BBQ Beef Brisket and Onion Pie, Stinging Nettle, Mom’s Apricot Chutney & Wild Herbs
Recipe by: Chris Erasmus
See more of Chris’ creations: instagram.com/chriserasmus
Visit Chris’ restaurant: therobertsonsmallhotel.com/the-small-restaurant
BBQ Beef Brisket
1 beef brisket, deboned (African breed eg Bonsmara, Nguni or Brahmaan)
1 ½ cups coarse Kalahari salt
¼ cup dried wild mushroom (porcini, pine ring or poplar bolette)
3T brown sugar
3T black peppercorns
3T coriander seeds
1T garlic powder
2T smoked paprika
1/2T chili flakes
- Place the mushrooms, peppercorns, coriander seeds and chili flakes in a blender and pulse until fine.
- Add the salt, sugar, garlic powder and paprika and pulse until lightly coarse.
- Rub the brisket generously with the spiced salt, place in a sealable container and refrigerate for a minimum of 12 hours.
- Stoke the BBQ with oak logs and run until 170°C and the smoke turns from grey to blue (dirty smoke is bitter vs blue smoke = sweet).
- Place the brisket either on the rack or in a heat proof tray and BBQ for 6-8 hours.
- From here you can either remove and braise for 2 hours at 150°C or wrap the briskets in foil – 3-4 times and continue BBQ until soft and flexible. – rest for minimum of 3 hours before slicing.
- Reserve the rendered fat from the BBQ, strain through an oil filter or muslin cloth and refrigerate for later use for the pastry.
Suet Pastry
300g all-purpose flour (cake)
1tsp baking powder
1tsp salt
1 cup picked stinging nettle leaves, washed and patted dry completely
150g BBQ brisket fat, cubed and kept refrigerated
+- ¼ cup ice water
- Place the flour, baking powder, salt and nettle in a blender and run at high speed for 30 seconds.
- Add the cold fat and pulse the blender or food processor in short bursts to incorporate the fat without overworking the mixture.
- Add the water by eye until you have a soft dough and lightly work the water in by hand.
- Flatted, and refrigerate until needed. (minimum time in fridge – 30 minutes).
Sous vide onion juice
500g sliced onion, thinly
1kg onion, peeled and juiced
¼ tsp chopped rosemary
1tsp brown sugar
¼ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
1 x 1l screw top glass jar
- Heat a full pot of water with an immersion circulator to 88.5°C.
- Bring another pot of water to the boil and place the jar and lid in the water for 10 minutes to sterilise.
- Remove the jar using tongs and leave to air dry for 10 minutes.
- Place all the ingredients in the jar, seal tightly with the lid and place in the water bath for 3-4 hours until the mixture is golden brown.
- Strain the juice and reserve the onion for the pie.
