Tangy Spiced Brisket (Recipe 137 of 125)

Photo from the Kitchn

First you need to know, I did not use a brisket. Those babies are expensive. And while I love my family, I don't love them THAT much. So I used pot roast. And winner winner chicken dinner, they were buy one get one free at the store today! 

I also didn't make this the way it's written. Nobody has time for a two day recipe. Instead, I popped that pot roast into a slow cooker on Low and set it for 6 hours. I followed everything else, just not how they cooked it. 

This was delicious and will be a repeat. It isn't spicy at all, and I thought it could use some spice. But it's definitely tangy and a little sweet. 

Tangy Spiced Brisket
Recipe from SmittenKitchen

Serves 8

• 3 large onions, sliced
• 3 T vegetable oil
• 6 garlic cloves, peeled and halved
• 1 tsp paprika
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/8 to 1/4 tsp cayenne (adjust to your heat preference)
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 2 c beef stock (unsalted or low salt)
• 1 c ketchup*
• 1 c chili sauce 
• 1 c brown sugar (light or dark)
• 8 to 10 pound 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 3 minutes more. Stir in spices and seasoning (paprika, salt, garlic and onion powders, black pepper, cayenne, oregano and thyme) and cook for 2 minutes. Set aside.

In a large bowl, stir together the beef stock, ketchup, chili sauce and brown sugar. Don’t worry if your brown sugar is lumpy (mine always is), the acidity of the ingredients will quickly break it down.

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’re using a slow cooker, transfer the brisket and all of its sauce to a baking dish. If you’ve 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 flavor and texture of the meat.

An hour before you’re ready to serve it: Preheat your oven to 300°F, 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 1/2-inch 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’ll be so soft, that’s all it takes.

Carefully place the sliced meat 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 to 30 minutes.