Oven Onion-Smothered

So it's about 900 degrees outside today ... OK, so it's closer to 90, but regardless, it's not the kind of day when you want to turn on the oven. But I had already planned on making a brisket today ... I didn't realize I should have checked the forecast first!

Originally, I had pulled out a recipe for a cranberry and onion brisket, but deciding that was too Christmas-y, I went in search of another. My Best of Cooking Light cookbook saved the day, even if it did heat up the house!

Onion-Smothered Brisket
Ingredients:
1 (approx. 2 lb.) beef brisket
Salt and pepper
1 large onion, sliced into rings
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup beer (I used Guinness)
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
6 carrots, cut into 2-inch pieces
6 red potatoes, halved
6 cloves garlic

Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Trim fat from brisket. Season both sides with salt and pepper. Place the brisket fat-side down in a Dutch oven. Pile the onions on top of the meat.

In a medium bowl, combine ketchup, beer, brown sugar, and Worcestershire. Pour mixture over brisket. Cover Dutch oven and cook 1 1/2 hours.

Flip meat. Arrange carrots, potatoes, and garlic around meat and spoon cooking liquid over them. Cook another 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Remove brisket from oven and allow to rest for a few minutes. Slice meat against the grain and serve with carrots, potatoes, onions, and sauce spooned over.


The brisket was super tender and flavorful, the veggies were perfectly cooked, and the sauce was way bold (but not too bold!). I think the Guinness (which just happened to be the only beer in the fridge) was an awesome choice. It gave the right, deep background for the sauce ... and my only complaint is that I didn't use enough of it! The sauce ended up cooking down quite a bit, and I wish I had made more to make my brisket super smothered!