Well I gave it four hours in the low oven and it was glorious. Carving not needed - just gently prise chunks away, and any fat or sinew came away really easily. I did have to thicken the gravy just a little bit. Brisket is my very favourite cut for pot roasting in the piece. Lovely flavour, and slow cooking doesn't dry it out like some of those other cuts such as topside or silverside. I use thickish slices of top rump when I make Elizabeth David's boeuf en daube, but that's just two and a half hours in the oven.

I have more than enough for cold meat with jacket spuds this evening, and anything left will go back in the leftover gravy to make a sort of ragu to stir into ribbon pasta, with Parmesan on top. Mrs Steve will want a clove or two of garlic in there. Thinly sliced, never minced!