Food Bytes with Sarah Patterson

SLOW AND STEADY, NEVER BRISK

Every so often, my hubby does a market run. He loads up on insulated carry bags, drives into town and hits Queen Vic Market like a man on a mission, stocking up on some of our favourites … namely prawns, salmon, chops and steak.

On his latest market mission, he found himself distracted by a display of beef brisket. “It just jumped out at me!” he says in the same way he talks of about Lindt dark chocolate bars with coconut cream he spies at the supermarket. He bought two kilos of the brisket and lugged it home with the rest of his meaty stash.

Like this week’s Food Bytes guest Wayne, at our place we love our slow-cooked proteins – and if you’re on a budget, brisket is just about the best cheaper-cut option going around. The meat-to-fat ratio is such that it’s perfect for slow cooking. Using a tried and trusty recipe from the popular Recipe Tin Eats website, I divided the brisket into four portions, marinated in a spice rub and put it in the slow cooker on high for four hours, bubbling away in a sauce of apple cider vinegar, tomato sauce, garlic, Worcestershire sauce and spices. That’s minimal preparation for some pretty impressive results. The meat came out soft and tender, with the texture of pulled pork. It’s sticky sweetness was divine when teamed with a generous serve of crunchy coleslaw. It’s the second time I’ve made this recipe and both times it’s been a winner.

So if you haven’t tried brisket before, give it a go. You’ll find the recipe for this slow cooker beef brisket with barbecue sauce at recipetineats.com