Active time: 20 minutes Total time: 2 1/2 hours (not including slow-cooker time)
This brisket recipe uses a pressure cooker or slow cooker to make a fork-tender roast with minimal fuss. We include both options to fit your schedule. The braising liquid of beer, smoked paprika and smoky chipotle peppers gives the dish a zesty, Southwestern flavor. Serve with mashed sweet potatoes and an avocado salad. You’ll have extra sauce; save it to use later as a base for the best chili ever.
Smokey Beer Braised Beef Brisket
Ingredients
- 3 pounds (1.5kg) flat-cut beef brisket, fat trimmed to 1/8-in (3mm)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup (237ml) dark ale
- 1 cup (237ml) low-sodium beef broth, divided
- 1 large yellow onion, thickly sliced
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
- 2 teaspoons–1 tablespoon canned chipotle peppers, chopped
- 4 large carrots, peeled and left whole
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon honey
Directions
Rub the brisket all over with the paprika, salt and pepper. Heat the oil in an electric pressure cooker on the sauté function over medium heat until hot. Add the brisket and cook until browned, about 3 minutes per side. Remove from the pot. Add the beer and simmer, scraping up the browned bits on bottom of the pan. Press cancel.
Add 3/4 of the cup of the broth, onions, rosemary and chipotle pepper to the pot. Return the brisket to the pot and place the whole carrots on top of the roast. Lock on the lid, select high pressure, and set for 1 1/2 hours. Let the pressure naturally release (about 30 minutes); this guarantees the most tender, easiest-to-slice roast.
Carefully transfer the carrots and brisket to a platter and cover with foil. Select the sauté function, adjust heat to high, and bring the sauce to a simmer. Skim off any of the clear, liquid fat that collects on the surface and discard. (Alternatively, pour the sauce into a gravy separator and pour the broth back into the pot; discard the fat that collects at the top.)
Place the flour in a small bowl. Gradually whisk the remaining 1/4 cup (60ml) of broth into the flour until smooth. Add the flour mixture and honey to the sauce and simmer until thickened, 5 minutes. Thinly slice the brisket against the grain and cut the carrots into bite-sized pieces. Serve with 1/4 cup (60ml) of sauce per serving. Reserve remaining sauce for another use.
To slow cook: Brown the meat in a large skillet over medium-high heat on the stove. Deglaze the skillet with beer. Place meat and deglazing liquid in a slow cooker with other ingredients and cook on low until fork-tender, 9–10 hours. Pour the sauce into a medium saucepan and thicken according to instructions above.
Serves: 6 | Serving Size: 4 ounces sliced meat, 1/2 cup carrots, 1/4 cup sauce
Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 255; Total Fat: 7g; Saturated Fat: 2g; Monounsaturated Fat: 3g; Cholesterol: 11mg; Sodium: 108mg; Carbohydrate: 7g; Dietary Fiber: 2g; Sugar: 3g; Protein: 38g
