Salt-Cured Brisket with Creamy Horseradish Sauce

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Classic Scandinavian comfort: savory, gently spiced beef with bright horseradish.
• Foolproof 7% brine and low-temp simmer yield ultra tender slices.
• Balanced plate: rich meat, velvety sauce, sweet root veg, buttery potatoes, tangy beets.
• Great for make-ahead entertaining and cozy Sunday dinners.

Grocery List

• Produce: 1.5–1.8 kg beef brisket, onions, garlic, carrots, parsnips, rutabaga (swede), leek, waxy potatoes, fresh horseradish root, lemon, dill, parsley, pickled beets (jar)
• Dairy: Unsalted butter, heavy cream
• Pantry: Fine sea salt, sugar, black peppercorns, allspice berries, bay leaves, Dijon mustard, white pepper

Full Ingredients

For the Salt-Cured Brisket (Rimmad Oxbringa)

• 1.5–1.8 kg beef brisket, trimmed but with a thin fat cap
• 2.5 L cold water
• 175 g fine sea salt (7% of water weight; 70 g per 1 L water)
• 40 g granulated sugar
• 10 g whole black peppercorns
• 5 g whole allspice
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 small onion, sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, lightly crushed

For Simmering

• 3 L cold water (to start; top up as needed to keep meat covered)
• 1 onion, halved
• 1 carrot, roughly chopped
• 2 celery stalks, roughly chopped
• 2 bay leaves
• 10 black peppercorns

Root Vegetables

• 350 g carrots, cut into 3–4 cm chunks
• 250 g parsnips, cut into 3–4 cm chunks
• 300 g rutabaga (swede), peeled and cut into 2–3 cm cubes
• 1 small leek (white and light green), sliced into 2 cm pieces and rinsed

Boiled Potatoes

• 1 kg small waxy potatoes (e.g., Yukon Gold or Amandine)
• 10 g fine sea salt (for the pot)
• 20 g unsalted butter
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh dill

Creamy Horseradish Sauce (Pepparrotssås)

• 30 g unsalted butter
• 30 g all-purpose flour
• 300 ml hot strained beef cooking broth
• 200 ml heavy cream
• 15–25 g freshly grated horseradish (start with 15 g; add to taste)
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp fresh lemon juice (or white wine vinegar)
• 1/4 tsp ground white pepper
• Fine sea salt, to taste

To Serve

• 250 g pickled beets, drained
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley (optional)

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Cure the brisket in a 7% brine

In a nonreactive container, whisk 2.5 L cold water with 175 g salt and 40 g sugar until fully dissolved. Stir in peppercorns, allspice, bay leaves, onion, and garlic. Chill the brine to 4°C. Submerge the brisket (weigh it down with a plate so it stays under the liquid), cover, and refrigerate for 48 hours, turning the meat after 24 hours. This brine is 7% by weight (70 g salt per liter), ideal for a clean, savory cure without oversalting.

Step 2: Rinse and set up a gentle simmer

Remove the brisket from the brine. Rinse under cold water, then soak in fresh cold water for 20 minutes to lightly desalinate; drain. Place the meat in a large pot with 3 L cold water, onion, carrot, celery, bay leaves, and peppercorns. Bring slowly to a bare simmer over medium heat, then lower heat to maintain 85–90°C. Skim any foam for a clear, clean broth.

Step 3: Cook low and slow until fork-tender

Simmer gently at 85–90°C until the brisket is fork-tender, about 2.5–3 hours. Do not let it boil vigorously or the meat can tighten and turn stringy. Top up with hot water as needed to keep the meat just covered. When a fork slides in with minimal resistance (or the internal temperature is around 93–96°C), it is ready.

Step 4: Cook the root vegetables in the broth

About 30 minutes before the brisket is done, add rutabaga and carrots to the pot; cook 25 minutes. Add parsnips and leeks for the final 10 minutes. This staggered timing keeps each vegetable perfectly tender. Transfer vegetables to a warm platter and tent with foil.

Step 5: Boil and butter the potatoes

While the vegetables cook, place potatoes in a pot, cover with cold water by 2–3 cm, and add 10 g salt. Bring to a boil, lower to a steady simmer, and cook 12–15 minutes until just tender. Drain well, then toss with 20 g butter and chopped dill. Keep warm.

Step 6: Make the creamy horseradish sauce

Strain 300 ml hot cooking broth into a jug. In a saucepan, melt 30 g butter over medium heat; whisk in 30 g flour and cook 1 minute. Gradually whisk in the hot broth, then the cream. Simmer 4–5 minutes until silky and lightly thickened. Remove from heat and stir in 15–25 g freshly grated horseradish (to taste), Dijon, lemon juice, and white pepper. Season with salt if needed. Do not boil after adding the horseradish to preserve its gentle heat and aroma.

Step 7: Slice, nap with sauce, and serve

Lift the brisket onto a board and rest 10 minutes. Slice across the grain into 6–8 mm slices. Arrange on a warm platter with the cooked roots and buttered potatoes. Spoon warm pepparrotssås over the meat, garnish with parsley, and serve with pickled beets on the side.

Pro Tips

• Buy pre-cured brisket to skip the brining step; rinse well and continue with simmering.
• Keep the liquid at 85–90°C. A gentle shiver on the surface is perfect; a rolling boil will toughen the meat.
• If the meat tastes a touch salty, rest or reheat slices in a ladle of unsalted hot water or low-salt broth to balance.
• Grate horseradish just before using and add off-heat for maximum aroma.
• Strain and freeze leftover cooking broth; it makes excellent soup base or gravy stock.

Variations

• Slow cooker method: After Step 2, cook on Low for 7–8 hours. Add roots for the last 60–90 minutes.
• Mustard-forward sauce: Replace Dijon with 1 tbsp Swedish or whole-grain mustard and reduce horseradish to 10–15 g.
• Apple-horseradish: Stir 50 g unsweetened applesauce into the finished sauce for a fruity lift.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Brined brisket can cure up to 72 hours total; cook within 24 hours after removing from brine. Cooked brisket keeps 4 days refrigerated in a covered container (store slices in some cooking broth to keep moist) or up to 3 months frozen. Reheat gently in hot broth or a 120°C oven, covered. Sauce keeps 3 days refrigerated; rewarm gently and refresh with a splash of cream or broth. Potatoes and roots are best day-of but reheat well in a steamer or microwave with a dab of butter.

Nutrition (per serving)

Approximate: 720 kcal; 35 g protein; 38 g fat; 60 g carbohydrates; 4 g fiber; sodium will be high due to curing (estimate 1200–1600 mg, depending on desalting).