Best Barbecue Brisket
Best Barbecue Brisket
Brisket is a favorite in our household for holiday meals. There are 2 types of brisket lovers - one that loves the version with carrots, celery, onion, tomatoes and wine - like a beef stew and the other that hankers a slightly sweet, tangy brisket with onions, ketchup, a little bit of brown sugar and beef broth. We are in the latter camp. I was worried about making this without my traditional sweeteners, but the addition of carrots and a honey-based barbecue sauce did the trick! This brisket is hearty, tangy and a smidge sweet. It was loved day of and on sandwiches with pickles the next day! As is always the case with brisket, it is at its best when you prepare it the day before you plan to serve it.
Prep time: 25 minutes Cook time: 6 hours
Ingredients:
3 TBSP avocado oil
1 large onion, sliced into thin rings
3 carrots, peeled and diced into coins
¼ tsp sea salt (can omit entirely if the broth contains a lot of salt)
½ tsp thyme
1 tsp each of garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika and oregano (make sure there are no added starches or anti-caking agents)
5-6 pound beef brisket
⅓ cup sugar- and additive-free barbecue sauce – we use Wellbees
1 cup beef stock (homemade if SCD or find one without added starches, emulsifiers or sugar - we use a brand from the freezer section called BonaFide)
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
In a large Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium heat and cook the onions and carrot for until they are nice and browned about 12 minutes.
Add the sea salt and spices and cook for 2 more minutes. Take a ¼ cup of water and add to the pot to release the onions and spices from the bottom. With a large spoon, scoop the onion/carrot mixture and place in a bowl.
In the small bowl, add the barbeque sauce and broth to the onion/carrot mixture and stir together.
Place the brisket, fat side up in the Dutch oven. Pour the liquid onion/carrot mixture over the brisket. Cover the Dutch oven with tin foil and then place the cover on top (this helps keep in the moisture). Bake for 4-5 hours, basting with the juices every 45 minutes.
Remove from the oven and let cool completely, about 2 hours before placing in the refrigerator. I leave it in the Dutch oven.
The next day, remove the brisket an hour before you are going to place it into the oven to reheat (reheating should take 45 minutes to an hour). Take the brisket out of the Dutch oven and place on a cutting board. Slicing against the grain, cut into ½ inch to 1-inch slices.
You can also remove some of the fat from the Dutch oven - these will be the orange chunks you see in the pot. If the liquid has gotten low, you can add half cup of water or broth to the pot as well.
Return the brisket to the pot, making sure to spoon the liquid mixture over the top of it. Reheat at 300 to 325 degrees until the temperature reaches at least 165 degrees. If oven space is at a premium, you can also do this over a very low flame on top of the stove. I often reheat the brisket in the oven for about ½ hour and then place it on top of the stove to keep it warm while I use the oven to roast vegetables or potatoes.
When ready to serve, you can transfer the meat to a serving platter and pour the juices over it!
