BRAISED BRISKET WITH ONION GRAVY

BRAISED BRISKET WITH ONION GRAVY image

Yield 6

Number Of Ingredients 15

Ingredients

1 beef brisket (about 3 to 3 1/2 pounds), preferably point cut, trimmed of excess fat
Salt and ground black pepper
4 teaspoons vegetable oil
4 large yellow onions, halved and sliced thin
6 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through a garlic press
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 cup dry red wine
1 3/4 cups low-sodium beef broth
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon tomato paste
4 bay leaves
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons cider vinegar

Steps:

1. Dry the brisket thoroughly with paper towels, then season generously with salt and pepper. Heat 2 teaspoons of the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Brown the brisket thoroughly on both sides, reducing the heat if the fat begins to smoke heavily, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer it to a slow cooker. 2. Return the skillet to medium heat and heat the remaining 2 teaspoons oil until shimmering. Add the onions and ¼ teaspoon salt; cook, scraping the browned bits from the pan bottom, until the onions are softened and lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cayenne and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the wine, scraping the browned bits off the skillet bottom, and cook until almost dry, about 1 minute. Add 1 cup of the beef broth, the chicken broth, brown sugar, tomato paste, bay leaves, and thyme; bring to a boil. Transfer to the slow cooker. 3. Cover and cook, on either low or high, until a dinner fork can be slid in and out of the brisket with little resistance, 8 to 9 hours on low or 5 to 6 hours on high. 4. Transfer the brisket to a carving board and tent loosely with foil to keep warm. Discard the bay leaves. Set the slow cooker to high (if necessary). Whisk the flour with the remaining ¾ cup of beef broth until smooth, then stir it into the slow cooker. Continue to cook on high until the sauce has thickened and no longer tastes of flour, 10 to 15 minutes longer. Stir in the vinegar and season with salt and pepper to taste. Slice the brisket thin across the grain. Arrange it on a warmed serving platter and pour about ½ cup of the sauce over the meat. Serve, passing the remaining sauce separately.