Oven-Braised Brisket

👨‍🍳 Method

To assemble

1. 1
   Preheat the oven to 160°C (320°F).

   ⚙ Preheating the OvenOven

   💡Put things in the oven only once it's reached temperature, after the heating light has gone off: an oven that hasn't reached temperature changes baking times, and the bake burns outside or stays underbaked.
2. 2
   Heat the oil in a wide pot that can go in the oven and brown the meat on all sides. Remove to a plate.

   ⚙ Pan-fryingStoveCast-iron pot

   💡Brown the meat in batches, without crowding: in a crowded pot it stews in its own juices instead of searing.

   💡What you brown (meat, patties, schnitzel) goes into hot oil: in lukewarm oil it soaks it up and comes out greasy. For onion and garlic that you soften, oil heated over medium or low heat is enough; do not wait for it to smoke.
3. 3
   Add the onion to the oil left in the wide pot and fry for 8–10 minutes, stirring, until the onion browns.

   ⚙ Adding to the hot fat and fryingStoveWide, shallow pot

   💡Add by cooking time: what needs long (onion, carrot, meat) goes in first, and what burns fast (garlic, dry spices) goes in last, only until fragrant.
4. 4
   Add the garlic and fry about 30 seconds to 1 minute, just until fragrant. Don't let the garlic brown.

   ⚙ Adding to the hot fat and fryingStove

   💡Garlic burns quickly and turns bitter. Add it only after the onion has softened, over medium heat, and add the next ingredient as soon as it smells fragrant.
5. 5
   Add the carrot and fry another 5 minutes, stirring.

   ⚙ Adding to the hot fat and fryingStove
6. 6
   Add the paprika and cumin and fry 30 seconds, until fragrant.

   ⚙ Adding to the hot fat and fryingStove

   💡Paprika burns quickly and turns bitter: half a minute in the oil is enough, then move straight on to the next step.
7. 7
   Add the tomato paste and fry 2 minutes, stirring.

   ⚙ Adding to the hot fat and fryingStove
8. 8
   Add the stock and bring to a boil.

   Stove
9. 9
   Return the meat to the pot and season with salt and black pepper.
10. 10
    Cover the pot and put it in the oven for 3.5 hours, until the meat falls apart easily with a fork.

    OvenCast-iron pot

    💡In the oven, heat reaches the pot from all sides, not just from below: a large cut cooks slowly and evenly for hours without sticking to the bottom.
11. 11
    Take the meat out of the pot, slice and serve with the sauce.

    KnifeCutting board