This tender beef brisket made in Instant Pot is the easiest and the quickest way to cook it. Served with potatoes and Guinness gravy this hassle free meal will impress everyone!
Looking for a great companion to go with your beef brisket? Try these spiced Roasted Baby Potatoes and Winter Salad with Red Cabbage, Kale and Pomegranate.
We love a great big roast dinner on weekends. The taste of a juicy roast and potatoes drenched in flavourful gravy can rival the trendiest of dishes in my opinion.
I love it all but what is even more important is that a good dinner creates an occasion to gather around the table. Meals like that usually last much longer, which I enjoy so much!
However, roast dinners are quite time consuming and could be pricey. That is why we reserve them for days off and special occasions only. What would you say if I shared a recipe that is inexpensive and is done within an hour? It is also s a snap to prepare.
Braised Beef Brisket
The recipe idea I am sharing today is for braised beef brisket. It’s one of the cheaper cuts, which comes from the breast of a cow. It is also often overlooked because it’s quite tough and takes hours to be ready.
So why are we cooking it? Because it’s inexpensive compared to other large cuts and if prepared correctly will melt in your mouth!
(The beef brisket is you see in the picture below was rolled by a butcher for roasting to keep it juicier as it is usually done in the UK. When unrolled it looks quite flat and not too thick . I unrolled the brisket as I am demonstrating a different cooking method today.)
How long it takes to cook
It can take up to 5-6 hours of slow cooking at low temperature for the meat to come out tender since the brisket consists of quite a lot of connective tissue, which needs to break down in the cooking process.
However, it can be cooked within an hour if done in a pressure cooker, namely Instant Pot. Traditionally beef brisket is cooked with some sort of alcohol (often red wine) and tomato sauce (usually ketchup!) but I wanted to change things up a bit without compromising on the quality.
I cooked the beef in a mixture of Guinness, crushed tomatoes, brown sugar and garlic and a little bit of Dijon mustard. All that acidity helps with breaking down of the connective tissue while infusing the meat with much flavour. It’s a win win situation.
Recipe Tips
- Sear the beef before cooking it in Instant Pot for more flavour and better texture.
- Braise the brisket in a flavourful mixture of Guinness (or any other stout), crushed tomatoes, brown sugar and Dijon mustard flavoured with herbs like thyme and bay leaves.
- Once the brisket is done cooking in Instant Pot, do NOT manually release the pressure. Allow for a natural release.
- Remove the beef it to a separate platter, cover with foil to keep warm and allow to rest for 10 minutes while you are making the gravy.
How to Make Guinness Gravy
Another thing worth noting about beef brisket is that although tender it can be a little dry. And this is where our delicious gravy comes in.
- Saute onions until tender with a bit of garlic to prepare the base of the Guinness gravy before adding the beef to Instant Pot.
- Once the brisket is cooked and removed from Instant Pot, press the SAUTE button and allow the liquid to come to a boil, then thicken it with a mixture of melted butter and flour or a combination of cornstarch and water.
- Optional Step: For a silky smooth gravy, blend the onions in the cooking liquid in a blender before adding a thickener.
More favourite roast dinner recipes:
- Rosemary and Thyme Roast Chicken and Potatoes
- Pork Roast with Warm Persimmon Sauce
- Cod Roasted in Mustard Sauce
Instant Pot Brisket with Guinness Gravy
Ingredients
- 2.5 lbs beef brisket
- salt and pepper
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 onion chopped
- 2 cloves garlic pressed
- 150ml/2/3cup Guinness
- 80ml/1/3cup tomato passata/crushed tomatoes
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp dried thyme or 2-3 sprig fresh thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tbsp butter melted
- 1 tbsp flour
Instructions
- Remove fat from the beef if there is any. (Some briskets are very lean and others are very fatty) Salt and pepper the brisket, then press the SAUTE button on your Instant Pot and brown in 1 tbsp oil on all sides until golden. This will take between 5-7 minutes. Remove to a separate plate. Then add chopped onions and sauté for 5 minutes, add pressed garlic and sauté for half a minute longer. Press CANCEL to stop the cooking process.
- To the Instant Pot add Guinness, tomato passata or crushed tomatoes, brown sugar, Dijon mustard, thyme and bay leaf and mix to combine. Put the brisket in the liquid and spoon some liquid over it. Cover with a lid, turn the valve to sealing and cook on high pressure for 60 minutes. When done allow for a natural pressure release. Then remove to a platter to rest.
- Press the SAUTE button on Instant Pot and bring the cooking liquid to a boil, then stir in the mixture of melted butter and flour and let it simmer until thickened. It should take around 1 minute. Taste for seasoning and add more salt if necessary.
- Slice the brisket against the grain and serve with Guinness gravy.
