Low & Slow Shredded Beef Brisket

To make this recipe you will need:

• 900g lean brisket joint (unrolled)
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 1 tablespoon chipotle paste 
• 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

And here’s how to do it…

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.
4. Brown the joint on all sides and transfer to a large flame/ovenproof dish with a lid.
5. Add the chipotle paste, stock, tomatoes, honey and Bourbon (if used).
6. Cover, transfer to the oven and cook for 3-3½ hours until the beef is tender.
7. 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.
8. Add the vinegar and sugar.  
9. Continue to cook the onions for a further 10-15 minutes until the soft and syrupy.
10. 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.
11. 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