Texan Beef Brisket with Cheese & Sweetcorn Cornbread
Recipes

Texan Beef Brisket with Cheese & Sweetcorn Cornbread

Made using the Lakeland 30cm Oval Cast Iron Casserole, however view our full range of casserole dishes here.

Ingredients

For the beef

  • 3 tbsp olive oil 
  • 1kg beef brisket, trimmed and cut into thick steaks 
  • 2 large onions, roughly chopped 
  • 2 fresh red chillies, deseeded and finely chopped 
  • 2 tbsp ground cumin 
  • 1 tbsp dried oregano 
  • 2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes 
  • 2 x 400g tins red kidney or pinto beans, drained 
  • 2 red or orange sweet pointed peppers, deseeded and cut into large strips 
  • To taste Salt and freshly ground black pepper 
  • 3 large cloves garlic, peeled and chopped 
  • 2 tbsp smoked paprika 
  • 2 cinnamon sticks 
  • 2 tbsp dark brown sugar 
  • 200ml beef stock or water 

For the cornbread

  • 60g gluten-free plain flour 
  • 1 tsp salt 
  • 2 eggs, beaten 
  • 50g butter, melted 
  • 198g tin sweetcorn, drained 
  • Sunflower or vegetable oil, for greasing 
  • 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda 
  • 275g fine cornmeal 
  • 450ml natural yogurt 
  • 6 whole piquant peppers from a jar, drained and finely chopped 
  • 100g mature Cheddar cheese, grated 

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas 4. Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in the casserole dish. Quickly fry the peppers for about 5 minutes, or until lightly browned. Remove from the casserole and set aside.
  2. Heat the remaining oil in the casserole. Season the beef well and brown it in 2 batches. Remove from the casserole and set aside. Add the onions, garlic, chillies, spices, oregano and sugar to the casserole and cook over a gentle heat for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and stock or water, bring to the boil, add the beef and cover. Cook in the oven for 3 hours, or until very tender.
  3. Just a few minutes before the end of the cooking time, make the cornbread batter. Sift the flour, bicarb, salt and cornmeal into a large bowl and mix well. In a jug, mix the eggs, yogurt and melted butter, then pour into the dry ingredients and mix well. Stir in the peppers, sweetcorn and cheese.
  4. Remove the casserole from the oven and turn up the heat to 200°C/ Gas 6. Carefully remove the casserole lid and, once cooled slightly, wash and dry it. Grease the lid, line with baking parchment and pour in the cornbread batter. Bake in the hot oven for 30 minutes, or until cooked and golden.
  5. While the cornbread is cooking, shred the beef in the casserole with 2 forks until it falls apart. Place the casserole on the hob, add the beans and a little stock or water, if needed, and simmer very gently. Add the browned peppers for the last 5 minutes and increase the heat, until piping hot.
  6. Remove the cornbread from the oven, and serve cut into squares with the Texan Beef Brisket.