Slow Cooked Beef Brisket in Beef Tallow
Introduction
Beef brisket is a hardworking cut from the lower chest, full of deep flavour and connective tissue that only a long, slow cook can soften. Cooked low and slow and finished in beef tallow, it turns into tender, pull apart beef with a rich, savoury crust. The tallow bastes the meat as it cooks, keeping it moist and adding pure beef richness.
This is an easy, forgiving method for a good grass fed brisket. Season, slow roast, then wrap with tallow to push through the stall and finish until a probe glides in.
Ingredients
For 8 servings
- 2-2.5kgbeef briskettrimmed, thin fat layer left on
- 3 tbspbeef tallow
- 2 tbspsalt
- 1 tbspblack peppercracked
- 1 tspgarlic powder
- 1 tsponion powder
Utensils
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- Roasting tray and rack
- Foil or butcher paper
- Meat thermometer
- Chopping board
- Sharp knife
Cooking Steps
Season
Pat the brisket dry, rub with 1 tablespoon of the tallow, and season all over with the salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder.
Slow roast
Sit the brisket fat side up on a rack in a tray and roast at 150°C for about 3 hours, until a deep crust forms.
Wrap with tallow
Spread the remaining tallow over the brisket, wrap tightly in foil or butcher paper, and return to the oven.
Cook until tender
Continue at 150°C for another 2.5 to 3 hours until a probe slides in with little resistance, around 93 to 96°C internal.
Rest
Rest the brisket wrapped for at least 45 minutes.
Slice
Slice against the grain into pencil thick slices and serve with the rendered tallow juices.
Nutrition
Per Serving
Recipe serves 8Nutritional values are estimates only and may vary based on specific ingredients, brands, cuts, cooking method, and portion sizes. For medical or dietary purposes, please consult a qualified nutritionist.
Tips and Pairing
People Also Ask
Why cook brisket in beef tallow? +
Beef tallow keeps a lean, hardworking cut like brisket moist through a long cook and adds pure beef richness. Spreading tallow on the meat before wrapping bastes it as it finishes, helping the bark stay supple and the meat juicy. It is a simple way to boost flavour without masking the beef.
How long does it take to slow cook brisket? +
A 2 to 2.5kg brisket takes around 6 hours at 150°C, split between an uncovered phase to build a crust and a wrapped phase to finish, plus a long rest. Cook to tenderness and an internal 93 to 96°C rather than the clock, since every brisket is a little different.
What temperature is brisket done at? +
Brisket is done when a probe slides into the thickest part with almost no resistance, usually around 93 to 96°C. At that point the collagen has broken down into gelatine. Temperature is a guide, but feel is the real test, so keep cooking and checking if it still feels tight.
Should you wrap brisket? +
Yes, wrapping helps push brisket through the stall, the long plateau where evaporative cooling holds the temperature steady, and it keeps the meat moist. Spread tallow on the wrap for extra richness. Wrap once a good crust has formed so you keep flavour while shortening the cook.
How do you slice brisket? +
Rest the brisket, then slice the flat against the grain into pencil thick slices, and cut the point thicker or cube it. Slicing across the grain shortens the fibres so each slice stays tender. A long, sharp knife and a single smooth stroke give the cleanest slices.
