Who knew a dish with tater tots could sound so fancy?! Well, just wait until you taste this Braised Brisket Tot Bake! Topped with those beloved, crispy spuds, you’ll find a fine combination of the tenderest braised brisket you’ll ever taste, plus some perfectly caramelized Brussels and a buttery mushroom béchamel that’ll drive you wild. You see what we mean?! This Braised Brisket Tot Bake is kind of fancy, but it still has all those comforting flavors you love from home!
Ingredients
For the braised brisket:
- 1 (4-pound) beef brisket, fat cap untrimmed
- 2 teaspoons black pepper
- 1 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 3/4 cup chocolate stout beer
- 2 cups unsalted beef broth
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
For the Brussels sprouts:
- 1 pound fresh Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved lengthwise
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
For the mushroom béchamel:
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 3 (8-ounce) packages fresh cremini mushrooms, sliced
- 1/2 cup yellow onion, finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 3/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cups whole milk
For the tot topping:
- 1 (28-ounce) package frozen extra-crispy potato tots
- 1 cup parmesan cheese, shredded
- 1 teaspoon truffle oil
Directions
Step 1 –Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
Step 2 –Season the brisket with 2 teaspoons of the pepper and 1 tablespoon of the salt.
Step 3 –Heat a large Dutch oven on high heat.
Step 4 –Add the brisket, fat-cap-side down, and cook, undisturbed, until it has browned, about 3 minutes.
Step 5 –Flip the brisket and cook, undisturbed, until it is browned on the other side, about 3 minutes.
Step 6 –Transfer the brisket to a plate.
Step 7 –Reduce the heat to medium-high.
Step 8 –Add 1 of the yellow onions to the Dutch oven and cook, stirring occasionally, until it has softened, about 5 minutes.
Step 9 –Add the beer to the onion and scrape up any of the browned bits from bottom of the Dutch oven.
Step 10 –Stir the broth, the Worcestershire sauce, and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt into the onion mixture.
Step 11 –Add the browned brisket to the onion mixture and bring it to a simmer over medium-high heat.
Step 12 –Cover the Dutch over with the lid and transfer it to the preheated oven. Cook until the meat reaches an internal temperature of 190 degrees F, is tender, and easily pierced with a fork, about 3-5 hours.
Step 13 –Transfer the Dutch oven from the oven and let the brisket cool in its liquid, covered, for 1 hour.
Step 14 –Increase the oven temperature to 425 degrees F.
Step 15 –While the brisket is cooling, in a large rimmed baking sheet, add the Brussels sprouts, 2 tablespoons of the melted butter, the brown sugar, 1 tablespoon of the salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper and toss until they are evenly coated. Spread them out into an even layer.
Step 16 –Roast the Brussels sprouts until they start to brown and caramelize, about 10 minutes.
Step 17 –Stir the Brussels sprouts, then roast them until they are crispy on the outside and tender when pierced with a fork, about 5 minutes. Transfer from oven.
Step 18 –While the Brussels sprouts cook, in a 13-inch oven-safe skillet over medium-high, melt the remaining butter until it is sizzling.
Step 19 –Add the mushrooms to the hot butter and cook, undisturbed, until they are deeply browned on their bottoms, about 4 minutes.
Step 20 –Add the remaining yellow onion, the garlic, and 1 teaspoon of the salt to the mushrooms and cook, stirring often, until the mushrooms are deeply browned and tender, about 6-8 minutes.
Step 21 –Reduce the heat to medium.
Step 22 –Add the flour to the mushroom mixture and cook, stirring constantly, until the flour turns golden-brown and smells nutty, about 1-2 minutes.
Step 23 –Transfer the skillet from the heat and stir the remaining salt and the remaining pepper into the mushroom mixture.
Step 24 –Slowly add the milk to the mushroom mixture, stirring constantly, until a thick, gravy-like consistency forms, about 2 minutes.
Step 25 –Reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees F.
Step 26 –Transfer the braised brisket to a cutting board and cut it into 1-inch-thick chunks. Discard the braising liquid.
Step 27 –Add the caramelized Brussels sprouts and 5 cups of the chopped brisket to the mushroom béchamel and stir to combine. Reserve the remaining braised brisket for another use.
Step 28 –In a large bowl, add the potato tots, the parmesan, and the truffle oil and toss until the tots are coated.
Step 29 –Arrange the potato tot mixture in a circular pattern over the brisket mixture to completely cover the top.
Step 30 –Bake the brisket bake until the potato tots are golden-brown and crispy, about 30 minutes.
Step 31 –Let the brisket bake cool for 10 minutes.
Step 32 –Serve.
