Beer Braised Brick Roast
I usually start planning my weekend menus out on Wednesday. If Thursday comes and things aren’t finalized, I kind of feel like a chicken without a head. (I probably look like one too.) I find being organized (aka anal retentive) is one of the key elements to successful meals. Without the pre-planning, things start to feel stressful and you end up staying home all Friday to get the work done.
This weekend also happens to be Mother’s Day and I’m helping cook for a family BBQ. This adds even more dishes onto my schedule. So when I thought to myself what should be on the table Friday evening, I surely put my Beer Braised Brick Roast. So. Easy. So. Good.
This recipe has been in the rotation for a while and is still amazing and special. Whenever you add beer to a beef or poultry recipe, it makes the food super flavorful and moist. Beer tenderizes the food like no other liquid.
This recipe is very straightforward, but it is done over 2 days. Day 1 is seasoning the meat and leaving it to marinade overnight. Day 2 is the slow cook. Even more, I prefer to cook it on Thursday so that I can slice it cold on Friday and reheat it before I serve it. I love pretty slices, and this is nearly impossible to do when the roast is hot out of the oven. If you are not one to worry about this, then just go with it. But personally, I believe cutting the roast “against the grain” makes a difference in the mouth-feel of the roast. If it is not cut properly it sometimes feels very stringy and hard to chew. This isn’t to say that someone will care (most human beings do not), but if you are on “team anal retentive” (I’m the captain of the team) then you should marinade Wednesday, cook Thursday and finally cut and warm on Friday. Again, this is all easy- not hard – you just need to plan ahead.
Beer Braised Brick Roast
Ingredients:
4-5 pound Brick Roast (or 1st cut brisket if the roast isn’t available)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 cloves of garlic, chopped (or 4 frozen cubes, softened)
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons black pepper
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 spanish onions, sliced thin (or 3 smaller ones)
1 – 12 ounce can of regular beer (good enough to drink)
Directions:
In a small bowl - mix the olive oil, garlic, Dijon, sugar, paprika, garlic powder, pepper and salt. Mix well. Rub the mixture onto the meat really well. Double wrap the meat up in plastic wrap. Refrigerate approximately 12 hours or overnight.
Preheat your oven to 325 degrees (or 300 convection).
Take your sliced onions and lay in the bottom of a roasting pan. Place the meat on top of the onions and pour your beer around the meat. Cover the pan and cook between 5-6 hours. Start checking the meat after 4 ½ hours. You will know it is ready when you poke the meat with a fork and it is so soft there is literally no resistance.
If you have the time, refrigerate your meat before slicing. Cut your slices thin and go against the grain. Meaning, when you look down at your roast you will see lines or strings going in a certain direction. Your knife needs to be perpendicular (that means 90 degrees - I was a math tutor in college btw) to the strings.
If your roast is cold, return the slices to the pan and cover. Return to the oven to warm at the same temperature for about 40 minutes.
If your roast is already hot, then platter it and serve.
