SLOW-COOKER BRISKET WITH CARROTS AND SWEET POTATOES

Makes 6 servings

Brisket’s a tough cut of meat that needs long, slow cooking to make it tender

and flavorful. You can get that gentle heat by cooking it in a Dutch oven on

the stovetop, in a low oven or in a slow cooker, a tool that’s perfect for the

job. No matter how I’m going to braise the brisket, I like to give it a

preliminary sear over high heat to color and lightly crust it; ditto the carrots

and sweet potatoes that make this a one-pot dinner. The quick high-heat

treatment gives everything a roasted flavor, which is nice in a long-cooking

dish. (If you’re in a hurry, you can skip this step and just stir everything

together in the pot.)

a word on cooking methods

If you want to make the brisket on the stovetop, use a large Dutch oven and

cook, covered, over low heat. If you choose the oven, put the brisket and

other ingredients in a roasting pan, cover with foil and cook in a 350-degree-

F oven. In either case, add the bigger cuts of carrots and the sweet potatoes

after about 1½ hours of cooking. Start checking the meat at the 3-hour mark

and, if necessary, continue to cook until fork-tender.

1 pound (454 grams) carrots, peeled and trimmed

About 3 tablespoons canola or peanut oil

1 large or 2 medium onions, halved, thinly sliced, rinsed and patted dry

4 garlic cloves, germ removed (see sidebar)

2 celery stalks, trimmed and sliced into 1-inch pieces

Fine sea salt and freshly ground pepper

One 3-pound (about 1½-kg) beef brisket, trimmed, but with a thin layer of fat on one

side

2 cups (480 ml) fruity red wine, such as Syrah

One 14-ounce (397-gram) can diced tomatoes, with their juice

12 pitted prunes

1 bay leaf

1 whole star anise

½ teaspoon Urfa pepper or a pinch of smoked paprika

2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces

Chopped fresh parsley, for serving (optional)

Flake salt, such as Maldon (optional)

WOR K I NG A H E A D

The brisket is easiest to cut when it’s chilled, so if you have time, refrigerate the meat

and the sauce separately — it will be easier for you to spoon off and discard the fat if the

sauce is in its own container. You can make the brisket up to 5 days ahead. Reheat over

gentle heat.

Cut 3 of the carrots into 2-inch-thick pieces — these will go into the pan at

the start. Cut the remaining carrots into thirds and set them aside.

Warm 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Toss in

the onions and garlic and cook, stirring, until softened, about 4 minutes. Add

the smaller pieces of carrot and the celery, season with salt and pepper and

cook, stirring, for 4 minutes. If the pan seems dry, add a little more oil. Turn

up the heat and stir the vegetables around for a minute or so to get a little

char on them. Scrape the vegetables into a slow cooker and discard whatever

oil is left in the skillet.

Put the skillet over medium-high heat, add another tablespoon of oil to

the pan and add the brisket fat side down. Cook until browned, about 3

minutes, then turn and brown the other side. Season with salt and pepper,

then transfer the beef to the cooker and discard whatever oil remains in the

skillet.

Put the skillet over high heat, add the wine and bring to a boil, scraping

the bottom of the pan to pick up whatever bits have stuck to it. Lower the

heat and add the tomatoes with their juice, the prunes, bay leaf, star anise

and Urfa pepper or paprika. Stir well, then pour the mixture into the slow

cooker.

Give everything a good stir, cover, set the slow cooker to low and cook for

4 hours.

Drop in the remaining carrots and the sweet potatoes and cook for 4 more

hours, or until the beef and the second-round vegetables are fork-tender.

(The brisket and vegetables can be covered and refrigerated now for up to 5

days, or wrapped airtight and frozen for up to 2 months. While the dish is cold,

skim off any surface fat and slice the brisket — it’s much easier to cut when it’s

cold, and you’ll get neater slices.) Taste for salt and pepper, adjust the

seasonings as needed and, if you can find them, remove the star anise and

bay leaf before serving (if not, warn your tablemates).

Cut the meat into long slices, always cutting against the grain, and reheat

in the sauce over low heat.

Arrange the sliced meat, vegetables and sauce on a large platter and

sprinkle with parsley and flake salt, if you’d like.

S TO R I N G : You can freeze the brisket for up to 2 months.

C H O I C E S : Because the braise has carrots and sweet potatoes, you can serve

it on its own, but I think it’s especially good over mashed potatoes, small

pasta, chewy barley or toasty kasha. Also, if you’d like, about an hour before

the brisket is done, you can stir in some shredded greens, such as kale, chard

or spinach.