A spiced Bloody Mary cocktail reminds me of my lovely sister-in-law; her love for this cocktail runs very deep. The order will be specific – well spiced with a good wallop of hot sauce. Recently she has launched a cocktail delivery business in Sydney, Mix Shake Pour, where you can order a cocktail kit through Uber Eats! So clever, so share the news and order away! Mix Shake Pour doesn’t have a Bloody Mary kit yet, so I dedicate this recipe to my lovely sister-in-law.
Here is one of those gorgeous recipes that require a little prep and the oven or BBQ does the heavy lifting. The flavours are amazing, jammy slow roasted tomatoes get a gentle kick from hot sauce. Worcestershire provides some savoury notes and a squeeze of lemon at the end lifts everything to the next level. Beloved cocktails tend to come with specifications. So for this beef, I like to keep the traditional accompaniments on the side for last minute additions. Think pimento stuffed olives, fresh horseradish, extra lemon and pickles. This is the dish for entertaining, put plenty of toppings out on the table and get everyone passing bowls around. While you would think that a bloody mary maybe the drink for this, I’d be inclined to go for some ice cold beers.
I’ve served this with freshly baked cornbread and a big green salad for an slightly American feel. But you could toss this through ribbons of hot pappardelle with handfuls of fresh parsley scattered over the top. Or in burger buns with a cool slaw. The options are endless…
Ingredients
- 2 cloves garlic, mince
- 1/2 cup tomato juice
- 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tsp horseradish sauce
- 60ml vodka
- 1 x 1 kg piece of beef brisket, sinew trimmed
- 1 tsp celery salt
- Freshly ground pepper
- Olive oil
- 2 x sticks celery, sliced
- 2 x small red onion, thinly sliced
- Handful fresh thyme
- Handful fresh rosemary
- 2 x bay leaves
- 1/2 cup tomato juice
- 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tsp horseradish sauce
- 100ml vodka
- 1 tsp tomato paste
Instructions
Into a non reactive bowl, place the garlic cloves, tomato juice, Worcestershire sauce, horseradish and vodka. Mix the marinade together and then coat the brisket. Leave for a couple of hours or overnight in the fridge.
Preheat the oven to 130 degrees. Place an oven proof pan on the stove over a medium heat. Gently pat the brisket dry, and season with the celery salt and pepper. Place the brisket in the hot pan with a little olive oil and lightly brown all over - this should take 8 to 10 minutes. Add the celery and red onion, reducing the heat to low. Lightly saute the vegetables until soft and slightly translucent. Add the herbs and then add the second tomato juice, Worcestershire sauce, horseradish and vodka.
Stir through the tomato paste and cover tightly with tin foil. It is essential to keep all the moisture inside the pan while it’s cooking. Once covered place the pan inside the oven for 5 to 6 hours or until the brisket is falling apart.
Leave to rest from the oven and if you like, reduce the sauce in a pan to drizzle over thick slices of the beef. Delicious...
