Whiskey Brisket Hash

This is my first time cooking brisket and it worked out great!  You have to marinate it for 24 hours though, so be prepared to wait for these results.  

I used my Nordic Ware Pro Cast Traditions 3 quart Dutch Oven to braise the brisket and it worked very well.  Since it is cast aluminium instead of cast iron, it's much lighter to lift out of the oven.   

This recipe came from the wonderful Serious Eats.  Hash is often made from leftover brisket but this brisket is cooked just for the hash and it is so tasty!  


Here's what you need:

For the marinade:
2 pound piece beef brisket
1/4 cup whiskey (I used Rye)
2 cloves garlic
1 onion

salt & pepper

For the hash:

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion

2 carrots
2 bay leaves
3 sprigs thyme
2 cups low sodium chicken broth
3 medium sweet potatoes
2 small chili peppers

6 green onions
1 tablespoon maple syrup
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

Trim any fat from the brisket and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Chop the onion and garlic and combine them with the brisket in a resealable plastic bag.  Pour the whiskey over it and seal, removing as much air as possible from the bag.  Refrigerate 24 hours, turning occasionally.

The next day, preheat the oven to 300 degrees.  Remove the brisket from the marinade and pat dry with a paper towel.  Reserve the marinade.  Heat a tablespoon of oil in an oven-safe, lidded pot and sear the brisket.  I cut mine in half to fit in this 3-quart pot but the size was perfect for this. 

Sear the beef 3 minutes per side.  

Dice the carrots and onion and add to the meat.

Then add the thyme and bay leaves,the reserved marinade and the chicken stock.

Bring to a boil, then place in the oven and cook for 2.5 hours.  

Meanwhile, peel the sweet potatoes and cut into matchsticks or fries.  Toss with a tablespoon of oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Place in the oven with the brisket for  45 minutes.  

Remove the sweet potatoes from the oven and dice them into cubes and set aside until the brisket is done.  

Chop the hot peppers and green onions.

Once the brisket is cooked...

... remove it from the braising liquid and set aside to cool slightly.

Strain the braising liquid into a measuring cup and discard the solids.  Set aside.

Once the meat is cool enough to handle, shred it with two forks.

Go ahead, shred it all up!

Heat the last tablespoon of oil in a large pan and add the cubed sweet potatoes.  Leave them in a single layer until well browned on one side, about 4 to 5 minutes.  

Add the chili pepper and the light parts of the green onion to the sweet potatoes.  Cook for another 3 minutes.  

Add the brisket, the maple syrup and Worcestershire sauce.  Remove the fat from the reserved braising liquid and add that too.

Cook about 5 minutes until liquid is reduced and meat and vegetables are slightly browned.  

Serve this up on a plate for maximum deliciousness.

You could serve a fried egg on the side.  I just had green beans.

This is a must-try.