brisket and beer, revisited

What to do with the rest of a 5-lb brisket when the Steak & Guinness Pie only used 2 lbs?



Braise it. And what better to braise it with than a bottle of the Guinness you bought for the pie? The great thing about this recipe is that despite the two main ingredients being exactly the same as the pie, it tastes completely different. The pile of onions sitting atop the brisket brings an incredible sweetness to the gravy. I browsed around at dozens of slow-cooked brisket recipes for some ideas, and noticed that a great many of them called for Heinz Chili Sauce. I didn't even know what the was, but luckily found it in the local grocery store. The verdict on that stuff is that it's pretty much ketchup with some vaguely pepper-like tinge, but the moniker Chili Sauce is a little misleading. Stuff is sweet.



Paired with the brisket was simply sauteed white cabbage with caraway seeds. Also rather sweet, but a nice light contrast to the beef and gravy.



The gravy, by the way, was the best thing ever. Recipes after the jump:



SLOW COOKER BEER-BRAISED BRISKET

Ingredients
3 lb flat-cut brisket
2 bay leaves
2 small onions, sliced into rings
1 bottle (12 ounces) dark beer
1/4 cup chili sauce (Heinz style)
3 tbsp brown sugar
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp dried thyme
salt and pepper
2 tbsp cornstarch
1/4 cup water

Preparation
Rinse and pat dry brisket and trim off excess fat. Salt and pepper liberally. Place in a slow cooker set on High, 6-hour setting. Scatter onion rings and bay leaves over the beef. Mix together beer, chili sauce, sugar, garlic and thyme and pour over brisket. Cover and braise 6 hours or until it begins to fall apart with a fork. Remove brisket and set aside on cutting board to rest. Transfer the sauce to a saucepan. Skim off any excessive fat, but leave at least a couple of tablespoons worth in the pot. Mix the cornstarch and water, add to sauce and simmer on low until thickened, about 10 minutes. Slice brisket against the grain and serve topped with the gravy.


SAUTEED CABBAGE WITH CARAWAY SEEDS

Ingredients
1 small white cabbage, sliced into 1/4 inch strips
1 small onion, diced
2 tbsp butter
1 tsp caraway seeds
1/4 cup parsley, chopped
salt and pepper, to taste

Preparation
Melt butter over medium heat in a large, heavy saute pan. Add onions and saute until translucent. Add caraway seeds and allow to toast for 1 minute. Add cabbage and saute until soft.