Slow-cooked until tender and full of flavour, this brisket is a hero of slowed-down winter cooking.,

Ingredients

• 1.5 kg Beef brisket
• 30 ml (1 Tbsp.) Sunflower oil
• 2 Large onions, thinly sliced
• 3 Celery stalks with leaves, chopped
• 3 Cloves garlic, crushed
• 6 Sprigs Thyme
• 2 Bay leaves
• 2 x 400 g can Rhodes Quality Tomatoes Chopped and Peeled
• 2 x 115 g sachet Rhodes Quality Tomato Paste Sachet
• 1 x 375 ml Beer (optional)
• 500 ml (2 cups) prepared beef stock
• 8 Small carrots, sliced lengthwise
• Salt and freshly cracked black pepper
• 30 ml (2 Tbsp.) Dijon mustard
• Salt and freshly cracked black pepper

To serve: creamy mashed potatoes

Method

1. Season brisket with mustard, salt and pepper.
2. Heat the oil in a large and deep ovenproof saucepan.
3. Brown the brisket well on all sides and then remove from the saucepan, discarding any excess fat.
4. To the same saucepan, add the onions, celery and garlic, and fry until fragrant.
5. Add the thyme and bay leaves.
6. Add the Rhodes Quality Tomatoes Chopped and Peeled and the Rhodes Quality Tomato Paste Sachets.
7. Add the beer, if using, and the beef stock and stir to combine.
8. Season the sauce to taste with salt and pepper.
9. Return the brisket to the saucepan.
10. Cover with the lid or with tinfoil and braise the brisket in an oven that has been heated to 170C for 3 hours or until the brisket is tender.
11. Remove the brisket from the saucepan.
12. Add the carrots to the sauce, return to the oven, lid off, and cook until the carrots are tender.
13. In the meantime, slice the brisket or pull into shreds.
14. Return the brisket to the pan and heat through before serving.