Slow-cooked beef brisket with celery and shallots

SERVES 4-6

1.5kg beef brisket (flat, not rolled) 400ml beer (IPA is perfect)

4 bay leaves

4 sprigs thyme

4 cloves garlic

1tbsp oil

4 sticks of celery, trimmed and cut into 7cm pieces, split lengthways if too thick 8 shallots, peeled

2 carrots, peeled and roughly chopped 1tbsp brown sugar

2tsp Dijon mustard

2tbsp tomato purée

½-1tsp chilli flakes (to taste)

Marinade the beef in the beer, bay leaves, thyme and garlic overnight, turning once or twice. The next day remove the beef and reserve the marinade for later.

Heat the oven to 160°C/140°C fan/gas mark 3. Heat the oil in a large casserole dish and brown the beef well on all sides. Remove the beef and set aside. Add the vegetables to the pan.

Stir to coat with the beef fat, turn the heat down and cook for five to eight minutes with the lid on.

Stir the veg well, then stir in the sugar, Dijon mustard, tomato purée and chilli flakes. Pour the reserved marinade into the pan, including the garlic and herbs. Stir well and season.

Return the beef to the pan. If it’s not completely submerged, baste the meat with the liquid and turn it halfway through the cooking. Cook in the oven for four hours with the lid on or until tender and the meat pulls apart.

Once cooked, the meat should be very tender and falling apart. Shred and pull the meat apart and stir into the sauce. Serve with root veg mash.

Note: Ask for the nug end of the brisket – it’s thicker and usually has better marbling, so will be more tender when slow cooked.

Recipe from www.lovecelery.co.uk