Sweet and Tangy Slow Cooker Brisket

Source: Facebook / Cooking Light Magazine

Ingredients:

• 1 (4 1/2-pound) flat-cut brisket roast, fat cap trimmed to 1/8-inch thickness

• 1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 3 medium carrots, peeled and cut into thirds
• 3 celery stalks, cut into thirds
• Cooking spray
• 2 large onions, halved and vertically sliced
• 4 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 cup unsalted beef stock (such as Swanson)
• 1 (15-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
• 5 thyme sprigs
• 2 bay leaves
• Flat-leaf parsley leaves (optional)

Preparation

1. Sprinkle brisket evenly with 1 teaspoon salt and pepper. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil; swirl to coat. Add brisket; cook 5 minutes, turning to brown on all sides. Rub brisket with garlic powder and paprika. Arrange carrots and celery in a 6-quart electric slow cooker coated with cooking spray; top with brisket, fat cap side up.

2. Return skillet to medium heat. Add onions to pan; cover and cook 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Uncover. Stir in garlic; cook 5 minutes or until onions are tender and golden. Arrange onion mixture over brisket.

3. Combine remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, stock, tomatoes, brown sugar, and vinegar in hot skillet, stirring with a whisk to loosen browned bits. Pour tomato mixture around brisket. Place thyme and bay leaves in slow cooker, pressing into tomato mixture. Cover and cook on LOW for 7 hours or until brisket is tender when sliced. Cool slightly in cooker, about 1 hour.

4. Place brisket on a cutting board. Trim fat cap; discard fat. Cut brisket across the grain into thin slices. Pour sauce through a sieve over a bowl; discard carrots, celery, thyme, and bay leaves. Return onions to sauce. Serve brisket with sauce. Garnish with fresh parsley, if desired.

Note:

MyRecipes is working with Let's Move!, the Partnership for a Healthier America, and USDA's MyPlate to give anyone looking for healthier options access to a trove of recipes that will help them create healthy, tasty plates. For more information about creating a healthy plate, visit www.choosemyplate.gov.

Hannah Klinger, Cooking Light
APRIL 2014