Oven-Cooked Brisket With Worcestershire & Balsamic Reduction

🧂 Ingredients

• 1 kg brisket

  I used flat cut with the fat layer on, which I trimmed off slightly (2 lbs.)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 teaspoon black pepper
• 1.5 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 1.5 teaspoons garlic powder
• 1.5 teaspoons onion powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper or chilli powder
• 1 large onion

  sliced
• 3-4 cloves of garlic

  sliced
• 500 ml chicken stock

  2 cups
• 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tablespoons Tamari

  soy sauce or coconut aminos
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

  coconut oil or macadamia oil for searing the meat

Instructions

• 1 Preheat the oven to 170 C / 338 F.
• 2 Wash and pat dry the brisket. Leave the fat cap on (usually on one side) but
  feel free to trim off particularly thick areas, which is what I did. Don’t
  remove the fat altogether as it keeps the brisket moist and adds a lot of
  flavour.
• 3 Mix the spice rub in a bowl and cover both sides of the brisket. Rub it in on
  all sides using your hands. If not in a rush, place the brisket into a Ziploc
  bag or a container and refrigerate overnight. Make sure to bring to room
  temperature before cooking.
• 4 Place a heat-proof metal baking tray (not ceramic or glass!) over high heat on
  the stove. Place it so that the flame hits the middle of the pan. You can also
  do this part in a large skillet or a frying pan.
• 5 Add a tablespoon of oil and once hot, place the brisket in the middle, fat side
  down. Cook for 1-2 minutes to sear the spices. Turn over, add another splash of
  oil underneath, and cook on the meat side down for 1-2 minutes, just to brown
  off the spices a little. Remove the brisket to a plate.
• 6 Add the onions and garlic to the tray and pour in a little bit of the stock.
  Stir through to deglaze the bottom of the pan and scrape off all those sticky
  spice rub bits. Now pour in the remaining stock, Worcestershire sauce, balsamic
  and Tamari soy sauce (or coconut aminos). Stir through and move the onions and
  garlic to the middle.
• 7 Place the brisket on top of the onions in the broth (make sure to keep the fat
  layer side up!) and splash a few tablespoons of the liquid over the top. Cover
  the whole tray tightly with foil and pop in the oven.
• 8 Cook for 1 hour, then remove the tray and splash a few more tablespoons of the
  cooking broth over the top to baste the meat. You can place some of the onions
  and garlic on top of the meat. Cover with foil again and pop back for 1 more
  hour.
• 9 After this hour, repeat the basting process. At this stage, the cooking broth
  will be thickening and caramelising. If you have a taste, it will have a rich,
  salty gravy-like flavour. I recommend adding another 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup of water
  and stirring through the cooking broth at this stage. Cover with foil again and
  cook for 1 more hour.
• 10 After 3 hours, check on the meat and make sure the broth isn’t too thickened or
  sticky. Turn the oven off but leave the meat in there to rest for 15 minutes.
  Remove from the oven and rest for a little bit longer under foil.
• 11 Transfer on a board or a platter with reduced sauce and onions on top. Slice
  into preferred thickness pieces and serve with mustard, your favourite BBQ sauce
  or simply with coleslaw, roasted or mashed sweet potatoes, green beans and any
  other sides you love with roast or BBQ meats.
• 12 Note:
  
  A few people commented that their sauce didn't reduce. One thing I can think of
  is the size of the baking tray. For example, if your baking tray is smaller but
  deeper, the liquid wouldn't have been as spread out (if that makes sense?). So
  it would take longer to reduce. If that happens, you can also remove the brisket
  to rest and leave the sauce in the oven for longer OR pour the sauce into a
  frying pan and saute on high to reduce for 5 minutes or so. 

Nutrition Info