Beer Braised Brisket with Horseradish Cream

1 large brisket, cut into 3-4 pieces

1 large onion, chopped in large pieces

1 carrot, chopped in large pieces

2 stalks celery, chopped in large pieces

3 Tbsp. vegetable oil

3 sprigs thyme

1 sprig rosemary

2 cloves garlic

1 bay leaf

1 ½ cups beer (porter works great here!)

4-6 cups chicken or veal stock

1 cup crème fraiche

2 Tbsp. fresh grated or prepared horseradish

Kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper

Preheat oven to 300°F.  In a large Dutch oven, on high heat, heat oil. Season brisket on all sides with salt and pepper. Brown brisket on all sides. Try not to crowd the pot—work in batches when all of the pieces don’t fit in at once. When brisket pieces are browned, place them all on a sheet tray and set aside. Still on high heat, brown carrots, onion and celery in the same pot until golden. Add beer, garlic, thyme, rosemary, and bay leaf.  Bring to a boil and reduce beer by half. Move brisket back into the pot, now you can pack them all in close together. Add enough stock to come a little more than ¾ of the way up the meat. Bring to a boil, cover and place in the oven for 2-4 hours or until the meat is tender and falling apart. Check doneness often and adjust oven temp down if liquid is boiling. Let the brisket rest in the liquid for at least an hour (overnight for best results). Remove brisket from liquid and strain liquid through a mesh strainer. Return liquid to a small sauce pot and reduce by half. Season this reduction with salt and pepper to taste and serve as a sauce over your brisket. Slice brisket against the grain in thin slices. Set it right in the sauce to keep warm, if you are not serving right away. For horseradish cream, combine crème fraiche and horseradish. Season to taste with salt and pepper. For final preparation, serve sliced brisket with some of the reduced sauce and a dollop of horseradish cream.

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