Beer-Braised Brisket With Onions - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 (3 1/2-4 lb) beef brisket, trimmed of fat
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 lbs onions, halved lengthwise, thinly sliced lengthwise (6 cups)
1 turkish bay leaf (or 1/2 California bay leaf)
1 (12 ounce) bottle beer, not dark
1 beef bouillon cube, crumbled
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Pat brisket dry and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Heat oil in 6-8 quart wide heavy pot over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then brown meat well on all sides, about 10 minutes total. Transfer meat to a platter.
Cook onions with bay leaf in the fat remaining in pot over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until golden, 10-12 minutes.
Remove from heat and transfer half the onions to a bowl.
Arrange brisket over onions in the pot and then top with the remaining onions from the bowl so the meat is covered with half the onions under and half the onions over the meat.
Add the beer, bouillon and vinegar to the pot (liquid should come about halfway up sides of meat) and bring to a boil.
Cover pot (make sure hanle on pot lid is oven proof) and braise in middle of oven until meat is very tender, 3 to 3 1/2 hours.
Cool in sauce, uncovered about 30 minutes.
Transfer brisket to a clean cutting board. Skim off any fat from sauce and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Slice meat across the grain and serve with the sauce.