This recipe calls for the simplest ingredients and is a combination of family favorites. It is the slow-cooking that makes this meat flavorful and fork-tender. Aside from a little flipping and basting, there’s little else to do but cook up some rice or petite lentils and perhaps a green mound of veggies. By dinnertime, the house will be fully enveloped with the mouth-watering aromas of a perfectly delicious dinner.

Serves 8

1 beef brisket [1], about 5 lbs, point cut preferred
1 Tbls. olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
3 Tbls. butter
2 med. onions, diced [2]
2 cloves of chopped garlic
1 small (6 oz.) can tomato paste
2 c. chicken broth
1 c. beer
¼ c. red wine vinegar
¼ c. brown sugar

Preheat oven to 325. In a large Dutch oven or roasting pan, add oil and sear meat for about 5 minutes each side, until it is brown. Generously season with salt and pepper and remove to a plate.

Wipe out the pan with a paper towel, add butter and onions to the pan. Cook until onions are soft, about 10 minutes. Add garlic, salt and pepper, and stir in the tomato paste. Add stock, beer, vinegar, and brown sugar. Stir, and then return meat to the pan. Cover tightly with a lid or tin foil and place in the oven.

Cook for about 2 1/2 to 3 hours, turning the brisket about every 45 minutes and basting with sauce. After it has cooked for a couple of hours, if sauce seems too thin, remove lid and cook meat uncovered for the last 30-40 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand. Slice meat against the grain [3]. Serve with potato pancakes, egg noodles, or rice.

Make Ahead: Many cooks prepare the brisket a day ahead and refrigerate to allow the flavors to deepen. When ready to serve, simply remove the fat, slice the meat against the grain, return it to the sauce and reheat in the oven at 325 degrees.

Two Ideas for Leftover Brisket:
Brisket Sandwich with Fresh Cheese & Arugula [4]
Pasta with Brisket Ragu [5]