Brisket with prunes

Ingredients

• 1.5 kg beef brisket, trimmed
• 300 g pitted prunes
• 2 medium onions, thinly sliced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 medium carrots, roughly chopped
• 240 ml dry red wine
• 400 ml beef stock
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 6 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon ground allspice
• salt and black pepper to taste

Steps

1. 1

   1. Pat the brisket dry, season generously on all sides, then sear in a deep oven-safe pot or Dutch oven over high heat until a deep brown crust forms, about 4 minutes per side. Remove and set aside.

2. 2

   2. Reduce heat to medium, add the onions and carrots to the same pot, and cook until softened and golden, about 8 minutes. Stir in the garlic, tomato paste, smoked paprika, and allspice and cook for 2 more minutes.

3. 3

   3. Pour in the red wine and balsamic vinegar, scraping up any browned bits, then add the stock, brown sugar, thyme, and bay leaves. Return the brisket to the pot, fat side up, ensuring it sits mostly submerged.

4. 4

   4. Cover tightly and braise in a 160°C (325°F) oven for 2.5 hours, then nestle the prunes around the meat and continue braising uncovered for a further 45 minutes until the sauce reduces to a glossy mahogany glaze.

5. 5

   5. Rest the brisket in the pot for 20 minutes, then slice against the grain and return slices to the sauce before serving directly from the ceramic dish.