This recipe looks harder than it is. It also makes the best beef brisket EVER. Try serving over noodles. Serves 6 to 8, and makes even better leftovers.
- Don't be afraid of the word "rutabaga" - they're actually quite tasty.
- The technique of blending soft butter and flour to a paste, then stirring it into a sauce to thicken, is called "buerre manié." You can thicken any sauce this way, but as you're not cooking the flour much, the sauce may have a slightly floury taste (in this case, with the strong taste of the beer, you won't notice).
- You'll have extra sauce. Serve it separately, as you would gravy.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Cook bacon in an ovenproof kettle over moderate heat, stirring, until crisp. Transfer to paper towels and drain.
- Pour off all but 2 tbsp. fat from bacon.
- Pat brisket dry and season with salt and pepper.
- Heat the bacon fat over medium-high heat until it is hot but not smoking.
- Add the brisket to the kettle and brown. Transfer to a platter.
- Add onions to kettle and sauté until golden.
- Add bacon, brisket and beer. Bring beer to a boil.
- Cover kettle and braise in oven for two hours.
- Stir in rutabaga chunks, carrots and potatoes and braise 45 minutes longer, or until vegetables are tender.
- Transfer the brisket and vegetables with a slotted spoon to a plate. Cover and keep warm.
- Blend 2 tbsp. butter and 2 tbsp. flour and set aside.
- Bring braising liquid to a boil and reduce to about 3 c.
- Gradually whisk in flour-butter mixture. Simmer for 3 minutes.
- Slice the brisket and arrange on a plate with vegetables. Pour some sauce over dish, sprinkle with parsley and serve.
- 1 large peeled rutabaga - cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 1/2 c. minced fresh parsley
- 2 1/2 lb. brisket
- 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
- 2 tbsp. unsalted butter - softened (but not melted)
- 3 thinly sliced onions
- 4 12 oz. bottles beer (not dark)
- 4 slices chopped bacon
- 6 boiling potatoes - cut into 1-inch pieces
- 6 carrots - cut crosswise into 1 1/2-inch pieces