Balsamic-Brown Sugar Brisket Bites with Pomegranate & Onion
Get ready for a sophisticated and intensely flavorful appetizer! These Balsamic-Brown Sugar Brisket Bites are the perfect party food. Rich, flat-cut beef brisket is slow-cooked until unbelievably tender in a sweet and tangy glaze of balsamic vinegar and brown sugar. After simmering for hours, the shredded brisket is piled onto toasted challah bread and topped with crunchy, bright pomegranate arils and fresh thyme. It's a melt-in-your-mouth flavor bomb that's sweet, savory, and absolutely irresistible!
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1/2 fresh flat-cut beef brisket (about 2 1/2 to 3 pounds)
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 medium red onion, halved and thinly sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 7 slices challah bread, quartered
- 1/4 cup pomegranate arils
- 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
Instructions
In large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat. Sprinkle both sides of brisket with salt and pepper; add to skillet and cook 5 minutes or until outside is browned, turning once. Transfer brisket to 5- to 6-quart slow cooker. In same skillet, cook onion over medium-high heat 5 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring occasionally. Add garlic; cook 30 seconds or until fragrant, stirring frequently. Transfer onion mixture to slow cooker. In small bowl, whisk vinegar and sugar; pour over brisket and onion mixture in slow cooker. Cover and cook on high 4 hours or low 8 hours or until brisket is tender. Transfer brisket to cutting board, tent with aluminum foil and let stand 20 minutes. Reserve cooking liquid in slow cooker. Preheat oven to 400°. Place bread pieces on rimmed baking pan; brush both sides with remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Bake bread 10 minutes or until golden brown and toasted. Slice brisket against the grain; cut into 1-inch pieces. Add brisket to slow cooker with reserved cooking liquid; toss. Top bread pieces with brisket mixture, pomegranate arils and thyme. Makes 28 bites.