This tender beef brisket is slow cooked with a combination of chipotle paste, stock, chopped tomatoes, honey and whiskey. Shred and serve in soft rolls with caramelised sweet onions. A great recipe for barbecue or alfresco gatherings.
900g lean brisket joint (unrolled) 2 tablespoons oil 1 tablespoon chipotle paste (available at larger supermarkets) 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
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. Brown the joint on all sides and transfer to a large flame/ovenproof dish with a lid. 4 Add the chipotle paste, stock, tomatoes, honey and Bourbon (if used). Cover, transfer to the oven and cook for 3-3½ hours until the beef is tender. 5 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. Add the vinegar and sugar. Continue to cook the onions for a further 10-15 minutes until the soft and syrupy. 6 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. 7 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.
