BBQ beef brisket

The perfect dish to make when hosting a dinner party: it’s sure to impress your guests and you can be entertaining rather than cooking. Serve with a selection of salads and new potatoes and enjoy.

Ingredients:

• 1kg beef brisket
• 2 onions
• 6 bay leaves
• 2 tbsp light brown sugar
• 1 tbsp tomato purée
• 1 x 300ml bottle lager
• 350ml beef stock
• 1tbsp cider vinegar (optional)

For the Rub

• 2tsp cayenne pepper
• 2 tsp mustard powder
• 2 tsp freshly ground cumin powder
• 2 tsp celery seeds
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method:

Preheat the oven to 140 C.

First make the rub. Combine all the ingredients for it in a bowl and mix well. Rub the mixture all over the brisket.

Place the roasting tin on the hob and add a glug of oil. When hot, seal the beef on all sides until coloured. Transfer to a plate and set aside.

Add the onions, bay leaves, and sugar to the roasting tin along with a pinch of salt and pepper, and cook over a medium heat until the onion are soft and caramelised. All the tomato purée and stir for 1 minute. Pour over the beer to de-glaze the pan, scraping up the bits stuck to the bottom.

Put the brisket back into the pan on top of the onions and pour over the beef stock. Bring to the boil, then cover tightly with foil and transfer to the oven for 3-3 and a half hours, until tender. Baste the brisket every now and again so that the meat is nicely glazed in the pan juices.

Transfer the joint to a serving dish, cover loosely with foil and set aside to rest for 15-20 minutes.

Meanwhile, place the roasting tin over a medium-high heat to reduce the sauce adding the cider vinegar if using. Pour any of the resting meat juices into the tin as you do so.

To serve, slice the brisket and spoon the sauce over it.