How are you celebrating the 5th? 

Bonfire night is a traditionally British celebration of the failure of the Gunpowder Plot in 1605. With extravagant firework displays and large fires to toast your marshmallows, this night is also a great time to celebrate and enjoy delicious food with your friends and family. With toffee apples and baked potatoes being passed around we thought it would be fitting to introduce our Bonfire Brisket, this fiery pulled brisket is perfect for squishing between buns, topping burgers with and filling your baked potato! If you’re celebrating at home with friends or family or going to a local display this brisket can be enjoyed at any time of the year but fits perfectly with bonfire night, making sure to warm you up on a chilly night! 

Why Brisket and how do I pick the best piece? 

Brisket can often be seen as a tough meat, but this can soon be tackled with slow cooking and a good dash of love! This is why our Bonfire Brisket takes its time to get ready for the big night! 

Picking a good cut of brisket can also make a big difference in the outcome of hours of slow cooking. Making sure to look out for pieces that are long and thin but with a layer of fat on the top, is going to keep the meat moist while cooking to make sure it doesn’t dry out and become tough. 

Despite the fear of this cut turning out chewy, it is surprisingly easy when cooking brisket to perfection! Read below for hints, tips and our delicious recipe! 

Top Tips for the perfect brisket! 

The ultimate key to the perfect brisket is low and slow! 

Whether you are cooking it in the oven or slow cooker this cut of meat takes a long time to loosen up and get ready. Another handy tip to know is to try to keep the cut at an even temperature throughout the roasting process, oven temperatures can drop when you open the oven door to check on your dish. So make sure to do what needs to be done quickly as possible to keep it at an even temperature!  

Give yourself enough time! A standard piece of brisket can take around 6 hours but the best cuts are cooked for longer. Some can even be cooked for 24 hours! Don’t word though our recipe won’t take you a whole 24 hours to prepare!! 

Now you have our handy tips and tricks you’re ready to cook up a storm in the kitchen! 

Bonfire Brisket 

Ingredients

3 tbsp vegetable oil

2-2.5kg piece of our beef brisket

2 red onions, chopped

1 tbsp sweet smoked paprika

1 tbsp English mustard powder

2 tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp ground cayenne pepper or 1 tsp chilli flakes

1½ tbsp treacle

50ml red wine vinegar, plus 2 tbsp

75g soft light brown sugar, plus 2 tbsp

3 garlic cloves, crushed

4-6 bay leaves

500ml carton passata

Method

STEP 1

 Preheat the oven to 150C/130C.

Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large, deep roasting tin or in your largest casserole dish( make sure these are suitable for the hob). Season the beef well and sear in the tin until nicely browned all over. Lift out and place on a plate. Add another 1 tbsp oil and the onions to the tin and sweat for 8-10 mins until really soft. In a small bowl, mix the paprika, mustard powder, cinnamon, cayenne or chilli (you can use both for a good bit of kick!), treacle, 2 tbsp vinegar, 2 tbsp sugar and the remaining oil. Brush all over the meat, saving about 2 tbsp for later.

STEP 2

Add the garlic and bay leaves to the softened onions, stir around the pan for 1-2 mins, then you can pour in the passata, Worcestershire sauce, the remaining vinegar and sugar. Season the sauce with salt and pepper, give a good stir, then put the brisket on top. Wrap the tin tightly in a few sheets of foil, or cover with a lid, and bake for 6 hrs, turning once or twice during cooking, until really tender. You want it tender enough that you can shred it with a fork. 

STEP 3

Uncover the dish, give the sauce around the meat a little stir and brush the remaining spice paste over the meat. If you are making this a day in advance then cool and chill the meat and sauce; remove from the fridge and scoop off any fat from the sauce before reheating. Increase the temperature to 200C/180C. Cook for a further 20 mins (40 mins from cold, covered for 20 mins) until the meat is dark and sticky. Remove from the oven, cover loosely with foil and leave to rest for 15 mins. Make sure to keep it out of the way of hungry mouths!!

STEP 4

To serve, skim any fat off the surface of the sauce, shred the meat with 2 forks, and toss the meat through the sauce, taking out the bay leaves as you go. Pile into warm burger buns or on top of a baked potato and serve with Charred sweetcorn salsa and a dollop of soured cream.

Shred and Enjoy! 

This recipe will soon make its way into any special occasion, it is just simply delicious and pairs with anything! So make sure you try this delicious recipe this bonfire night and I guarantee no one will be going home hungry! Even with leftovers you can get creative, I personally enjoy pulled brisket on its second day in a sandwich with some melted cheese and salad.