England-Spicy Fig Sunday Roast Brisket with Yorkshire Puddings
England's Sunday roast goes backyard — slow-roasted beef brisket glazed with Spicy Fig Relish, served with crispy roast potatoes, Yorkshire puddings, and a rich fig-spiked gravy. The nation's favourite meal, figgin' upgraded.
INGREDIENTS
• 3.3 pounds beef brisket, rolled and tied
• 5 tablespoons Spicy Fig Relish
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 fresh rosemary sprigs
• 1 fresh thyme sprigs
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoons black pepper
• 1 cups red wine
• 1.7 cups beef stock
• 32.1 ounces Maris Piper potatoes, peeled and halved
• 4 tablespoons goose fat or vegetable oil
• 5 ounces plain flour
• 4 eggs
• 0.8 cups whole milk
• 1 tablespoons vegetable oil, for Yorkshire puddings
• 1 pinch salt, for Yorkshire pudding batter
STEPS
1. Rub and marinate the brisket: Mix 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard, 4 garlic cloves, minced, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoons black pepper, and 2 tbsp of 5 tablespoons Spicy Fig Relish into a paste. Rub all over 3.3 pounds beef brisket, rolled and tied, getting into every crevice. Cover and refrigerate overnight or for a minimum of 4 hours.
2. Make the Yorkshire pudding batter: Whisk 5 ounces plain flour, 4 eggs, 0.8 cups whole milk, and 1 pinch salt, for Yorkshire pudding batter together until completely smooth. Rest the batter at room temperature for at least 30 minutes — this is non-negotiable for proper Yorkshire puddings.
3. Slow roast the brisket: Place the brisket in a deep roasting tin with 1 fresh rosemary sprigs and 1 fresh thyme sprigs. Pour 1 cups red wine and 1.7 cups beef stock around the base. Cover tightly with foil and roast at 160°C (320°F) for 3 hours until deeply tender.
4. Roast the potatoes: Parboil 32.1 ounces Maris Piper potatoes, peeled and halved in salted water for 10 minutes. Drain and shake vigorously in the colander to rough up the edges — this is what creates the craggy, crispy surface. Heat 4 tablespoons goose fat or vegetable oil in a roasting tray in the oven at 220°C (425°F) until smoking, then add the potatoes and turn to coat. Roast for 45–50 minutes, turning once halfway.
5. Glaze the brisket: Remove foil from the brisket, brush generously with remaining 5 tablespoons Spicy Fig Relish, and return to the oven at 220°C (425°F) for 15–20 minutes until the glaze is sticky, caramelized, and catching at the edges.
6. Make the fig gravy: Remove the brisket and rest loosely tented with foil for 20 minutes. Pour the roasting juices into a saucepan, skim excess fat, and simmer over medium heat for 8–10 minutes until slightly thickened. Stir in 1 tbsp of 5 tablespoons Spicy Fig Relish to finish the gravy.
7. Bake the Yorkshire puddings: Add 1 tablespoons vegetable oil, for Yorkshire puddings to a 12-hole muffin tin and heat at 220°C (425°F) until the oil is smoking. Working quickly, pour the rested batter into each hole, filling two-thirds full. Bake for 20–22 minutes without opening the oven door until puffed, golden, and crispy.
8. Carve and serve: Slice the brisket thickly against the grain. Plate with roast potatoes, Yorkshire puddings, and pour the Spicy Fig gravy generously over everything. Extra 5 tablespoons Spicy Fig Relish on the table for those who want more heat.
NOTES
Maris Piper are the gold standard for roast potatoes in Britain — their floury interior and ability to crisp up on the outside is unmatched. King Edward or Desiree are good alternatives. The Yorkshire pudding batter must rest for at least 30 minutes, and the tin must be smoking hot before the batter goes in — these are the two rules that separate a good Yorkshire from a flat, greasy one. The Spicy Fig Relish works in two stages: rubbed into the brisket before roasting where it caramelizes into a sticky crust, and then stirred into the roasting juices to make the gravy, where its sweet-tangy heat becomes the backbone of the whole dish.
