the roasting dish. De-glaze the skillet with the Guinness and reduce by half and then add the veal or beef stock, cloves cinnamon stick, orange zest and honey. Bring the sauce to the boil and pour over the meat and vegetables. Cover with the lid and braise in an oven that has been pre – heated to 150c for three hours or until the meat is tender. Allow the meat to cool completely and reserve. Note, this stage can be done in advance.

Cooking the Red Cabbage!!!

In a heavy bottomed sauce pan, heat the oil and butter until foaming and then add the red onion and cook until soft. Then add the finely shredded red cabbage and cook for three to four minutes until well coated with the oil and butter mixture. Then add the remaining ingredients, bring to the boil and then lower the heat to a gentle simmer. Cook the cabbage for one and a half to two hours until it has a chutney like consistency. Set aside in a warm place

Finishing the sauce!!!!

After the meat has finished cooking, strain the cooking juices through a fine sieve into a clean pan and bring to the boil. Reduce the liquid until coats the back of a spoon and then add the cream and whisk in the butter. Set aside and keep warm.

For the onion rings!!!!

Whisk together the beer and flour to form a smooth batter. Heat the oil to 190c and dip the onion rings in the batter and then deep fry until golden brown and crispy.

To reheat the brisket!!!!!

Cut the meat into oblong pieces of around 10cm by 5cm. Heat the reaming oil and butter in the skillet until foaming. Place the meat in the hot fats and cook on the stove for two to three minutes. Then place the skillet in the oven (which has been pre – heated to 200c) for five minutes.

Serving!!!!

Divide the cabbage into the centre of four heated serving plates. Remove the meat from the oven and place one piece on the top of each serving of red cabbage.

Spoon the sauce over and around the meat and garnish with some watercress. Serve and enjoy.