Low-Calorie Braised Brisket With Horseradish Cream Recipe

Brisket is a notoriously tough piece of meat. It takes the best pitmasters up to 18 hours of low-temperature smoking to wrestle the beef into a state of acceptable tenderness. But through the miracle of the slow cooker, where moisture and heat combine to turn even the toughest cuts into spoon-tender masterpieces, this braised brisket can be worked into a state of soul-soothing deliciousness with only about 15 minutes of prep work.

Nutrition: 380 calories, 25 g fat (8 g saturated), 350 mg sodium

Serves 10

You'll Need

1 Tbsp olive oil
3 lb brisket (preferably with a thin fat cap still attached)
Salt and black pepper to taste
1 bottle (12 oz) dark beer
2 cups low-sodium chicken stock
2 Tbsp tomato paste
2 large yellow onions, quartered
1 bunch carrots, peeled
8 cloves garlic, peeled
2 bay leaves
1⁄4 cup 2% Greek yogurt
2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1 Tbsp prepared horseradish6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e

How to Make It

1. Heat the olive oil in a large cast-iron skillet or sauté pan.
2. Season the brisket all over with salt and black pepper.
3. Sear in the pan for about 7 minutes, until all sides are nicely browned.
4. Place in a slow cooker.
5. Add the beer to the pan and scrape up any browned bits. Pour over the brisket.
6. Add the stock, tomato paste, onions, carrots, garlic, and bay leaves to the slow cooker.
7. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours (or on low for up to 8 hours), until the brisket is very tender.
8. Combine the yogurt, parsley, and horseradish in a mixing bowl.
9. Remove the brisket from the cooker and slice into thin pieces. Discard the bay leaves.
10. Serve the brisket in a shallow, wide bowl with the onions, carrots, and a bit of broth poured over the top.
11. Garnish each serving with a scoop of the horseradish cream.

Eat This Tip

Leftover Love

Three ways to turn extra brisket into a next-day bounty:

• Brisket French Dip: Slice the brisket thinly, top with caramelized onions and Swiss. Serve with a warm cup of the braising liquid.
• Corned Beef Hash: Cook diced potatoes and onions in a pan until soft, then stir in shredded brisket, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire, and some of the leftover braising liquid.
• Brisket Nachos: Shred the meat, then use it to top tortilla chips along with pepper-Jack cheese, pinto beans, sliced jalapeños, and salsa verde.

This recipe (and hundreds more!) came from one of our Cook This, Not That! books. For more easy cooking ideas, you can also buy the book!