Beer Braised Crockpot Brisket

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I love brisket when it’s flavorful and moist.  One of the things I love about this recipe is that it gives me everything I love in a brisket!  I don’t always do this in the crock pot.  When we get to Fall and Winter, I actually like to do this in a large Dutch oven in the oven.  Low and slow baby – that’s the key!!

I tend to pick a large brisket so that I can stretch it into a few different meals.  Versatility … love it!!  The first night we pretty much eat it as a roast with either Dolly’s potatoes, funeral potatoes or mashed potatoes and green beans as the sides.  Sometimes I will put 2 pounds of baby red potatoes on the bottom.

If I’m not using baby red potatoes, after the brisket has cooked, I remove it from the crockpot and set aside to rest before I slice it against the grain.  I use my immersion blender to grind up the veggies with with sauce and add a slurry to thicken if needed.  I let this go on high for 15 to 20 minutes while I’m getting the rest of the meal together and slice the meat.

Here are some ways I use up the brisket include putting it in tortillas with lettuce, tomato, onion with a horseradish mayo or on sandwiches.  I love to use it in a variation on the Tony Soprano Sub.  Delicious!  So simple!!

Beer Braised Crockpot Brisket

• 4 to 5 pound beef brisket
• 2 large onions, peeled and quartered
• 4 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
• 1 8 oz package baby carrots
• 4 pieces of celery, cut half
• Braising Sauce
• 1 pkg Lipton Onion Beefy Soup mix
• 2 pkg Hidden Valley Ranch Dip mix
• 4 Tbsp brown sugar
• 1 Tbsp garlic powder
• 2 Tsp onion powder
• 1 15-oz can chicken broth
• 1 Tbsp beef Better than Bouillon
• 3 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
• 1/2 C Heinz Chili Sauce
• 1 can Guinness – or whatever beer you have on hand

In the bottom of the crockpot or Dutch oven, put the carrots (and potatoes, if using) down and then add the celery.  Put the brisket on top of that.  Put the onion quarters on top of the brisket.

In a large mixing bowl, drop in Soup mix, garlic powder, onion powder, brown sugar, and Ranch Dip mix.  Stir these together to combine well.  Slowly whisk in Chicken Broth so that the dry ingredients don’t clump.  Next whisk in the better than bouillon base.  Next whisk in the Heinz Chili sauce.  Taste for seasonings and adjust to your liking – e.g., more garlic, hot sauce, black pepper,  salt, etc.  Whisk in the beer. 

Pour the braising sauce over the brisket and veggies.  Put the lid on the pan:

• If cooking in the crockpot, turn it to low for 8 to 10 hours depending on the size of your brisket and if you are using potatoes in the pot.
• If cooking this in a Dutch Oven, preheat the oven to 325 while you are getting everything into the pot.  Put this into the oven and roast for 3 to 4 hours.

Guinness Braised Leg of Lamb

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I’ve been thinking about making this for awhile now.  Today is the day.  It has all the earmarks in a recipe I love – simple, quick to throw together, my oven does all the work!

Since the root vegetables will be cooking under the leg of lamb, I should be able to get by with either green beans or skillet corn, mashed potatoes, and a simple green salad.

I know that lamb isn’t for everyone.  If lamb isn’t your thing, no problem.  Use beef or pork.  When Tyler Florence does his version of this recipe, he uses a 7 to 8 pound leg of lamb with the shin bone still in.  Me – I’ll take the easy way out.  A 5 pound pre-butterflied leg of lamb that I can just season, truss, and put in the pan!  =D  Lazy, I know.

He also gets a honey and thyme thing going as well.  Again – not my bag so I’m leaving that out and changing up the herbs to suit my family.

Guinness Braised Leg of Lamb

• 5 to 6 pound butterflied leg of lamb
• 3 Tbsp rosemary, chopped
• 3 Tbsp parsley, chopped
• 6 cloves of garlic, grated or pressed on the inside of the lamb
• 1 Tbsp Kosher salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 C olive oil
• juice and zest of 2 lemons
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 can of Guinness Stout
• 1 C chicken broth
• 1 large Vidalia or Maui onion, sliced
• 2 lb baby red potatoes
• 1 bag of baby carrots
• Slurry
• 2 Tbsp cornstarch and 1/3 C cold water shaken together until completely blended

Preheat oven to 375.  Spray a roasting pan with non-stick cooking spray.  Place potatoes and carrots on the bottom of the roasting pan.  Lay the onions on top of the potatoes and carrots. 

