Brisket a La Carbonnade

I found this recipe in "The Gourmet Cookbook." I usually prepare this on a Sunday -- it's nice to serve for company because it has no last-minute prep. And the flavor actually improves if it is cooked 2 days ahead of time and reheated. Nice and tender, with lots of onions -- a family favorite!

• Ready In: 4 hrs 25 mins
• Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 3 1⁄2-4  lbs beef brisket, trimmed of excess fat
• 3⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 2  tablespoons olive oil
• 2  lbs onions, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced lengthwise (6 cups)
• 1  bay leaf
• 1 (12 ounce) bottle beer (not dark) or 1 1⁄2 cups  beef bouillon
• 1  beef bouillon cube, crumbled
• 1  tablespoon  balsamic vinegar

Directions

1. Put a rack in the middle of oven and preheat to 350 degrees.
2. Pat brisket dry and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a 6-to-8 quart heavy ovenproof pot or dutch oven over medium-high heat until hot, but not smoking. Brown meat well on all sides, about 10 minutes total. Transfer to a platter.
3. Add onions and bay leaf to fat remaining in pot and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until onions are golden, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer half of onions to a bowl. Set brisket over onions in pot, then top with remaining onions. Add beer or beef boullion, beef cube, and vinegar (liquid should come about halfway up sides of meat; add water or more broth, if necessary) and bring to a boil.
4. Cover pot, transfer to oven, and braise until meat is very tender, 3 to 3 1/2 hours. Let meat cool in sauce, uncovered, for 30 minutes.
5. Transfer brisket to a cutting board. Skim off any fat from sauce, discard bay leaf, and season sauce with salt and pepper. Slice meat across the grain and serve with sauce.
6. NOTE: If cooking ahead of time (1 to 2 days), cool the meat in the sauce, uncovered. Transfer to a large bowl (or keep in pot if it is enamel-coated on the inside). Cover with wax paper; then cover with aluminum foil and put in fridge (or just cover with wax paper and put the lid back on if storing in the dutch oven).
7. Remove any solidified fat before reheating. To reheat, slice the cold meat across the grain and arrange in a shallow baking pan. Spoon the sauce with onions over the meat and reheat in a 325 degree oven for 45 minutes.