Most of my favourite cuts of beef are the ones that lend themselves best to slow cooking, think shin, braising steak and in this case, the best of them all, actually second best after short ribs, the legendary beef brisket.
The reason I love slow cooking beef is it's just so easy, as long as you season it well and add some delicious flavour pairings you literally can not go wrong. Then once the meat is lovely and tender you can use it in any way you want, with pasta, rice, as Sunday roast or in this case a deliciously simple beer and onion pie!
Prep time 20mins
Cooking time 5-6hours, less if you have a pressure cooker
2tbsp olive oil
800g beef brisket joint, cut in two
3tbsp plain flour
1tbsp mustard powder
Salt & Pepper
1 large carrot, peeled sliced thickly
2 onions, peeled & sliced
2 cloves of garlic crushed
2 sprigs of fresh rosemary, leaves removed and finely chopped
2 tsp dried parsley
600ml beef stock (I really like Knorr rich beef stock pots)
1pack each of chilled ready rolled puff and shortcrust (yes we're making a full pie)
1 egg beaten, for glaze
2tbsp beef bisto (optional)
You can cook the filling in your oven or slow cooker, just remember if you're cooking it in the oven to preheat to 170º fan.
In a saucepan or deep frying pan, on a medium to high heat add the 2tbsp of olive oil.
While the oil is heating mix together the plain flour, mustard powder and a good grind of salt and pepper, around half a teaspoon of each in a bowl and then coat the brisket pieces with the seasoned flour.
Begin to brown the coated brisket pieces on all sides in the heated oil, you can do this in batches if neccessary.
Now add the sliced onion, garlic, chopped rosemary, parsley and stock.
Turn the heat to a medium to high and let it come to a boil, while its heating use a wooden spoon or spatula to scrape any residue from browning the beef from the bottom of the pan and mix well into the liquid, we don't want to leave it stuck on the bottom of the saucepan once we transfer it as this is often the most flavourful part and will help to thicken the gravy.
Once your sauce is boiling, very very carefully transfer to an oven proof dish or slow cooker (if you'd prefer, let the sauce cool a bit before you do this)
Now if you're cooking in the oven cover the dish an pop it in the oven for 3-4 hours or until the beef is lovely and tender, and if you're slow cooking around 5 hours or until the beef is tender. Check on it every now and again to make sure there's still plenty of liquid.
Once your beef is lovely and tender you should be able to shred it with two forks, carefully do this and then CAREFULLY transfer it all back in to a sauce pan where you can set it to boil and reduce the liquid until you have a lovely thick gravy packed with the shredded beef, or if you want a short cut add the bisto granules in and stir until combined, this should thicken the sauce almost instantly. Have a test and add any salt or pepper if you require.
At this stage I like to let the mixture cool and then leave it in the fridge overnight as I find the pastry and filling cooks better. You don't have to leave it over night just allow it to cool before assembling the pie.
Grab a pie dish and place the shortcrust pastry along the bottom leaving an inch over hang around the edges. Add the cooled beef filling and then top with the puff pastry being sre to seal the edges down on to the pie rim, trim any excess pastry from around the edge, poke a few air holes in it, brush over the beaten egg and then add and decorations and then egg wash those to.
Place in to a preheated oven at 180ºc for around 45mins or until the pastry is golden and crisp.
Leave to sit for a few minutes once the pie is out of the oven to make it easier to slice.
For a bit of extra flavour you can add a sprinkling of dried thyme to the pastry lid after you egg washed it before you pop it in the oven.