Open the leg of lamb so that you can season the inside.  Sprinkle the tablespoon of salt and teaspoon of black pepper on the inside of the leg of lamb.  Add the rosemary, parsley, garlic, and zest of lemon.  Roll the lamb closed and secure with string.

Put the lamb on top of the veggies.  Whisk together 1/4 C olive oil, lemon juice, chicken broth, and Guinness.  Whisk in the slurry.  Pour over the lamb and veggies.

Bake at 375 for 10 minutes.  Reduce heat to 325 and bake for 40 minutes.  Remove lamb to a platter and let it rest for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing it.  Remove the veggies to a serving bowl.

The slurry should have thickened the sauce.  If you want it thicker, pour it into a saucepan, add 1/2 C heavy whipping cream and cook over medium-high heat to thicken it.  Serve the sauce over the meat & veggies.

Guinness Cheese Dip

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I love pimiento cheese and have perfected that recipe over the years.  Not everyone in my family is a huge fan of pimientos so I like to occasionally change things up.  This is a variation that is a hit whenever I serve it. 

We tend to eat this spread on crackers although we’ll also stuff it into celery sometimes too.  While I’ll make pimiento cheese sandwiches, I do not do that with this recipe.  Speaking of pimiento cheese sandwiches, have you ever had a grilled pimiento cheese sandwich?  Divine!

Guinness Cheese Dip

• 8 C shredded sharp cheddar, room temperature
• 2 C shredded Swiss or Monterey Jack cheese, room temperature
• 8 oz brick of cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 small shallot, minced or grated
• 2 cloves garlic, grated or pressed
• 1/4 C to 1/3 C sliced pickled jalapeno peppers, chopped
• 1 Tbsp hot sauce (we like Cholula)
• 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 tsp white pepper
• 1 1/2 C room temperature Guinness stout

In a large mixing bowl, whip the softened cream cheese, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, Guinness together until smooth.  Stir in the shallot, garlic, chopped pickled jalapeno peppers, and white pepper.  Beat in the shredded cheeses 1 C to 2 C at time keeping the mixture smooth but chunky.  Taste for seasonings and adjust as desired.  We tend to use more hot sauce and Cholula, just FYI.

Scrape into a bowl with a lid and refrigerate for at least 3 hours before serving.

Pork Chops with Beer and Bacon Gravy

I saw Rachael Ray make these chops yesterday on 30 Minute Meals.  They looked great.  One thing I’m going to do when I make this is to actually thicken the gravy more.  I’ll use 2 Tbsp versus the 1 she calls for below before cooking the bacon and then use a slurry as needed at the end to get the gravy to the consistency I know my family prefers. 

The other change I’m planning is to use peppered bacon to give this recipe a little more of a kick.

Recipe courtesy Rachael Ray

Prep Time:

5 min

Inactive Prep Time:

—

Cook Time:

25 min

Level:

Easy

Serves:

4 servings

Ingredients

• 4 bone-in pork chops, just over 1-inch thick
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus a drizzle
• 2 thick slices smoky bacon from deli counter, diced 1/4-inch
• 1 medium onion, diced 1/4-inch
• 1 rounded tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 bottle amber to dark German beer
• 1/2 cup stock
• Chopped parsley, for garnish

Directions

Season the chops liberally with salt and pepper. Heat the extra-virgin olive oil

in a skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil smokes, add the chops and cook, turning once, until caramelized and the meat is just turning firm, about 10 to 12 minutes. Remove to a platter and cover with foil, reserve.

Add a drizzle more oil to the pan, add bacon and brown for 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the onions and sauté over medium heat with the bacon until soft, 6 to 7 minutes. Sprinkle in flour, stir for 1 minute, then add the beer. Cook until reduced by half, 1 to 2 minutes more, then whisk in the stock. Remove from the heat and season with pepper. Pour the gravy over the chops, sprinkle with parsley and serve immediately.

Printed from FoodNetwork.com on Sun Jan 24 2010

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