Braised brisket, Chilean recipe

Versión en español

Braised brisket or meat is a  very traditional dish in Chile that makes use of cheaper beef cuts, which are very tasty. You can use brisket or chuck that contains more fat or top round. Any lean cut with not too much fat or nerves.

You will find this dish in all Chilean households and each cook makes variations, using wine, beer, only broth, different combinations of vegetables or different spices. Use whatever you have at hand.

Traditionally it is served with its sauce, accompanied by rice or boiled potatoes. Since I have picky eaters at home I puree the onion, carrots and rest of the vegetables using the blender and mix it with the sauce.

Leftovers are great for sandwiches or salads, such as salpicón.

This time apart from peppercorns, I added mustard seeds that I had at hand, you can see them in the pictures.

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Braised brisket, Chilean recipe

serves 4

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds brisket, chuck or top round
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil (canola, sunflower)
• 1 medium-sized onion, thinly sliced
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 small can tomato sauce, approx 250 cc
• 1 cup water or chicken stock
• 1/4 apple vinegar
• 5 peppercorns
• 1 bay leaf or 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin
• 1-2 carrots, sliced (optional)

Preparation:

1. Preheat the oven to 300F or 150 C.
2. After removing most fat, pat dry with a paper towel and season with salt and pepper.
3. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat in a pot that can later be placed in the oven. Seal the meat until brown, 4-5 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.
4. In the same pot, heat the other tablespoon of oil and cook the onion, stirring frequently until soft, 3-5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add tomato sauce, stock or water, 1/4 cup vinegar, peppercorns, and bay leaf carrots and stir.
5. Allow to boil and return the meat to the pot with any juices that may have collected in the plate and cover with the sauce, cover the pot or its lid with aluminum foil and bring to the oven until the meat is tender (soft enough to cut using a fork), 2 1/2 hours to 3 hours. Or cook over very low heat for 2 hours, check 1-2 times to make sure it does not get dry.
6. Turn off the oven or heat, remove the pot and take the meat out of the pot and allow to rest on a cutting board for 20 minutes. If you plan to serve it later, refrigerate at this point, before mixing with the sauce.
7. When serving cut the meat into thin slices. Return the meat to the sauce, mix, allow to warm up and serve.