Anne Morgan Delia Smith’s beef brisket recipe is her English Pot-roast, and she says rolled brisket has the best flavour of all the cuts you could use. It braises for 3 hours at 150°C (300°F) with onions, carrots, celery, swede, and mushrooms in stock, and it serves 6.
I started making this in a slow cooker because I wanted the brisket cooking while I was out. Delia’s oven method gives you a slightly firmer slice, but the slow cooker version falls apart with a fork and the vegetables melt into the gravy.
More Dinner Recipes:
Why Brisket and Not Another Cut?
Delia says you could use topside or silverside, but rolled brisket has the best flavour. I agree: brisket has more fat running through it than the leaner cuts, and that fat bastes the meat from the inside during the long cook.
Ask your butcher for a piece that is rolled and tied, which keeps it in shape during braising. A 1.35kg (3 lb) piece feeds 6 people comfortably with vegetables on the side.
Beef Brisket Ingredients
- 1.35 kg (3 lb) rolled brisket of beef
- 2 tablespoons beef dripping or olive oil
- 2 medium onions, quartered
- 3 carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
- 2 sticks celery, cut into chunks
- 225g (8 oz) swede, peeled and cut into chunks
- 110g (4 oz) mushrooms, left whole or halved
- 570ml (1 pint) hot beef stock
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- Salt and freshly milled black pepper
How To Make Delia Smith Beef Brisket
- Pre-heat the oven: Set it to 150°C (300°F/Gas 2).
- Brown the brisket: Melt the dripping in a thick-based casserole over a high heat. Sear the brisket until dark brown on all sides, then transfer to a plate.
- Brown the vegetables: Lightly brown the onions, carrots, celery, and swede in the same fat, then remove them to the plate.
- Build the pot roast: Pour out any excess fat, then return the brisket to the casserole. Arrange the browned vegetables and mushrooms around the meat.
- Add the liquid: Pour in the hot stock and add the bay leaf, thyme, and seasoning.
- Braise: Cover with foil and a tight-fitting lid. As soon as you hear it simmering, put it in the centre of the oven and leave for 3 hours.
- Serve: Place the meat and vegetables on a warmed serving dish. Bring the cooking liquid to a boil and reduce slightly for the gravy.
How To Make Brisket in a Slow Cooker
Brown the brisket and vegetables on the hob first, exactly as Delia describes, because the slow cooker will not caramelise anything. Transfer the browned meat and vegetables to the slow cooker, pour in the hot stock with the herbs, and cook on Low for 8 to 10 hours or High for 5 to 6 hours.
I have made this brisket slow cooker recipe at least a dozen times and the meat comes out softer than the oven version. The gravy is thinner because there is less evaporation, so I pour it into a saucepan and reduce it on the hob for 10 minutes before serving.
How Do You Know When Brisket Is Done?
It should be soft enough to pull apart easily with two forks. If you can slice it neatly after 3 hours it probably needs another 30 minutes, because properly slow cooked brisket should be tender all the way through.
I check mine after 2½ hours by pressing the top with a spoon: if it gives easily and the fibres are starting to separate, it is close. If it still feels firm, I put the lid back on and leave it.
Sides That Work
Delia suggests mashed potatoes, and that is what I serve most of the time because the gravy from the pot roast is thin enough to pour over the mash and thick enough to coat everything. Braised red cabbage is the other natural pairing because the vinegar cuts through the richness of the beef.
Crusty bread works too if you want something simpler, and the leftover brisket makes excellent sandwiches the next day with mustard and pickles. The sausage casserole uses a similar slow-braising technique if you want something for a different night.
Keeping It for Later
Store the brisket in its gravy in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in the oven at 150°C (300°F) for 30 to 40 minutes, covered, until hot through.
It freezes well for up to 3 months. I slice it before freezing so I can defrost just what I need, and the gravy freezes separately in a container and reheats in a saucepan on the hob.
Nutrition Facts
- Calories: 420 kcal
- Fat: 22g
- Carbohydrates: 12g
- Fibre: 3g
- Protein: 42g
Nutrition is estimated per serving based on 6 servings.
Can I use topside or silverside instead of brisket?
Delia says you can, but both are leaner and can dry out more easily during the long cook. If you use topside, reduce the oven time by 30 minutes and check it earlier. Brisket is more forgiving because the fat keeps it moist.
Do I need to sear the brisket before slow cooking?
Yes. The slow cooker cannot brown meat, and the dark crust from searing is what gives the gravy its colour and depth. Skip this and the whole dish will taste flat.
Can I add red wine instead of stock?
Yes. Delia has a separate recipe called Pot-roasted Beef in Red Wine from the Winter Collection that uses exactly this method. Replace half the stock with red wine for a richer, darker gravy.
You Might Also Like:
Delia Smith Beef Brisket Slow Cooker Recipe
Course: DinnerCuisine: BritishDifficulty: Easy4
servings30
minutes40
minutes300
kcalDelia Smith’s beef brisket recipe is her English Pot-roast, and she says rolled brisket has the best flavour of all the cuts you could use. It braises for 3 hours at 150°C (300°F) with onions, carrots, celery, swede, and mushrooms in stock, and it serves 6.
I started making this in a slow cooker because I wanted the brisket cooking while I was out. Delia’s oven method gives you a slightly firmer slice, but the slow cooker version falls apart with a fork and the vegetables melt into the gravy.
Ingredients
1.35 kg (3 lb) rolled brisket of beef
2 tablespoons beef dripping or olive oil
2 medium onions, quartered
3 carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
2 sticks celery, cut into chunks
225g (8 oz) swede, peeled and cut into chunks
110g (4 oz) mushrooms, left whole or halved
570ml (1 pint) hot beef stock
1 bay leaf
2 sprigs fresh thyme
Salt and freshly milled black pepper
Directions
- Pre-heat the oven: Set it to 150°C (300°F/Gas 2).
- Brown the brisket: Melt the dripping in a thick-based casserole over a high heat. Sear the brisket until dark brown on all sides, then transfer to a plate.
- Brown the vegetables: Lightly brown the onions, carrots, celery, and swede in the same fat, then remove them to the plate.
- Build the pot roast: Pour out any excess fat, then return the brisket to the casserole. Arrange the browned vegetables and mushrooms around the meat.
- Add the liquid: Pour in the hot stock and add the bay leaf, thyme, and seasoning.
- Braise: Cover with foil and a tight-fitting lid. As soon as you hear it simmering, put it in the centre of the oven and leave for 3 hours.
- Serve: Place the meat and vegetables on a warmed serving dish. Bring the cooking liquid to a boil and reduce slightly for the gravy.
Notes
- For slow cooker: brown on hob first, then cook on Low 8-10 hours or High 5-6 hours. Reduce gravy on hob before serving.
