Brisket - Sous Vide and Smoked

This is the method we use to make our amazing smoked brisket and gravy for our Sous Chef meals. The texture on this brisket recipe would be impossible to achieve using a traditional cooking technique like braising or smoking.  It really is unique and amazing -- kind of like in-between a perfectly cooked ribeye and a tender crockpot stew. Hope you enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 1 whole brisket (3lb)
• 2T salt
• 1 onion (cut in half)
• 3 small carrots
• 2 piece of celery
• 1/3c apple cider vinegar
• 1C water

Instructions for brisket:

1. Vacuum seal all ingredients (or use a ziplock bag). 
2. Sous Vide at 144F for 40-48 hours
3. Open package and strain drippings, reserve for gravy
4. Smoke the meat in a smoker for 3-6 hours at 140-150 degrees (OK to skip if you don't have a smoker)
5. Slice across the grain to serve

To make gravy:

1. Make some roux using 2oz (4T butter) and 5T of flour. Melt the butter in a small pan and whisk in the flour over medium heat until light brown
2. Heat the drippings in a medium skillet over med-high heat until simmering
3. Whisk in about half of the roux and check the consistency and salt
4. Whisk in more roux if you want it thicker and more salt if desired

Tools:

• You'll need a sous vide machine and ideally a chamber vacuum sealer -- but you can get away with a table top version or a high quality ziplock bag.  
• My dad uses his Treager smoker, but you could also make your own using Alton Brown's directions.