Rescuing a tough brisket roast
I let brine overnight a 450 g piece of point cut beef breast. Then I dry rubbed it with spices and put in my small crock pot with 150 ml of Guinness, a couple of carrots and baby potatoes on LOW for some hours.
I stuck a probe thermometer in the meat and set an alarm at 65 °C (having in mind the target temperature of 72 °C and thinking of carryover cooking).
It must be said that the meat was not submerged in liquid as the vegetables were on the bottom.
But I didn't hear the alarm and the temperature went beyond 72 °C. After about 8 hours, the meat was shortly broiled and, after some rest, sliced.
Tough as a rock.
Now I'm not very sure I know how the graph tenderness vs temperature goes for this kind of meat.
Hence some questions:
How would have my meat been if I took it out when the alarm sounded?
If I wanted a roast, did I "miss my train" by not hearing the alarm and what I have now is an overcooked roast?
Is it now an undercooked braise so a way to rescue it is to let it cook again partially submerged in liquid? (still got some gravy that could be watered up)
Which internal temperature should I aim for? I was thinking to use the crock pot again since my stove burners are too aggressive, and it sounds like it's going to be some more hours on LOW.
Best Answer
Brisket is not a roasting cut; you didn't miss your train, it never left the station. Brisket is a very tough cut because of the presence of collagen, which breaks down at 72°C, and needs the presence of liquid, so roasting is not a good technique for this cut. If you'd taken it out when the alarm sounded it would be even tougher.
You can't roast things in a crock-pot, you have to have food mostly submerged in liquid for it to heat. There's no real target temperature for brisket in a crock pot in the sense of 'when it hits this temperature it's done' because you need to get it to at least 72°C and keep it there for hours so the collagen breaks down. If you use a temperature probe 72°C is when the cooking clock starts.
As for what to do now I would put all the brisket in an oven dish with a lid, put in some stock to about 2/3 of the way up and then braise it for at least 3 hours at about 145°C. Braise it until it starts to get tender, then braise it for a bit longer.
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Quick Answer about "Rescuing a tough brisket roast"
Often, tough brisket comes about as a result of undercooking. The meat needs to be subjected to low temperatures for many hours in order to achieve that prized tenderness. If the brisket does turn out too tough, you may be able to salvage it by returning it to low heat for a few hours.Can you save a tough brisket?
So, if you end up with a tough brisket, is there anything you can do to save it? Unfortunately, right at that time \u2013 not really. If the brisket is tough, it is because it needs more time to cook to tenderize and break down the connective tissues.Can a tough roast be saved?
Pot roasts are usually tough cuts, full of dense muscles and connective tissue. They need long, slow cooking to soften the muscles and melt the connective tissues into juicy, rich natural gelatin. Return the pot roast to your Dutch oven, roasting pan or slow cooker and add more liquid if it's running dry.How do you fix over cooked brisket?
Set the cubed brisket in a disposable aluminum pan, then add 1/2 cup of beef stock or broth to the pan. Cover the pan with aluminum foil and place the pan in the smoker. Allow the meat to cook for another hour or so. Depending on how well done your brisket was in the first place, this step might not take as long.How do you soften a tough roast beef?
You can add a little bit of water or broth to a pan and simmer the meat for a few minutes. The goal is to allow the liquid to penetrate the meat without allowing it to overcook even more. This should take a couple of minutes. If you add a couple tablespoons of vinegar or lemon juice, this also helps revive the meat.TOUGH BRISKET RESCUE (GUESTS ON THE WAY) | Richard in the kitchen
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Answer 2
Brisket isn't the greatest cut for roasting, but it is possible. If you haven't fully sliced it, you can submerge it 2/3 in stock and cook it at 140 °C for about three hours or until tender. Then retrieve it and coat it in your favorite BBQ sauce and a rub, then roast at 180 °C for about 30 minutes, or until it looks shiny and somewhat caramelized.
If you have fully sliced it, I'd suggest cubing the meat and placing it into a stew. Allow the stew to simmer for about four hours and you'll have a very tender treat.
Answer 3
I haven't had hard brisket (which I usually boil), but I've had hard beef roast, and I added a little water to a frying pan (with whatever bits were in the original pan) and broke down the roast gradually into small bits as it softened, adding more water as needed. The meat got moister and was fantastic, and the liquid reduced and was flavorful for dipping into. I've since done this with leftover roast beef, too.
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