Berghoff Beer-Braised Brisket
Makes 8 sandwiches
The best of both worlds-barbecue and beer-are combined in a beer-braised brisket that creates its own unique barbecue sauce. It’s slow-cooked but perfectly simple to prepare, and it may make you as famous as it has made us.
Ingredients:
1 (3 1/2 – 4 pound) boneless beef brisket, trimmed of excess fat
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
¼ cup olive oil
2 pounds onions, sliced
1 bay leaf
1 (12-ounce) bottle Berghoff Lager beer
2 cups beef broth
1 cup prepared barbecue sauce
8 kaiser rolls or onion rolls, halved
Directions:
Season the meat with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a 6- to 8-quart wide, heavy pot over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking. Brown the meat well on all sides, about 10 minutes total. Remove from the pan and set aside, reserving the fat in the pot (do not clean the pot).
Sauté the onions with the bay leaf in the fat remaining in the pot over moderate heat until golden. Remove from the heat and transfer half of the onions to a bowl. Arrange the brisket over the onions remaining in the pot, then top with the remaining onions. Add the beer and broth, (the liquid should come about halfway up the sides of the meat). Cover the pot and braise for 1 ½ to 2 hours, pour the barbecue sauce over the brisket, and continue to braise for 1 more hour. Remove the meat from the pan and let it rest for about 30 minutes. In a saucepan, reduce the braising liquid to a saucelike consistency.
Transfer the brisket to a clean cutting board. Slice the meat across the grain and distribute among the bottom halves of the buns, topping with the upper halves. Top with additional barbecue sauce, if desired.