Slow cooker cranberry brisket stew

7
Points®
Total Time
9 hr 20 min
Prep
20 min
Cook
9 hr
Serves
8
Difficulty
Easy
A quick 20 minutes and this elevated slow cooker recipe is ready to cook all day bringing the bright cranberries, rich chestnuts and deeply flavorful brisket together in a one-pot meal. The slow cooking keeps the brisket moist and mellows the flavor of the cranberries, creating a warming, sweet sauce that’s laced with wintry spices. Creating 8 hearty servings, this recipe is a crowd pleaser for the longer fall evenings. Make sure to ask for the leaner, flat-cut of brisket and have your butcher remove the fat layer to reduce your prep time. The jeweled colors of the vegetables and cranberries allow this recipe to take a slot in your pre-holiday meal rotation when family members are plenty and time is short.

Ingredients

Cooking spray

1 spray(s)

Uncooked lean and trimmed beef brisket

2 pound(s), preferably from the “flat cut” or “first cut”

Red onion

½ cup(s), chopped

Brussels sprouts

1½ pound(s), large, halved

Fresh cranberries

2 cup(s), whole

Fat free beef broth

¾ cup(s), reduced sodium

Baby carrots

8 medium, halved lengthwise

Bolied and steamed European chestnuts

4 oz, about 1/2 cup jarred, steamed chestnuts

Packed light brown sugar

3 Tbsp

Red wine vinegar

2 Tbsp

Dried thyme

1 tsp

Ground ginger

½ tsp

Ground allspice

½ tsp

Table salt

½ tsp

Black pepper

½ tsp

Ground cloves

¼ tsp

Instructions

  1. 1. Lightly coat a large skillet with cooking spray; set over medium-high heat for 1 to 2 minutes. Add brisket. Cook, turning once, for 6 minutes, until well browned. Set aside off heat.
  2. 2. In a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker combine onion, Brussels sprouts, cranberries, broth, carrots, chestnuts, brown sugar, vinegar, thyme, dried ginger, allspice, salt, pepper, and cloves. Nestle brisket into this mixture. Cover and cook on low for 9 hours or until brisket is fork-tender.
  3. 3. Transfer brisket to a large cutting board; cool for 5 minutes. (Keep cooker covered to keep other ingredients warm.) Slice meat into 8 portions. Place each in a bowl and divide vegetables and sauce evenly among them.
  4. Serving size: 1 brisket slice and 1 1/2 cups vegetables and sauce.