Maple-Cider Brisket

By lorik

Ingredients

• COOK:
• 4 strips thick-sliced bacon, diced
• 1 beef brisket, seasoned with salt and black pepper (3 lb.)
• 2 cups diced onions
• 1 cup diced celery
• 5 cloves garlic, smashed
• 1 Tbsp. tomato paste
• DEGLAZE:
• 1 ⁄2 cup unsweetened apple juice
• 1 bottle hard dry cider, such as Strongbow (12 oz.)
• 1 ⁄4 cup pure maple syrup
• ADD:
• 3 parsnips, cut into 1/2-inch-thick rounds (12 oz.)
• 2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and quartered
• 1 russet potato, peeled and quartered
• 4 Tbsp. unsalted butter
• 2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
• 1 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary
• 2 Tbsp. cornstarch
• 1 Tbsp. each cider vinegar and water

Details

Servings 6
Cooking time 390mins
Adapted from cuisinerecipes.com

Preparation

Step 1

Cook bacon in a sauté pan until crisp. Transfer to a paper-towel-line plate; set aside.

Sear brisket in bacon drippings over high heat until browned on both sides, 5–7 minutes; transfer to a plate. Reduce heat to medium-high and add onion, celery, garlic, and tomato paste; cook 2 minutes.

Deglaze pan with apple juice, and reduce by half, 3 minutes; transfer to a 6- to 8-qt. slow cooker. Add cider and maple syrup; top with brisket. Cover slow cooker and cook on high setting, 4½ hours.

Add parsnips, apples, and potato; cook until fork-tender, about 1 hour. Remove brisket; tent with foil. With a slotted spoon, transfer parsnips, apples, and potato to a food processor. Add butter, thyme, and rosemary; pulse until smooth and season with salt and pepper.

Strain braising liquid into a saucepan; reduce to 2 cups, 11–12 minutes. Discard solids.

Whisk together cornstarch, vinegar, and water, then into sauce. Boil 1 minute; season with salt and pepper. Garnish mash with bacon.

Nutrition Information
Per serving: 728 cal; 26g total fat (13g sat); 176mg chol; 301mg sodium; 37g carb; 4g fiber; 78g protein