Brisket With Figs and Butternut Squash
- Ready In:
- 4hrs 45mins
- Ingredients:
- 13
- Serves:
-
6-8
ingredients
- 4 -5 lbs first-cut beef brisket, patted dry
- salt
- fresh ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 onions, thinly sliced
- 4 carrots, peeled and sliced
- 2 lbs butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 2-inch cubes
- 8 garlic cloves, halved lengthwise
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme (or 1 t. dried thyme)
- 1 1⁄2 cups dry red wine (cabernet sauvignon or merlot)
- 12 fresh figs, stemmed and halved (or 8 dried mission figs, stemmed and finely chopped)
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
-
Balsamic Glaze
- 2 cups balsamic vinegar
directions
- To make Balsamic Glaze: Add vinegar to a small heavy nonaluminum saucepan over high heat.
- Cook the vinegar for 12-14 minutes, or until it has reduced and become syrupy; bubbles will begin to form.
- Be careful not to reduce the vinegar too much, or it will become burnt and stringy.
- Let cool.
- Use a funnel to pour the glaze into a glass container with a spout.
- Can make up to 3 months in advance--cover and refrigerate.
- Remove from the refrigerator 15 minutes before using.
- Make the Brisket: Preheat oven to 325°.
- Season the brisket liberally on all sides with salt and pepper.
- Use a large, heavy roasting pan that will hold the brisket and vegetables.
- Place over medium-high heat and beat the oil; brown the brisket for 4 minutes per side, or until nicely browned; drain the fat.
- Sprinkle the onions, carrots, squash, garlic, and thyme into the pan.
- Add the wine and figs; stir to combine with the vegetables.
- Cover and bake for 3 to 3 1/2 hours or until the meat is fork-tender.
- Let cool; place the meat and sauce in separate containers; cover and refrigerate overnight.
- The next day, place the meat on a carving board and cut against the grain into thin slices.
- Overlap the slices in an ovenproof high-sided serving dish.
- Preheat the oven to 350°; remove the hardened fat from the sauce; place the sauce in a saucepan over med-high heat and cook for 3-5 minutes, or until slightly thickened.
- Add 2 tablespoons balsamic glaze; taste and adjust the seasonings; pour over the meat.
- Place in the oven and reheat for 30 minutes or until the sauce is bubbling.
- Garnish with the parsley and serve immediately.
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Reviews
-
It is time-consuming, and generally I stay away from those type of dishes, but since I'm on vacation, I thought I'd give this one a try. Well worth the time and effort. The hardest part was smelling everything while it cooked, and knowing that I couldn't bite into it until dinnertime. Reducing the balsamic vinegar is a nice touch, but it really didn't add much to the recipe overall. The proof that this is a five-star recipe is that there was nothing left to put away.