More on Beef Brisket Sous-Vide

There are 3 very different sous-vide recipes for the beef brisket, 3 different schools:

• 48 hours @ 57C
• 48 hours @ 64C (Thomas Keller's)
• 24 hours @ 80C

In a previous post, I described my second attempt with Thomas Keller's recipe. While the first attempt was quite good, the second time round the meat came out quite dry, possibly due to the lean cut of meat.

This third time, I decided to try a radically different recipe, the 80C for 24 hours. I am not sure why, but many blogs and articles on the Internet talk about the last two techniques, without explaining what exactly the difference is between the two. Well, the result is totally different. The 24 hours brisket was delicious, with an intensely flavoured juice out of the bag, and it broke to the touch. It was browned throughout, exactly like a traditionally braised beef brisket, except more flavoursome.
The 48 hours @ 64C brisket was pink in the inside, still a little tough, and tended to be dry unless the cut of meat is well marbled throughout.
So in conclusion, if you want a more fine dining sous-vide effect, then go for Thomas Keller's recipe (although I haven't yet been able to perfection this myself). If you are after a more traditional result, then the 80C for 24 hours will give you a great, reliable result.

I haven't yet tried the third option, 57C for 48 hours, but a fellow Singapore blogger posted a great, very detailed article on it: http://wishihadafoodpun.wordpress.com/2010/05/18/home-cooked-sous-vide-brisket-55c-48h/