Wine-Braised Brisket of Beef and with Pearl Onions and Apricots: Wolfgang's Easy Tips

If you can't find a 5-pound brisket at your supermarket, cook 2 smaller pieces. 

While the meat braises, keep the heat gentle since boiling tightens rather than relaxes the meat's fibers. Check the liquid in the cooking vessel and if it's bubbling more than slightly, turn down the heat. The results should be so tender that you can pull the meat apart with a fork.

To prepare the pearl onions, bring a saucepan of water to a boil. Add the pearl onions and blanch them for 30 seconds. Drain and immediately immerse them in a bowl of ice and water. Cut the very ends off at the stem ends, peel the onions, and leave them whole.

For neater slices, you could let the brisket cool before cutting it across the grain. Reheat the slices in the sauce. That makes brisket an ideal dish to prepare ahead. Just cook and slice it the day before, and reheat it in the oven in its sauce for about half an hour at 300�F before serving.