Comfort food takes a whole new meaning in the winters. Wholesome, hearty, full of flavour… food that nourishes your body as much as it nurtures your soul.
The slow cooker is a bit of a God-send in our household, especially in the winters. (Also in the warmer months, but soooooo much nicer in the cold, when there’s a hot meal waiting for you at the end of the day, almost as if by magic!)
Brisket is a lovely, hearty, filling cut that oozes juices and absorbs flavours. Coated and seared with our hearty Meat Mix, and then left to simmer in juices along with beans…. Yummmm!
Brisket 1 kg
Meat Mix 3-4 tbsp
Neutral Oil 2-3 tbsp
Onion 1 large
(finely chopped)
Garlic 3-4 cloves
(finely chopped)
Bay Leaf 1-2
Beef Stock 2 cups
Crushed Tomatoes 1/2 cup
Canelli Beans 2 cans
(drained)
Salt & Pepper to taste
Parsley (chopped – to garnish)
– Pat your brisket dry and generously rub on the Meat Mix.
– In a heavy bottomed skillet (I love my heavy duty cast iron pan), heat half the oil.
– Sear the meat till sealed and browned on all sides. (Add more oil if you need it.)
– Let the meat sit aside.
– In the same pan, add the remaining oil and cook the bay leaves, chopped onions and garlic till the onions are transparent and the mixture doesn’t smell “raw”.
– Put the cooked onions and garlic mix into your slow cooker.
– Sit the seared meat on the onion / garlic.
– Mix the crushed tomatoes and the stock and pour over the meat.
– Cover and cook in the slow cooker on High for about 6 hours.
(Try to resist the temptation to lift the lid, stir and inhale. You lose about an hour’s worth of heating every time you lift the lid and it slows the cooking process considerably.)
– After about 6 hours, lift the lid, stir and add the drained beans in.
– Mash in some of the beans to thicken the sauce and make it more creamy.
– Taste and season with salt and pepper to taste.
– Cover and leave aside for another hour or so.
Before serving, pull out the brisket and let sit – covered – for 10-15 minutes.
Slice into thick slabs with a sharp knife.
Serve on a bed of creamy mash or fluffy rice with the beans and sauce, with a side of slaw or some sharp micro-greens. Garnish with chopped parsley.
Ultimate winter comfort food!
I hope you enjoy this as much as we do 🙂
Kalpana xox