Serves 6-8
There's something deeply satisfying about a brisket that's had all day to slowly become tender — the kind of dish that fills the kitchen with warmth and brings everyone running to the table. Made with our premium British brisket and finished with a rich, golden ale gravy.
A few tips for the perfect brisket:
Take a few extra minutes to brown the brisket before it goes into the slow cooker. It adds real depth to the gravy and a richer flavour to the finished dish.
To make the meal go further, add chunky carrots, parsnips or button mushrooms to the slow cooker for the final few hours. They soak up all that rich gravy beautifully.
This brisket tastes just as good — if not better — the next day. Make it ahead, chill overnight, and reheat; the flavours only deepen. Remember to skim off any excess fat before reheating.
Leftovers are brilliant shredded into sandwiches, baked potatoes, or stirred through pasta.
Ingredients
1.2kg Hunts brisket, rolled
2 tbsp vegetable oil, plus extra for drizzling
2 large onions, sliced
4 tbsp plain flour
500–550ml golden ale
1 tbsp Marmite
1 tbsp dark brown soft sugar, plus extra to taste
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar, plus extra to taste
½ bunch thyme
2 bay leaves
500ml hot beef stock
2 tsp cornflour (optional)
For the horseradish mash
2kg Maris Piper or other floury potatoes, chopped
4 tbsp horseradish
100g butter
100g crème fraîche
Handful of parsley, chopped
Method
Season the brisket all over with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a frying pan and brown the meat all over. Transfer to a plate. Add a little more oil if needed, then fry the onions with a pinch of salt until lightly golden, around 12 minutes. Stir in the flour, then pour in the ale, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Tip everything into the slow cooker.
Add the Marmite, sugar and vinegar, then the brisket and herbs. Top up with stock until the brisket is just over half submerged. Cover and cook on low for 7–8 hours until tender. Remove the meat and keep warm, covered. Simmer the gravy for 10–15 minutes until thickened to your liking. For a thicker gravy, mix the cornflour with a splash of cold water and stir in, then simmer for a few more minutes.
Shortly before removing the brisket, start the mash. Cook the potatoes in a pan of boiling salted water for 20 minutes until very tender. Drain, steam-dry briefly, then mash with the horseradish, butter and crème fraîche. Scatter with parsley. Cut the brisket into wedges and serve with the gravy and mash.
