RED WINE BRAISED BEEF RECIPES

Steps:

• Place the meat in a bowl, add the wine and one-half cup of the onions. Cover and refrigerate overnight, but no more than 16 hours.
• The next day, remove the meat from the wine marinade, reserving the marinade. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pat the meat dry on paper towels.
• Heat the oil in a heavy three-quart casserole, add the beef and brown it on all sides. Remove the meat from the casserole and add the remaining onions and cook over medium-low heat until tender and lightly browned. Stir in the garlic.
• Add the stock and the reserved marinade. Bring to a simmer, scraping the bottom of the pan. Stir in salt and pepper to taste, the bay leaf and rosemary. Return the meat to the casserole.
• Cover the casserole and place in the oven. Bake for about two hours, until the meat is tender.
• To serve at once, remove the meat from the casserole and slice it. Arrange on a platter. Reheat the sauce and check seasonings. Spoon some of the hot sauce over the meat and pass the rest alongside.
• Alternatively, the meat can be refrigerated overnight in the cooking liquid, and the next day the meat can be sliced and the sauce reheated before serving. Doing this will improve both the flavor and texture of the meat and will also allow the layer of chilled fat on the surface of the liquid to be removed and discarded.

Steps:

• In a large resealable plastic bag, combine the beef brisket with the red wine, red wine vinegar, juniper berries, white peppercorns, carrots, celery, garlic and 1 of the onions. Close the bag, pressing out any air and refrigerate the brisket overnight or for up to 2 days.
• Preheat the oven to 275°. Strain the marinade, discarding the solids. Pat the brisket dry. In a large enameled cast-iron casserole, heat the oil. Season the brisket with salt and pepper and cook over moderate heat until browned all over, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer the brisket to a large plate. Add the remaining 3 onions and the 2 finely chopped apples to the casserole and cook over moderate heat, stirring frequently, until softened, about 7 minutes.
• Return the brisket to the casserole and add the raisins, bay leaf, thyme and the strained marinade. Season with salt and pepper and bring to a simmer. Cover and braise in the oven for about 3 hours, until the meat is very tender; turn the brisket halfway through cooking.
• Carefully transfer the brisket to a plate; cover and keep warm. Strain the cooking liquid into a heatproof measuring cup, pressing down on the solids. Wipe out the casserole and add the cooking liquid and chicken stock. Boil over moderately high heat until reduced by half, about 20 minutes. Season the sauce with salt and pepper. Thinly slice the brisket across the grain and garnish with the chopped apple. Serve with the sauce and Pretzel Dumplings.