72-hour Sous Vide Brisket - Cooked Medium Rare

With this Instructable we've produced a video recipe (embedded in the next step) and we're also broken down the stages for you in text too, feel free to use both or whichever you find easiest to follow.

Firstly, we're cooking with a Sous Vide Water Bath, if you're not sure what this type of cooking is (wrongly referred to as boil in the bag by some) check step 2 where we give a little background

We're cooking with brisket but this would work for a lot of other tough cuts of steak such as chuck, short rib etc.

Step 1: VIDEO RECIPE

Watch the full video recipe method here!

Step 2: Understanding Sous Vide

Sous Vide is french for "under vacuum" which means your meat. vegetable, fruit etc is placed in a food-safe vacuum pack and totally sealed, then placed in a water bath of an exact and continuous temperature. The food will never cook above the temperature set, so whilst cooking can take longer, it is hands-free cooking and you can't really overdue your food. Temperature affects colour (steak, medium-rare to medium for example) and Time effects tenderness (the longer in the bath the more the proteins break down).

The machine we are using is the Burton Sous Vide: www.burtonsousvide.co.uk

In the next few stages we're going to take a very tough, hard working piece of muscle from the cow - the Brisket, and immerse in the water bath and leave for 3 whole days, unattended. So slowly those fibres break down and we go from very tough to nice and tender - and thanks to low temperature cooking, we'll never creep over a medium rare finish.... Are you READY?!!

Step 3: Sous Vide Cooking the Brisket

We're setting our Sous Vide water bath @ 55C / 131F

The brisket is sprinkled lightly with sea salt, some rosemary is added to help flavour the outer layer of the meat and the purge (the juices that are released throughout the cook) which makes an amazing au jus/gravy.

The beef is then shrink wrapped and ready to go. Tip: Put it in on a Thursday morning for a Sunday Afternoon roast!

Step 4: The Sear

Well, that was quite a wait....!

The meat is now perfectly cooked and tender throughout, however it's not ready to serve.

Everyone loves a seared crust on their beef and this is one area Sous Vide can't do, so it's over to the traditional HOT cast iron pan.

As you can see from the 1st picture, the meat looks a little drab & wet and we want a nice crust, so dry the outer layer with paper towels and then heat up your heaviest frying pan.

Get the pan smoking hot, add some more seasoning and a little oil to your beef then SEAR it all over (keep turning the meat so you only cook the crust not through to the lovely pink meat).

When you've seared the entire joint, take it out of the pan and put it on a chopping board (no need to rest like oven cooked beef, as the meat has never gone above the desired temps)...

Step 5: Carve, Serve and Enjoy!

Hopefully you've had your potatoes and other sides cooking away in the meantime (hey you had enough time to prepare them).

When they are ready carve the beef brisket and place on the table/plates to serve. Then sit back and watch your guests marvel over the wonderful tasty meal you're provided.

Thanks for viewing!!

Step 6: Another Chance to See the Video Recipe

Enjoy and please subscribe with the link in the bottom right of the video.

Comments

[Hypnomedium]

Sorry beginner. Does it matter how big the joint is?

[IamGutter]

Looks delicious, I am going to have to try this. Where on the brisket is your cut from? It looks like you trussed the center section of the point. I think I am going to s/v an entire packer's cut, since I wouldn't need to worry about the thinner flat getting overdone. Thanks!

[Food-D]

It's so different in the UK unless you seek out a butcher who knows US/Aus cuts (or whole brisket). This is just a rolled brisket from supermarket (which I think makes it even better as a finished article), but do try ANY tough cut - chuck steak would be ideal for this (as I hear from US friends that brisket prices have gone up a lot).

[IamGutter]

Thanks! Yes, it seems that people here have figured out how good the brisket can be and the prices have soared. I keep my eye open for good sales and fill the freezer, so we'll see what I can make of it! Thanks again.

[candace2u]

what is the name of the machine on the pic is that what you used? Thanks

[Food-D]

Hi Candace2u - it's a Burton Sous Vide. Cracking machine (ideal for long cooks, as no water loss, overheating and cheap to run). UK Brand: www.burtonsousvide.co.uk

[candace2u]

thanks your instructable looks great I want one thanks

[Food-D]

Ah, many thanks to you too!

[wpenkert]

I put it on the smoker and pour the smoke to it for a hour before I vac seal it

[Food-D]

Yep, I've seen the technique. Do you cold smoke, or just give it a quick hot smoke. You can even s/v cook it very low heat then hot smoke to finish and still allow the smoke to penetrate the protein. I think there's lots to try to get that perfect balance. Cheers for viewing!