TANGY SPICED BRISKET

“Ek het hierdie resep van Smitten Kitchen redelik naby gevolg en dit is werklik wonderlik. Ek sal die suiker met maklik die helfte verminder en dalk ‘n paar eetlepels asyn volgende keer byvoeg. My vleis was ‘n heel stuk beenlose brisket; jy kan seker skywe gebruik, maar ek sou die roast snit weergawe aanbeveel. My vleis was net oor die 2 kg, maar ek het die hele hoeveelheid sous gemaak. Ek het myne in ‘n slow cooker gemaak, maar daar is ook ’n oondmetode gegee met die oorspronklike resep as iemand nie ‘n slow cooker beskikbaar het nie. Die vleis val letterlik uitmekaar aan die einde.”

3 large onions, sliced
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
6 garlic cloves, peeled and halved
1 teaspoon paprika
2 teaspoons salt
1½ teaspoons garlic powder
1¼ teaspoons black pepper
1½ teaspoons onion powder
⅛ – ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, adjust to your heat preference
½ teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon dried thyme
2 cups beef stock, unsalted or low salt
1 cup tomato sauce
1 cup chilli sauce (I’m realising that there are many, many types; I used Heinz, which is not exactly spicy)
1 cup brown sugar (light or dark) or to taste
2 – 3 tablespoons vinegar, optional
3½ – 4½ kg brisket

Prepare the sauce.
Heat a large skillet over medium high heat and sauté onions in vegetable oil, stirring occasionally, until caramelized and most of liquid has evaporated, about 15 minutes. Add halved garlic cloves and sauté for three minutes more. Stir in spices and seasoning (paprika, salt, garlic and onion powders, black pepper, cayenne, oregano and thyme) and cook for two minutes. Set aside. In a large bowl, stir together the beef stock, tomato sauce, chilli sauce, (vinegar if you use it) and brown sugar. Do not worry if your brown sugar is lumpy (mine always is), the acidity of the ingredients will quickly break it down.

If baking in oven, preheat oven to 180 °C.
Place brisket in a baking dish or casserole, spread onion mixture over the top, and then pour sauce mixture over the entire dish. Cover tightly with foil bake until very tender but not falling apart, about 3 – 4 hours.
If making in a slow cooker (which I highly, highly recommend)
Place brisket in a slow cooker, spread onion mixture over the top, then pour sauce mixture over the entire dish.
Cover with the lid and cook it on LOW for 10 hours. (I like to start it before I go to bed, and process it in the morning to rest over the course of the day in the fridge).
For both methods, rest the dish: when the brisket is cooked but still hot, use a spoon to scrape off any large fat deposits adhered to the top and bottom of the brisket. (this part is easiest to do when hot. The sauce will be de-fatted after it has chilled).
If you are using a slow cooker, transfer the brisket and all of its sauce to a baking dish.
If you have baked it in the oven, you can continue in that same dish.
Chill entire dish in the fridge for several hours and up to one day; this resting time will significantly enhance the flavour and texture of the meat.

An hour before you are ready to serve it:
Preheat the oven to 150 °C, and remove the dish from the fridge. Remove all of the fat that has solidified with a slotted spoon for a less oily finish. Carefully remove the meat from its sauce and place on a large cutting board.
Cut the brisket into 13 mm slices.
If you like a smoother sauce (I do) this is a good time to run it through a blender or literally just smash up the onion and garlic strands with a wooden spoon. They will be so soft, that is all it takes.
Carefully place the sliced meat (moving it in large sections with a spatula helps keep it together) back into the sauce and spoon the sauce over the meat.
Replace the lid or cover the dish tightly with foil and reheat in the oven until it is bubbling at the edges — this usually takes up to 30 minutes.

Recipe tested by: Petro Borchard
Photo: Petro Borchard