Wednesday, January 4, 2012

Braising a Winter Winner

Brisket is one of my favorite go-to meals during the winter.  Braising the meat slowly not only tenderizes this cut of meat, but also adds delicious, mouthwatering aromas to the house.  With a few simple, but flavorful ingredients, you have an easy hearty meal perfect for family or entertaining.

This may not be a meal that is doable on a weeknight if you’re not home to assemble and put the dish in the oven during the afternoon, but the leftovers certainly make a welcome quick night meal.

If I’m serving this recipe when I’m entertaining, I time the brisket to come out of the oven at least an hour ahead.  This gives me time to slice the meat and thicken the cooking liquid for the gravy.  I simply arrange the sliced meat in the roasting pan, cover it with the prepared gravy and keep warm in the oven until serving time.  I usually round out the meal with egg noodles or mashed potatoes and steamed broccoli.  Smart meals fill the house with delicious aromas and make for a satisfying dinner.

Balsamic Brisket with Onions

Makes 12 servings

1 (5 pound) beef brisket
2 large onions, halved and sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 ½ cups balsamic vinegar
½ cup ketchup
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1.    Heat oven to 325°F.  Spray a roasting pan with nonstick cooking spray. 
2.    Place brisket in pan and top with onions and garlic.
3. Mix balsamic vinegar, ketchup and brown sugar in a small bowl; pour over  
    brisket. 

4.   Cover pan tightly with foil.  Bake for 3 hours or until tender.
5.   Remove brisket to cutting board and let stand 10 minutes before slicing.
6.   Heat oil and flour in large saucepan over medium heat until mixture bubbles. 

7.  Add pan liquid with onions and cook over medium heat until mixture boils and thickens. Serve gravy with sliced meat.


Nutrition Information per serving: 409 calories, 14 g. total fat, 5 g. saturated fat, 168 mg. cholesterol, 239 mg. sodium, 8 g. carbohydrate, 1 g. dietary fiber, 5 g. sugar, 58 g. protein

2 comments:

  1. Love your blog and the recipes are always great!

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  2. Could only find a 2 pound brisket but it was perfect for 3 people with leftovers. Great flavor. The "gravy" we called onion jam because it was thick and sweet/savory. Thanks! Lee

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