Ingredients

• 1/2 medium onion
• 1 stalk celery
• 1 medium carrot
• 1 tablespoon fresh parsley
• 2-1/2 pounds beef brisket (3-1/2 pounds untrimmed)
• 2 teaspoons black pepper
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 3 bay leaves
• 2 cups reduced-sodium beef broth
• 3 cups water
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350º F.
2. Dice onion, celery,carrot and parsley.
3. Trim fat from beef brisket and sprinkle with black pepper.
4. Using a heavy pot or Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat and brown meat 5 minutes on each side.
5. Remove meat and add onion, celery and carrots. Cook and stir 4 minutes to deglaze the pot.
6. Add crumbled bay leaves and parsley to vegetable mixture, and place meat on top of vegetables.
7. Pour broth, water and balsamic vinegar over meat to cover and heat until liquid boils.
8. Cover pot and cook in the oven for 1-1/2 hours.  Turn meat over and cook an additional 1-1/2 hours until meat is tender enough to cut with a fork.
9. Remove meat from pot.  Add one cup water to pan juices and stir.  Strain liquid from solids.  Discard vegetables and reserve broth for gravy (see recipe in "Sauces & Seasonings" section).
10. Slice brisket, top with gravy and serve.

Helpful hints

• Save money–brisket costs less than most other beef cuts. It is a muscular, less tender beef cut, best when cooked slowly in liquid to tenderize the meat.
• Use beef brisket for roast beef sandwiches, tacos or burritos, potpie or beef stew.
• This recipe can be cooked in a slow cooker on low heat 8 to 10 hours.
• Look for reduced-sodium broth containing 500 milligrams sodium or less per 1 cup serving. Avoid low sodium broth that contains potassium chloride—it’s very high in potassium.  Recommended brands include Health Valley® No Salt Added Fat Free Beef Flavored Broth www.HealthValley.com  (800-423-4846), Kitchen Basics® Natural Beef Flavor Stock www.kitchenbasics.net, and Swanson® Lower Sodium Beef Broth www.swansonbroth.com.