Hairy Bikers Coffee and Chilli Brisket Recipe

Hairy Bikers coffee and chilli brisket is beef rubbed in ground coffee, cardamom, cumin, and chilli powder, then slow-roasted for over three hours, and it comes from Our Family Favourites. You marinate the 1kg brisket overnight so the spice paste works deep into the meat.

Si and Dave say this has “a South Asian vibe with the cardamom which works so well with the coffee,” and the rub is what separates it from a regular pot roast. You grind the coffee with whole spices into a paste with vinegar and oil, so the meat gets a dark bitter crust.

The cook is a covered roast with a flip at the halfway point, then 20 minutes uncovered at the end to crisp the outside. Si and Dave say three hours gives you sliceable brisket, but a fourth hour makes it soft enough to pull apart.

Hairy Bikers Coffee and Chilli Brisket Recipe

Author: Alex Saidani Cooking Method:Roasting Cuisine:British Courses:Dinner

Difficulty:BeginnerPrep time:1 hour 20 minutesCook time:3 hours 20 minutesRest time: minutesTotal time:4 hours 40 minutesServings:4 servingsCalories:760 kcal Best Season:Summer

Description

Beef brisket rubbed in ground coffee, cardamom, chilli powder, and cumin, then slow-roasted at 200°C for over three hours on a bed of onions and garlic. From Si and Dave’s Our Family Favourites, served with cornbread and a reduced cooking liquor gravy.

Ingredients

For the rub

• 3 tbsp ground coffee
• 1½ tbsp cardamom pods, seeds only
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp black peppercorns
• 1 tbsp chilli powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tbsp light brown soft sugar
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 3 tbsp olive oil

For the roast

• 1kg beef brisket, preferably in one piece
• 2 onions, cut into wedges
• 1 head of garlic, broken into cloves, unpeeled
• 300ml beef stock or water
• Cornbread, to serve

Instructions

1. Make the rub: Put the coffee, cardamom seeds, cumin seeds, and peppercorns in a spice grinder and blitz to a powder. Mix with the chilli powder, garlic powder, cinnamon, sugar, and salt, then stir in the vinegar and oil.
2. Marinate: Rub the paste all over the brisket and leave in the fridge for several hours or overnight.
3. Bring to room temp: Remove the beef an hour before cooking so it comes up to room temperature. Preheat the oven to 200°C (Fan 180°C, Gas 6).
4. Build the tin: Scatter the onion wedges over the base of a roasting tin, add the garlic cloves, and place the beef on top. Pour the stock around the beef and cover tightly with foil.
5. First roast: Cook for an hour and a half, then flip the beef and cook for another hour and a half. The meat should be firm and sliceable at this point.
6. Crisp the outside: Remove the foil and cook uncovered for 20 more minutes. Take the beef out, cover with foil, and rest.
7. Make the gravy: Transfer the cooking liquor and onions to a saucepan. Squeeze the garlic flesh out of the skins and stir it in, then reduce to a syrupy gravy. Serve with cornbread.

FAQs

How long does the brisket actually take?

Three hours gives you firm meat that slices cleanly, which is the standard result Si and Dave describe. For meat soft enough to pull apart, add a fourth hour at the same temperature because the connective tissue needs that extra time to break down.

Do I need a spice grinder for the rub?

A pestle and mortar works for the cardamom and peppercorns, but the coffee needs to be ground finely so it sticks to the meat. Pre-ground espresso is a shortcut, and you just crush the whole spices separately then mix everything together.

What other brisket recipes do the Bikers have?

In Meat Feasts they have a Pot-Roast Brisket with red wine and thyme that takes the same time but uses no spice rub. In Ultimate Comfort Food they have a Caribbean version with coconut oil, allspice, and thyme, so they clearly love this cut.

Can I make this in a slow cooker?

Sear the rubbed brisket in a hot pan first to set the crust, then put everything in the slow cooker on low for 8 to 10 hours. You lose the crispy finish though, so flash it under a hot grill for 5 minutes before serving to get some char.

What can I serve instead of cornbread?

Mashed potato, jacket potatoes, or thick crusty bread all work because you need something to soak up the gravy. The Hairy Bikers chilli con carne uses a similar slow-cooking approach if you want another weekend project.