Sweet and oh so savory is our Gluten Free Beer Braised Brisket with Fennel & Fig Jam! After receiving a hefty jar of our neighbors delicious homemade fig jam, score, I started wondering what else could I make with this amazing gift besides slather it all over…my bread of course. Thinking about what to make for Passover and the traditional dishes I usually make, I began to reminisce how my mom had an incredible knack for braising and pairing ingredients you wouldn’t normally think of~ hmmm fennel and fig! I adore braised fennel! Its a great swap for onions too. So I asked one of our dear friends Chef David what he thought about this combo and his comment was “Yes! Just don’t use an IPA = bitter”. So with mom in my heart, and Chef’s encouragement, I set out to create a completely new Passover dish. I’m totally a fan of the low and slow method of cooking, and this brisket turned out incredibly flavorful and tender. It got 2 thumbs up and rave reviews.
We hope you try our Gluten Free Beer Braised Brisket with Fennel and Figs! Not fennel fan? Try our traditional brisket recipe for another family favorite main course dish that keeps on giving for days to come. Oh delight in the BBQ brisket sandwich fest, OY! For more Passover dishes try our Gluten Free Matzo Balls, Noodle Kugel, Fruit Kugel, and Matzo Brei.
Watch our beer braised fennel and fig recipe video here. Scroll down for the full recipe.
Gluten Free Beer Braised Brisket with Fennel & Fig
I’m totally a fan of the low and slow method of cooking, and this brisket turned out incredibly flavorful and tender. It got 2 thumbs up and rave reviews.
- Total Time: 0 hours
Ingredients
3 1/2 to 4 lbs. brisket (with the fat left on, this adds great flavor)
1 C yellow onion, diced
1 lb. spring onion bulbs (optional)
1 C leek, diced
2–3 shallots quartered (more if not using the small spring onion bulbs)
1 C fennel sliced
1–2 C shiitake mushrooms diced or sliced
3–4 carrots, sliced
3–5 garlic cloves smashed
2 Tbl. olive oil
1 Red Bridge Beer, gluten free
2 C Imagines’ No-Chicken Stock
1/4 C fig jam
1 C dried Calimyrna figs (these are the green ones)
1 3” piece lemon rind slivered
3–4 sprigs fresh thyme
Celtic Sea Salt and fresh ground pepper
Instructions
-Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.
-Salt and pepper both sides of the brisket.
-Heat a large Dutch Oven or this Dutch Oven, cast iron pot, or large deep roaster on medium high heat.
-Add 2 Tbsp. olive oil and seasoned brisket. Cover pot with lid.
-Sear both sides of the brisket until nicely browned, about 3-4 minutes a side, then remove to a plate and set aside.
-In the same pot add your vegetables: all the onions, mushrooms, leeks, shallots, fennel and garlic.
-Cover and cook until nicely browned, about 10 minutes. Stirring occasionally.
-While vegetables are cooking, spread jam over the top of the brisket. Return it to the pot on top of the cooked vegetables.
-Top the brisket and sprinkle the vegetables with the sliced lemon rind and thyme sprigs.
-Sprinkle the dried figs around the pot.
-Pour the beer and the broth around the brisket.
-Cover and bring to a boil. Once it boils, carefully place the pot in the pre-heated oven.
-Turn the oven down to 350 degrees and cook for 3 hours
-OR to cook even slower, turn heat down to 275 degrees. Braise for 4-5 hours.
-Using a long handled fork, check for tenderness of the brisket. When tender, the fork slides in to the brisket with ease. You will know.
-Once the meat is tender, remove from oven and let cool.
-Once cool, now you begin to cut across the grain. Cutting brisket can be tricky. Across the grain means if you begin to cut and the meat shreds cut in the opposite direction. With the grain it will shred. Shredded brisket is great for BBQ.
-Serve over roasted chunked zucchini or petite red or golden fingerling potatoes. Also great over cauliflower mashers or noodles. The sauce is also worthy of a crusty baguette!
Notes
Serve over roasted chunked zucchini or petite red or golden fingerling potatoes. Also great over cauliflower mashers or noodles. The sauce is also worthy of a crusty baguette!
COOK YOUR GLUTEN FREE BEER BRAISED BRISKET WITH FENNEL AND FIG A DAY AHEAD.
-Once brisket is cooled, separate the meat from the vegetables and the broth.
-Place all 3 ingredients in separate containers and store in refrigerator overnight.
-The next day, remove the fat off from the broth. Slice the meat against the grain, and then return everything back to the pot: the meat, vegetables and the broth.
-Re-heat covered in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for about 30-40 minutes or until hot and bubbly.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 – 5 hours