Fall Crock Pot Brisket

 

 

Brisket is hands down one of my favorite foods.  There's something so homey about a well made brisket.  Maybe it's because it reminds me of cooler weather and happy holidays with our friends Ellyn and Leon and their family.  Isn't that what comfort food is all about- food that warms us, satiates us, and reminds us of happy times with people that we love?

 

 

This is not a difficult meal to make.  In fact, it's kind of perfect in it's simplicity since you just toss all the ingredients in the crock pot, and leave it alone until the brisket is falling apart and your house is filled with the savory, hearty flavors of carrots, onions, herbs, and beef at its finest.  Laela had a great time helping "shake shake shake" the spices in, as well as tossing in the veggies.

 

Fall Crock Pot Brisket

 

Ingredients:

• 2 lb Brisket
• 1 Medium onion, diced
• 3 Large carrots, chopped
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 1 Stalk thyme (leaves only)
• 1 Stalk rosemary, chopped (leaves only)
• 4 Leaves of sage, chopped
• Salt and Pepper
• 2 Cups beef broth
• 2 Tb Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tsp Balsamic vinegar
• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 3 Potatoes, chopped or cubed (optional)
• 1 Tb Corn starch

Instructions:

 

For the Brisket:

• Place the brisket, onion, garlic, worcestershire, balsamic vinegar, carrots, celery, thyme, rosemary, sage, potatoes, and broth in the crock pot.
• Cook on the lowest setting (but not on warm) for 6-10 hours, or until the brisket is falling apart when you place a fork in it (brisket will "string" and "pull" apart.)
• Serve as is, or with gravy.

For the gravy:

• Take 1 cup of the drippings/broth from the crock pot and place it in a medium saucepan on medium-high heat.
• In small ramekin or cup, whisk together 1 tsp corn starch and 2 tsp water.
• Whisk in the corn starch mixture with the broth/drippings.
• Taste for seasoning.  Add salt and pepper as necessary.
• For a gravy with more herb flavoring, whisk in a few chopped leaves of rosemary, thyme, and sage.
• Whisk until thickened.
• Serve!

 

A Simple Brisket

I don't know about you, but pulled meats are one of my most favorite things ever- pulled pork, brisket that you don't even need to pull because it's been cooked low and slow, pulled chicken, there's something about that shredded goodness that just makes me happy.  I think the main reason I love it so much is because it is just so stinking easy.

In keeping with my crock pot recipes that I've promised, here's the easiest (and I do mean easiest) brisket recipe you will ever make.  Yes, I said ever, and I totally mean, wholeheartedly, that a blind man with one hand could make this dinner.

Crock Pot Brisket
You'll need:

• 2 lb Brisket (Don't trim the fat, it keeps it super juicy.  Remove the fat with a slotted spoon when it's done cooking.)
•  Beef Broth-3 cups, or just enough to cover the brisket (or water with beef boullion cubes, whatever you have on hand)
• 2Tb garlic powder
• 2Tb onion powder
• 2Tb ground black pepper
• 3Tb salt (I used sea salt, and added more to taste)
• 1Tb ground coffee
• 1Tb brown sugar
• 1tsp paprika
• 3 leaves of sage, finely chopped

Instructions:

Put all of the ingredients in the crock pot.   Set the crock pot to the lowest setting. Cook either overnight, or start it in the morning and enjoy for dinner that day! 

**This freezes really well.  Put in tupperware and pop it in the freezer.  It'll be good for about three months, depending on how cold your freezer is (if you have a deep freeze it can last longer!)

Pulled Pork

We learned pretty quickly that barbecue is a religion in South Carolina.  South Canrolina's barbecue is mustard based (and if it's done right it is crazy delicious!), so if you have the opportunity to try it, definitely give it a go!

My pulled pork recipe is delicious with any kind of barbecue sauce, so use whatever kind you like best! 

Fair warning, pulled pork enthusiasts that love their pork smoked and made with care, this is a lazy person's recipe.  So if you love pulled pork like we do (my little girl always exclaims "Num Num Mommy!", this recipe is for you!


Pulled Pork

You'll need:

• 2-3 lb pork butt (I prefer bone in- it packs more flavor!)
• 6-8 oz barbecue sauce (depending on how barbecue packed you'd like your pork to be)
• 2 cups water

Instructions:

Set the crock pot to low heat.  Combine ingredients in the crock pot.  Cook for 8 hours (or however long your crock pot setting for low is set for- ours is set to a timer, and clicks off after 8 hours when we cook on low, 5 hours on medium, and 2 hours on high.) 

When the pork is done, use two forks to "pull" the pork. It should pull rather easily (use one fork to hold the pork in place, use another one to pull or shred the pork with your fork.)  You can take the pork out and do this on a cutting board if you like.  Personally, I like to do it in the crock pot so that I don't make more dirty dishes than necessary, and I like that it soaks up even more juice as you pull the pork!

Enjoy!!

**This is another super easy to freeze dinner.  As with the brisket, it should freeze in a conventional freezer for about 3 months.