Brisket with Saba, Apricots, and Figs
Photo by Mark Weinberg
- Serves
- 10
My dad always served this brisket front and center at Hanukkah. It's a crowd pleaser and feeds many. The juices are also a great dipping sauce for latkes. Saba can be hard to find, so while it lends the meat a characteristic sweetness, balsamic vinegar is a welcome substitute.
Ingredients
- 1 brisket (5-6 pounds)
- 6 shallots, quartered
- 2 large onions, 1/2 inch slices
- 3 large carrots, 1 inch pieces
- 5 celery stalks, 1 inch pieces
- 1/2 bunch herbs like rosemary, thyme, and sage
- peel of 1 orange, julienned
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 9 oz. jar of saba
- 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 cup dry red wine
- 1 quart chicken stock
- sea salt, to taste
- black pepper, to taste
- 12 dried apricots
- 12 dried figs
- 2 ounce whole almonds
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Directions
- Step 1
Place the brisket in a large baking dish. Add vegetables, herbs, orange peel and cinnamon. Coat evenly with the saba. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 12 hours.
- Step 2
Heat the olive oil in a large roasting pan. Add vegetables from the marinade; cook for 5 minutes. Place the brisket in the roasting pan and sear over medium heat for 10 minutes. Add the marinade (including cinnamon, orange peel and herbs). Deglaze with red wine.
- Step 3
Add half of the chicken stock and salt & pepper. Place in the oven at 300° for 3 hours. Check after every hour and add more stock if needed until the brisket is fork tender. Add dried fruit and almonds, cover with aluminum foil and cook for 1 hour longer.