Best Beef Brisket

Preheat oven to 220°C (200ºC fan). Season brisket generously with salt and pepper on both sides.  Place potatoes in a large roasting pan and drizzle with oil and season with salt and pepper. Place brisket on top of potatoes, fat side up.  Roast until brisket develops a deeply golden brown crust on top and potatoes are cooked, about 1 hour and 15 minutes.  Reduce oven to 150°C (130ºC fan). At this point, remove potatoes if roasted potatoes are desired, or leave in pan for stewed potatoes. Add stock to pan and season beef again with salt and pepper. Cover pan tightly with foil. Return to oven and continue cooking until brisket is tender and a fork meets almost no resistance when inserted, about 2 hours 30 minutes.  Let rest for 10 minutes before slicing (against the grain for tender slices!). Serve with potatoes.