Roast Black Angus Sirloin Bordelaise with Braised Brisket and Sauce Bercy

Serves 4 people

Marinated & braised brisket:
800g beef brisket
1 medium onion, roughly chopped
1 large carrot, roughly chopped
2 sticks celery, roughly chopped
½ leek, roughly chopped
½ head garlic, roughly crushed
1.5litres red wine (ideally Cabernet Sauvignon)
4 sprigs thyme
2 springs rosemary
1 bay leaf
4 white peppercorns
30ml olive oil
60g unsalted butter
750ml brown veal stock
Salt & pepper

Roast Black Angus Sirloin:
600g Black Angus Sirloin
Salt & pepper
30ml olive oil

To Serve:
2 pieces fresh bone marrow
Fleur de sel
Freshly ground pepper
8 caramelised shallots (see below for method)
500 ml Sauce bercy (see below for method)

To prepare the brisket:
Cut into 4 even pieces. Put them into a large heavy-based saucepan with the chopped vegetables and garlic. In another saucepan bring the wine to the oil with the herbs and peppercorns. Simmer until reduced to 1 litre then pour the hot marinade over the beef and vegetables. Leave to cool at room temperature then cover and refrigerate for 24 hours.

To braise the brisket, preheat the oven to 110˚C and remove the pieces of meat and all the vegetables and herbs from the marinade. Heat a large frying pan and add the oil and butter. Fry the vegetables until golden brown and caramelised then transfer them to a casserole dish with the wine, herbs and the veal stock. Bring to a gentle simmer then skim and season to taste with salt & pepper.

Season the brisket pieces with salt & pepper. Heat the remaining oil and butter in a heavy based frying pan and sear the meat until lightly browned all over. Add to the casserole dish and cover with a piece of greaseproof paper cut to the size of the dish. Cover with a lid then cook in the oven for 4 hours. Check every 30 mins or so and turn the meat around in the braising liquid. At the end of the cooking time the meat should be very soft and meltingly tender. Reserve until ready to serve.


To prepare the caramelised shallots (can be done in advance):
8 large shallots
½ tablespoon olive oil
100g unsalted butter
50ml Madeira
Sea salt

Preheat the oven to 160˚C. Brush the shallots clean but do not peel them. Cut in half crosswise.

Heat a small baking tray over a low heat and add just enough oil to moisten. Add the shallots to the pan, cut side down, and arrange them so they sit snugly together. Leave for around 10 mins so that the natural sugars are released and they start to caramelise.

Add the butter and increase the heat so that it melts to a nut-brown foam. Season generously and baste the shallots. Transfer to the oven and cook for 20 mins. Check from time to time to make sure the butter doesn’t burn.

Remove from oven and season again. Add the Madeira and swirl around in the pan juices. Carefully squeeze the shallots out of their skins and serve at once.

To prepare the sauce bercy (can be done in advance):
1 litre shallots very finely diced
6 sprigs thyme
4 cloves garlic
250ml ruby port
500ml red wine
500ml veal jus

Use a mandolin if poss to slice the shallots as finely as possible. Put them into a mixing bowl with the thyme and garlic and toss gently to combine.

Put the port and red wine into a heavy based saucepan and bring to the boil over a high heat. Boil for 2 mins. Remove from the heat and allow to cool. When lukewarm, pour over the diced shallots, thyme and garlic and leave to marinate overnight.

The next day, tip the marinade and shallots into a heavy bases saucepan and bring to a simmer. Reduce until nearly all the liquid has evaporated and the shallots are almost dry. Add the veal jus to the pan and bring to a simmer. Cook for 15 mins, skimming from time to time. Serve the sauce immediately, without passing through a sieve.


To prepare the Black Angus Sirloin:
Preheat the oven to 225˚C and bring the meat to room temperature and season to taste with salt & pepper. Heat an ovenproof frying pan over a high heat. Add the oil to the pan and sear the meat until lightly browned all over. Transfer the pan to the oven and roast for 12 mins, turning regularly. Remove from the oven and leave to rest in a warm place for 6 mins.


To serve:
Cut the bone marrow into small medallions and season with fleur de sel and pepper. Warm in the oven for around 2 mins until soft and juicy. If prepared in advance, warm the caramelised shallots and sauce bercy.

Carve the Black Angus sirloin into 4 thick slices. Arrange on warm serving plates with the brisket pieces. Garnish with the bone marrow and caramelised shallots and spoon over a generous amount of sauce. Serve immediately.