Roast beef tough

Bought a lovely big piece of brisket in Tesco today. All half price. Cooked slowly it just melts in the mouth. I always buy it when it’s half price and it is always superb.

If you buy from a supermarket the joint it’s very often vacuum packed. Open the pack and allow it to sit/rest for at least an hour.

dogsmother

Did you rest it before trying to carve and eat it?

My thought too.

However, I did cook a large joint of Irish beef once , following instructions, which was so tough I ended up chopping the rest into cubes and making a slow cooker casserole from it.

We love brisket, but rarely have a joint of meat on account of the price.

My mother always put brisket in a very hot oven with a little drop of water in the tin, and lowered the heat to fairly low immediately. It's always tender and the gravy is great.

Try leaving out at room temperature for a few hours before cooking, one of the celebratory chefs (can’t remember which one) recommended it as it gives the fibres in the meat time to relax.

What temp do you all use for a slow cook? As an aside, Aldi's sirloin steaks are very good.

Please may I ask how to cook a joint of meat, step by step. Never managed to buy one when I was younger as - well could never afford one. (Please be kind)

Moonwatcher1904

I stopped buying supermarket meat when I found a lovely little local butcher. He has really good meat especially beef and minced beef (which is like string from the supermarket). I did a post earlier this year for suggestions for Christmas dinner as over the years I've been slowly getting disappointed with turkey. This year I've ordered a venison haunch. It doesn't take as long to cook and I have no idea what it tastes like but I'm looking forward to the change. You have to be careful not to overcook so that will be a challenge in itself.

We don’t eat turkey either, we have a cockerel which is more like an extra large, extra tasty chicken. I think they used to be called “capons”.

I was taught to slow cook a beef joint by my Grannie, and my late FIL used to say my roast beef was the best he’d eaten, which didn’t go down well with my MIL

mabon1

I always cook beef in a very slow oven for hours - never fails to be delicious.

I cook at a lower temperature too, and use a temperature probe in my oven. I don’t buy from butchers any longer, just too expensive. We don’t often eat beef, but I used the like the Lidl matured beef best. Most joints there are really small though.

I stopped buying supermarket meat when I found a lovely little local butcher. He has really good meat especially beef and minced beef (which is like string from the supermarket). I did a post earlier this year for suggestions for Christmas dinner as over the years I've been slowly getting disappointed with turkey. This year I've ordered a venison haunch. It doesn't take as long to cook and I have no idea what it tastes like but I'm looking forward to the change. You have to be careful not to overcook so that will be a challenge in itself.

I always cook beef in a very slow oven for hours - never fails to be delicious.

Thank you to everyone for replying helpful tips.

Yes rested for 15 minutes.

I buy nearly all our meat from Tesco and have never once had cause to complain. I buy the big joints of Irish beef when they are on half price and freeze them. I don’t pay too much attention to the cooking instructions. I have also bought pork, gammon and chickens and again, no complaints. Their brisket is delicious too.

Did you rest it before trying to carve and eat it?

I cook in the slow cooker add a little water & couple of tablespoons of teriyaki to the pot- make gravy as normal from the stock

When I occasionally buy beef from a supermarket, I always buy it from their "Best" or "Finest" range when it's on offer (usually half price at Christmas and Easter) as it's much better quality, and stock up the freezer.

I've just cooked a 1kg lean beef joint (cost about £8 last December) using the steam roast function in my air fryer and it was melt in the mouth tender and really delicious.

Astitchintime

I slow cook any joint of beef regardless of the cut - takes the guesswork out of 'will it be tough?'.
Still take it out and let it rest about 15 mins before serving and make delicious gravy with the cooking stock.

That's exactly what I do too. I do it in my slow cooker and it makes it lovely and tender.

I suspect buying from a supermarket doesn't help.

Did you carve it properly? You have to follow the grain of the meat.

I slow cook any joint of beef regardless of the cut - takes the guesswork out of 'will it be tough?'.
Still take it out and let it rest about 15 mins before serving and make delicious gravy with the cooking stock.

We always slice and then pop it in the oven in the gravy to soften. So good.

I bought it from a supermarket, we do have a good butchers near but the prices are too much for me.

Did you buy it from supermarket or local butcher?
I remember buying beef from large well known supermarket a few years ago when we invented my mother in law for lunch, it was so tough we could hardly eat it. I've never bought supermarket meat since