BEER-BRAISED BRISKET with COLESLAW

Braising a whole piece of brisket is an investment in terms of time, so it’s something I usually reserve for a long weekend at the farm. I’ll marinate the meat for a day or two, then get the braise in the oven in the morning so the brisket is just right when dinner time rolls around. The time invested pays off though, with a rich, deep flavour and ultra-tender texture.

Preparation Time 30 minutes, plus marinating | Cooking Time 7 hours | Serves 4–6

1½ tablespoons Dijon mustard

2 teaspoons each ground cumin, ground chilli, smoked paprika and freshly ground black pepper

2 teaspoons brown sugar

2 teaspoons sea salt

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1.5 kg (3 lb 5 oz) piece of beef brisket

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 onion, thinly sliced

3 thyme sprigs

1 fresh bay leaf

300 ml (10½ fl oz) light-flavoured beer

300 ml (10½ fl oz) veal stock

300 g (10½ oz) tinned chopped tomatoes

Soft white rolls, buttered, to serve

COLESLAW

200 g (7 oz) white cabbage, shaved on a mandolin

1 carrot, shredded on a mandolin

2 teaspoons finely chopped chives

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 teaspoons cider vinegar

2 teaspoons lemon juice

Mix the mustard, spices, sugar, salt and garlic in a bowl to a paste, rub all over the brisket, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1–2 days for the flavours to develop, then bring to room temperature for 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 140°C (275°F). Heat the olive oil in a large flameproof roasting tin over a medium–high heat and brown the brisket well all over. Remove from the heat, pour off the excess fat from the tin, then scatter the onion and herbs in the roasting tin and place the brisket on top. Meanwhile, bring the beer, stock and tomatoes to a simmer in a separate saucepan, pour over the brisket, cover with foil and braise for 6–7 hours until the meat is fork tender and pulls apart easily. Remove the brisket from the roasting tin, cover loosely with foil, then skim the fat off the surface of the tin juices, season and simmer for 4–5 minutes to thicken slightly.

To make the coleslaw, combine the cabbage, carrot, chives, olive oil, vinegar and lemon juice in a bowl, season to taste and toss to combine.

Slice the brisket across the grain and serve stuffed into the soft rolls with the coleslaw, spooning some of the pan juices over.