Black treacle and Guinness brisket
Prep time: 25 minsTotal time: 
Black treacle and Guinness brisket
This is a delicious alternative to rare roast beef – rich, tender brisket in a caramelised shallot, Guinness and treacle sauce
Prep time: 25 minsTotal time: 
Spencer Lengsfield
Spencer Lengsfield
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 tbsp plain flour
- 1.7-1.9kg beef brisket
- 6 garlic cloves, finely crushed
- 3 echalion shallots, sliced
- 1 tbsp tomato purée
- 500ml beef stock
- 250ml Guinness
- 2 tbsp black treacle
- 1 tbsp light brown soft sugar
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 bay leaves
For the gremolata
- zest of ½ orange
- 1 large garlic clove, finely grated
- 3 sprigs rosemary, finely chopped
- ¼ x 30g pack flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
Step by step
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Preheat the oven to 170°C, fan 150°C, gas 4. Add the oil to a large, flameproof casserole over a high heat. Sprinkle the flour over the brisket and season well. Add the brisket and sear until deep brown on all sides, around 7 minutes. Remove and set aside.
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Reduce the heat then add the garlic and shallots, and sauté for a few minutes until just soft. Add the tomato purée and cook for a further 2 minutes, then add the stock, Guinness, treacle, sugar, Worcestershire, bay leaves and seasoning, and return the brisket to the pan. Cover and transfer to the oven for 3½ hours until tender but not quite falling apart. Remove the lid and return to the oven, uncovered, for another 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 15 minutes in the liquid before lifting out the brisket and carving into slices.
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Meanwhile, combine the orange zest, garlic, rosemary and parsley with a pinch of salt. Transfer the brisket slices to a platter and spoon over the sauce. Top with the gremolata.
To make carving neat slices easier, cook this the day before and leave it to sit in the fridge overnight. The next day, carve and reheat the slices in the liquid.
