Recipe for oven-braised apple cider brisket {gluten-free}

They say you can't teach an old dog new tricks, but here I am, an old dog when it comes to certain recipes, telling you that I have learned a new trick, and it is good. The beef brisket recipe I make came from my mother, who got it from her mother, and except for updating the braising wine from sweet to dry, I've stuck by that recipe for more than 30 years. But. A few weeks ago, while driving home from the local apple orchard, I had a brisket epiphany. Why not, I thought, combine wine and cider in the braise? When I got home, the (wine) cupboard was bare, so I moved on to Plan B, a cider-and-herb combination with onion and garlic. Wow. I won't say I'll never go back to my grandmother's recipe, but I'm definitely putting this apple cider brisket into frequent rotation.

Oven-braised apple cider brisket

From the pantry, you'll need: onion, garlic, kosher salt, fresh black pepper, dried thyme leaf (if not using fresh thyme), cornstarch or arrowroot.

Serves 6-8.

Ingredients

2 lb flat-cut beef brisket
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp fresh black pepper, divided
4 cups unsweetened apple cider
1 large onion, peeled and thinly sliced
6 cloves garlic, peeled but left whole
10 sprigs fresh thyme, or 2 Tbsp dried thyme leaf
1 Tbsp cornstarch or arrowroot

Directions

Preheat oven to 325°F.

Allow the brisket to come to room temperature (30-60 minutes out of the refrigerator). Season both sides with salt and 1/2 teaspoon of the pepper.

In a high-sided nonstick roasting pan just large enough to hold the meat, brown the meat on all sides over medium-high heat.

When the meat is brown, add one cup of the cider to the pan. It will boil instantly. Let it boil for 30 seconds, then add the onion, garlic and thyme. Cook for another minute, and add the remaining three cups of cider and another 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper.

Cover the pan tightly with a double layer of aluminum foil, and place in the oven. Cook for 4-1/2 hours at 325F. The meat should be fork tender.

Remove the meat to a serving dish or casserole, and cover it lightly with a piece of the aluminum foil from the roasting pan. Place the roasting pan on the stove top over high heat. While the cider is coming to a boil, mix the cornstarch or arrowroot with 2 tablespoons of water, and set aside.

Allow the cider in the pan to boil for 2 minutes. Stir in the cornstarch mixture, and whisk to make sure there are no lumps. The sauce should thicken slightly, but not become gloppy.

With a slotted spoon, remove the onion, garlic and thyme stems from the sauce. Spoon the remaining sauce over the brisket, or serve some in a gravy boat on the table.

[Printer-friendly recipe.]

More recipes in The Perfect Pantry:
Oven-barbecued brisket
Grandma's beef brisket in the slow cooker
Pakistani "old clothes" beef curry (nihari)
Vegetable beef soup
Slow cooker Cuban-style ropa vieja

Other recipes that use these pantry ingredients:
Southwestern pulled brisket, from Smitten Kitchen
Brisket tacos, Dallas style, from Homesick Texan
Lou Lambert's coffee-rubbed roasted brisket, from Nutritionl Unplugged
Beef brisket rice vermicelli soup, from Christine's Recipes
Oven "smoked" beef brisket, from Cooking by the Seat of our Pants

Oven-braised apple cider brisket

From the pantry, you'll need: onion, garlic, kosher salt, fresh black pepper, dried thyme leaf (if not using fresh thyme), cornstarch or arrowroot.

Serves 6-8.

Ingredients

2 lb flat-cut beef brisket
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp fresh black pepper, divided
4 cups unsweetened apple cider
1 large onion, peeled and thinly sliced
6 cloves garlic, peeled but left whole
10 sprigs fresh thyme, or 2 Tbsp dried thyme leaf
1 Tbsp cornstarch or arrowroot

Directions

Preheat oven to 325°F.

Allow the brisket to come to room temperature (30-60 minutes out of the refrigerator). Season both sides with salt and 1/2 teaspoon of the pepper.

In a high-sided nonstick roasting pan just large enough to hold the meat, brown the meat on all sides over medium-high heat.

When the meat is brown, add one cup of the cider to the pan. It will boil instantly. Let it boil for 30 seconds, then add the onion, garlic and thyme. Cook for another minute, and add the remaining three cups of cider and another 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper.

Cover the pan tightly with a double layer of aluminum foil, and place in the oven. Cook for 4-1/2 hours at 325F. The meat should be fork tender.

Remove the meat to a serving dish or casserole, and cover it lightly with a piece of the aluminum foil from the roasting pan. Place the roasting pan on the stove top over high heat. While the cider is coming to a boil, mix the cornstarch or arrowroot with 2 tablespoons of water, and set aside.

Allow the cider in the pan to boil for 2 minutes. Stir in the cornstarch mixture, and whisk to make sure there are no lumps. The sauce should thicken slightly, but not become gloppy.

With a slotted spoon, remove the onion, garlic and thyme stems from the sauce. Spoon the remaining sauce over the brisket, or serve some in a gravy boat on the table.

[Printer-friendly recipe.]

More recipes in The Perfect Pantry:
Oven-barbecued brisket
Grandma's beef brisket in the slow cooker
Pakistani "old clothes" beef curry (nihari)
Vegetable beef soup
Slow cooker Cuban-style ropa vieja

Other recipes that use these pantry ingredients:
Southwestern pulled brisket, from Smitten Kitchen
Brisket tacos, Dallas style, from Homesick Texan
Lou Lambert's coffee-rubbed roasted brisket, from Nutritionl Unplugged
Beef brisket rice vermicelli soup, from Christine's Recipes
Oven "smoked" beef brisket, from Cooking by the Seat of our Pants

Comments

I love the sound of this, in fact I think I might like this over the wine-braised version. But I would happily sample them both to decide.

That looks so tasty, my husband may even try it.

This sounds incredible. I have leftover apple cider from brining turkeys. Might have to grab a brisket.

Kalyn, as we live in apple country here, I use the wonderful unpasteurized cider. And I think I like this as much as I like the wine-braised one. But I'd happily do a tasting with you!

Rhonda, if it's any help, *my* husband loves this.

Alta, that's what I did, too. A bit of leftover cider, and it was absolutely delicious. I've made this three or four times in the past two months.

I've done a lot of pork with apple cider, but never beef. I think it's time to give it a try.

This looks so tasty.

This sounds wonderful, but I think that I'll try cooking it in my electric pressure cooker. Can't wait to try it!

Funny I have to say that "Curt" above nailed it down for me.. I realized I often combine apples/cider etc with pork but never beef! This is a perfect way to start!
(I am thinking of pairing with bleu cheese mashed potatoes!)

Curt, I think you'll really like this.

Leslie, one of these days I have to get over my fear of pressure cookers!

Carol, that sounds divine. Then again, doesn't everything go with bleu cheese mashed potatoes?

I love the combination of beef and apple cider. The meat looks really tender and the sauce heavenly.

Your pumpkin pecan loaf is just awesome! Lovely blog, came here from Shulies'.

Sounds delicious! I have some cider left over from Thanksgiving (I basted my turkey in cider and bourbon!). I'd love to try this soon.

I love the use of apple cider. Great comforting meal!

I have to figure out where brisket comes from - what cut, I mean. Meat is butchered differently here and it's been trial and error. A beef roast or brisket is not a staple here. Cider (hard, of course) is a staple here, though LOL

Oh wow, that sounds great! I like the addition of the fresh thyme. I'd take the garlic and mash them up or squeeze them onto some nice hearty bread to help sop up the sauce... :-d