Jul 14 2026
RestaurantsD'Road CafeMeats Recipe

Meats Recipe

Inspired by D'Road Cafe
Time3h 30m
Serves6

Brisket, Chicken or Pork.

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Ingredients

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Brisket (serves 6)

Method

Brisket (serves 6)

  1. 1

    Prep and Season

    Pat brisket dry with paper towels. In a small bowl combine kosher salt, black pepper, paprika, garlic powder and onion powder. Rub spice mix evenly over both sides of the brisket and let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes (or refrigerate up to overnight).

  2. 2

    Sear

    Preheat oven to 300°F (150°C). Heat vegetable oil in a heavy Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Sear brisket fat-side down 4–5 minutes until deeply browned, then flip and sear other side 3–4 minutes. Remove brisket and set aside.

  3. 3

    Deglaze and Braise

    Add sliced onion and carrots to the pot and sauté 3–4 minutes until softened. Add beef stock and Worcestershire sauce, scraping up browned bits. Return brisket to the pot fat-side up; liquid should come about one-third up the side of the meat. Cover tightly and transfer to oven. Braise for 3 to 3½ hours, until fork-tender (internal temp ~200°F/93°C).

  4. 4

    Rest and Slice

    Remove brisket and let rest 20–30 minutes covered. Strain pan juices into a measuring cup and skim fat if desired; reserve juices for serving. Slice against the grain into thin slices and serve warm with reserved jus.

Chicken (serves 6)

  1. 5

    Season

    Pat chicken thighs dry. In a bowl toss chicken with olive oil, salt, pepper, smoked paprika and minced garlic until evenly coated. Let sit 15 minutes at room temperature.

  2. 6

    Sear

    Heat a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add a splash of olive oil if dry. Place thighs skinless-side down (or one side if boneless) and sear 3–4 minutes until golden brown, flip and brown the other side 2–3 minutes.

  3. 7

    Finish with Liquid

    Add chicken stock, lemon juice and thyme to the pan, scraping up browned bits. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer 12–15 minutes (or transfer to 375°F/190°C oven for 12 minutes) until internal temp reaches 165°F (74°C). Remove from pan and let rest 5 minutes.

  4. 8

    Serve

    Slice or leave whole and spoon pan juices over the chicken. Adjust seasoning to taste with extra salt, pepper or lemon if needed.

Pork (serves 6)

  1. 9

    Make Rub & Season

    Combine salt, brown sugar, chili powder, ground cumin and garlic powder. Pat pork shoulder pieces dry and rub the spice mixture over all surfaces. Let rest 30 minutes at room temperature or refrigerate up to overnight.

  2. 10

    Sear

    Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C). Heat olive oil in a heavy roasting pan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear pork pieces 3–4 minutes per side until browned. Remove and set aside.

  3. 11

    Braise with Apple

    Add sliced onion to the pan and sauté 3 minutes. Pour in apple cider and apple cider vinegar, scraping up browned bits. Return pork to the pan, cover tightly and braise in oven for 2½ to 3 hours until very tender and easily shredded with a fork.

  4. 12

    Shred & Finish

    Remove pork and let cool slightly. Shred with two forks, discarding excess fat. Return shredded pork to pan juices and simmer on stovetop for 5–8 minutes to absorb flavor. Adjust seasoning with salt to taste and serve warm.

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