Once you put in the effort, the results often surprise you. Unless you are making the Labor-of-Love Beef Brisket; the results in that case don’t surprise so much as they enchant and dazzle you with flavor. This brisket takes 9 hours to cook, but wow, you can sure taste the results. The beef is melt-in-your-mouth tender, flavorful, and savory, with a distinctly sweet and tangy sauce that slow-cooks with the beef and infuses it with more flavor. Oh yes, Labor-of-Love Beef Brisket repays the love you put in tenfold!
Ingredients
- 1 (4-pound) first cut brisket, excess fat trimmed
- salt, to taste
- black pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
- 2 cups beef or vegetable broth, divided
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 3 red onions, quartered
- 3 carrots, peeled and cut into thirds
- 6 cloves garlic, smashed
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 bay leaves
Directions
Step 1 –Sprinkle the brisket on both sides with the salt and the pepper. Slice it in half lengthwise if it’s too large for the skillet.
Step 2 –Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Step 3 –Add the brisket to the oil and cook until browned on both sides, about 4-6 minutes per side.
Step 4 –Transfer the brisket from the pan and set it aside.
Step 5 –Stir the tomato paste into the pan and cook until heated through, about 2 minutes.
Step 6 –Add 1 cup of the broth and the mustard to the tomato mixture and stir, scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to loosen any browned bits.
Step 7 –Carefully transfer the broth mixture to a slow cooker, then top with the onions, the carrots, and the garlic.
Step 8 –Add the brisket, the vinegar, the Worcestershire sauce, the bay leaves, and the remaining broth to the slow cooker.
Step 9 –Cook the brisket mixture on low heat until the meat is very tender, about 8 hours.
Step 10 –Transfer the brisket to a platter and let rest for 20 minutes.
Step 11 –Strain the cooking liquid and season it with the salt and the pepper. Make sure to keep the sauce warm.
Step 12 –Slice the brisket against the grain and serve with the sauce.
