Brisket with Sweet Potatoes
Submitted by debjrn81
Pressure cooker brisket with sweet potatoes, parsnips, prunes, and apple cider gravy. A spiced Jewish-style braised beef finished with cinnamon and allspice for a holiday-leaning Sunday dinner.
YIELD
12 servingsPREP
60 minCOOK
80 minREADY
500 minBrisket with sweet potatoes is the pressure-cooker version of a traditional Jewish-style holiday brisket, the kind that usually takes four hours in the oven. Cooking under pressure shrinks that down to under an hour while still delivering meat that pulls apart with a fork.
The spice blend is what gives this brisket its distinct character. Cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice in a savory beef braise sounds unusual to anyone unfamiliar with Ashkenazi cooking, but those warm spices are traditional and pull the dish toward the sweet-spiced direction that pairs perfectly with the prunes, sweet potatoes, and parsnips added later.
The overnight rest is the move that takes this from good to great. Cooking the brisket and gravy a day ahead, then refrigerating overnight, lets the flavors deepen and makes it easy to skim the congealed fat off the top. Skipping this step gives a greasy, less developed gravy.
Apple cider added in the second cooking phase brings sweet-tart depth that ties the spices to the root vegetables. Up to a cup is fine, but start with a half cup and taste, since cider sweetness varies.
Slicing the brisket against the grain at a slight diagonal gives the most tender slices. Slicing with the grain produces stringy, chewy meat no matter how perfectly cooked.
Pro Tips
- Brown the brisket aggressively. The Maillard crust is what builds depth in the gravy.
- Let pressure release naturally for tender meat. Quick release at this stage tightens the muscle fibers.
- Cook the sweet potatoes only 3 minutes at pressure. Longer turns them to mush.
- Quick release at the second stage to stop the vegetables from overcooking.
Variations
- Skip the cinnamon and add ¼ cup of tomato paste for a more Italian-leaning brisket.
- Use Yukon Gold potatoes instead of sweet potatoes for a less sweet finish.
- Substitute dried apricots for prunes for a brighter, more tart fruit accent.
Ingredients
Directions
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in the cooker.
Over high heat, brown the meat well on both sides, lifting it up frequently with tongs or spatula to prevent sticking.
Add additional fat if needed.
Set aside. (Don’t be concerned if the brisket has to be squeezed against the sides of the pot; it will shrink considerably during cooking.)
In the oil remaining in the cooker, sauté the celery, carrot, and onion for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally and taking care to scrape up any browned bits of meat or vegetable sticking to the bottom of the pot.
Add the beef stock, water, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice.
Submerge the rack into this mixture, and place the meat on it with the fat side facing up.
Lock the lid in place and over high heat bring to high pressure.
Adjust the heat to maintain high pressure and cook for 55 minutes.
Let the pressure drop naturally, about 10 to 15 minutes.
Remove the lid, tilting it away from you to allow any excess steam to escape.
If the brisket is done, you should easily be able to pry a small chunk of meat from one end with a fork.
If it is not sufficiently tender, lock the lid back into place and return to high pressure for another 10 to 15 minutes.
If time permits cool to room temperature and refrigerate brisket and gravy overnight.
Remove any congealed fat and return the gravy to the cooker.
About 20 minutes before serving, stir in enough cider to equal approximately 2 cups.
Add the sweet potatoes, parsnips, and prunes.
Lock the lid in place and over high heat bring to high pressure, adjust heat and cook for 3 minutes.
Quick release the pressure. Add salt and pepper.
Cut the brisket into slices on the diagonal, place in the cooker, and spoon gravy and vegetables on top.
Cover but do not lock. Cook over medium heat just until the meat is warmed throughout.
Arrange on a platter and surround with the vegetables.
Pour gravy on top.
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