Braised Brisket

This tender beef brisket is slow-cooked in beer, onion and mushrooms, and is at its flavorful best when made ahead. Tip: Can be made 2 to 3 days in advance.

Recipe Ingredients:

1 (4-pound)* boneless beef brisket, trimmed of excess fat
2 teaspoons hot or sweet smoked paprika
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 pounds onions, thinly sliced (9 cups)
1 Turkish or 1/2 California bay leaf
2 (12-ounce) beers (not dark)
1 dried-porcini bouillon cube or 1 beef bouillon cube, crumbled
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 pound Shiitake or other wild mushrooms, cleaned

Cooking Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Pat brisket dry and rub with smoked paprika. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a 6 to 8-quart wide heavy oven-proof (Dutch oven) pot over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking; brown meat well on all sides, about 10 minutes total. Transfer meat to a platter.
2. Caramelize onions in fat remaining in pot over medium heat, covered, for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove cover and cook until browned, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer half of onions to a bowl.
3. Add beer, bouillon cube and vinegar to pot, scraping up brown bits with wooden spoon. Arrange brisket over onions in pot, then top with remaining onions (liquid should come about halfway up sides of meat) and bring to a boil. Cover pot and braise 3 1/2 hours in middle of oven until brisket is very tender.
4. About 2 1/2 hours into braising, add mushrooms to the pot, in liquid surrounding meat.
5. When finished braising, cool brisket in sauce, uncovered, about 30 minutes.
6. Transfer brisket to a clean cutting board. Skim off any fat from sauce and season with salt and pepper. Slice meat across the grain and serve with onions and juice.
7. For a more tender meat, refrigerate overnight, separate from the onion-mushroom mixture - up to 3 days. Reheat together before serving. Or reheat slices in juice.

Makes 8 to 10 servings.

*Or use a 6-pound for lots of leftovers, just use a bigger pot.

Recipe provided courtesy of Jarlsberg, Woolwich Dairy, García Baquero, and Old Amsterdam cheeses, through ECES, Inc., Electronic Color Editorial Services.