Bourbon and Beer Braised Brisket

Nothing could be better than this bourbon and beer braised brisket recipe. Even though its not bourbon, I like to use Jack Daniels because it imparts a caramel flavor to the meat and I use a nice dark stout or porter beer here as well. This dish goes great with roasted potatoes or smashed and fried potatoes or the cheesy polenta.

Difficulty: Intermediate Preparation Time:

Yields: 8-10 Servings Total Time: 8hr

Ingredients:

For the Brisket:

• 1 4-5 lb Brisket, first cut

• 1 Onion, 3/4” dice

• 4 Garlic Cloves, smashed

• 4 Cups Low Sodium Beef Broth

• 1 Cup Bourbon (Jack Daniels)

• 1 12oz bottle of Dark Beer

• 2 Tbsp Canola Oil, divided

• 1/3 Cup Dark Brown Sugar

• ¼ Cup Soy Sauce (light)

• 2 Tbsp Fish Sauce

• 4 Celery Stalks, 1” pieces

• 2 Large Carrots, 1” pieces

• 2 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar

• 3 Tbsp Tomato Paste

For the Rub:

• 2 Tbsp Kosher Salt

• 2 Tbsp Brown Sugar

• 1 Tbsp Freshly Ground Pepper

• 1 Tbsp Smoked Paprika

For the Glaze:

• ¾ Cup Peach or Apricot preserves

• 2 Tbsp Bourbon

• Kosher Salt

• Freshly Ground Pepper

Procedure:

For the Rub:

In a small mixing bowl, whisk all rub ingredients until thoroughly incorporated.

For the Brisket:

Place brisket on a plate or a sheet pan. Rub all over with dry rub. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight. Remove beef from fridge 1 hour prior to cooking.

With the rack in the middle of the oven, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat 2 Tbs of oil in a large Dutch oven over high heat. Add the brisket, fat side down, and cook until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Do not touch or move the meat during this process. Using a pair of tongs or two if needed, flip the meat and cook for another 4 minutes. Remove meat from the pot and place on a plate. Lower heat to medium and add the onion and garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onions and garlic are slightly brown (5-6 minutes). Add the tomato paste and cook for 3-4 minutes. Add the broth and scrape the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon, scraping up the golden bits of goodness on the bottom. Bring to a simmer and add the remaining ingredients, and bring to a simmer again. Return the brisket and any juices onto the plate to the pot, fat side up. Cover and place in oven; braise brisket until tender (check doneness with a cake tester), about 4-4.5 hours. Using two pairs of tongs or a large spatula remove brisket from the Dutch oven and bring to a plate, fat side up. Strain braising liquid into a large bowl. De-fat using a ladle, or with a de-fatting cup (Oxo makes a nice de-fatting cup). Return the liquid to the braising pot and cook over medium-high heat until reduced to 2 cups, about 20 minutes. While the sauce is reducing, place the brisket on a foil-lined sheet pan and coat it with the glaze. Place sheet pan on a rack set at the second-highest position in an oven set to broil. Broil for 4-5 minutes, until glaze is bubbling and golden.

Remove brisket from oven to a cutting board to rest for 5 minutes. Once brisket has rested, slice into ¼” slices across the grain and pour sauce from the pot over slices. Leftover glaze can be poured on top as well.

For the Glaze:

Add jam bourbon, salt, and pepper to a blender and puree until smooth.