Slow-cooked shredded barbecue beef recipe

Melt-in-the-mouth slow cooked beef with a sticky, spicy barbecue sauce

"A good barbecue sauce adds flavour and moisture to the meat. This one features tangy tomato spiked with vinegar, orange juice, and cloves to add a spicy-sweet twist to a classic sauce."

Serves 4-6

Takes 30 minutes to prepare and 8 hours in the slow cooker
Takes 15 minutes to prepare and 3 hours to cook in the oven

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1.1kg beef brisket

For the barbecue sauce

• 1 onion, very finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
• 1 tbsp tomato puree
• 100ml white wine vinegar
• Juice of 1 orange
• Pinch of ground cloves
• 1 tbsp demerara sugar
• 1 tbsp runny honey
• 300ml passata
• 150ml hot vegetable stock for the slow cooker (300ml for the traditional method)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

In the slow cooker

1. Preheat the slow cooker, if required. In a bowl, mix together all the barbecue sauce ingredients and season well with salt and pepper.

2. Heat the oil in a large flameproof casserole over a medium-high heat. Season the beef with salt and pepper and cook in the casserole for 4–6 minutes on each side, including on its edge, until the meat is browned evenly all over. Add the barbecue sauce and bring to the boil, then transfer everything to the slow cooker. Cover with the lid and cook on auto/low for 8 hours.

3. Remove the brisket from the slow cooker, shred it with two forks, and stir it into the sauce. Serve with hot pitta bread and some crisp green salad leaves.

Traditional method

1. Preheat the oven to 160°C/gas mark 3. In a bowl, mix together all the barbecue sauce ingredients and season well with salt and pepper.

2. Heat the oil in a large flameproof casserole over a medium-high heat. Season the beef with salt and pepper and cook in the casserole for 4–6 minutes on each side, including on its edge, until the meat is browned evenly all over. Add the barbecue sauce and let it bubble for a minute, then cover and put in the oven for 3 hours. Check regularly that it’s not drying out, topping up with a little hot water if needed. Don’t add too much water, though, or it will dilute the taste – reduce the oven temperature a little instead.

3. Remove from the oven, shred the brisket with two forks, and stir it into the sauce. Serve with hot pitta bread and some crisp green salad leaves.

Tip: Freeze up to 3 months