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Recipes - Spiced Beef

Cook's Tips:  It is not really worth spicing anything under 2kg (4lb 8oz) since the point is to have enough to last several meals.  The best size is 3.5kg (7lb 8oz) and the best cuts are silverside, rump and 'Salmon' cut, as well as the cheaper brisket.  There should be a good mixture of fat and lean.  The fat is necessary to keep the meat moist during cooking, but fat is also a good absorber of flavour during the spicing process.  The meat should have all bones removed and should also be left unrolled.  Penetration of the spices is quicker and more thorough in unrolled meat.  Also, because the meat is flatter, more of it is sitting in the spicing liquor.  It is important, from this point of view, to have a bowl or dish that fits the meat neatly,  Pieces which are fairly uniform shape like the salmon cut or silverside will no need rolling or tying before cooking but rib toast and brisket may need some tying.

 

Ingredients

 

2-3.5kg (4lb 8oz-7lb 8oz) middle rib, silverside, rump or brisket

 

125g (4oz) soft brown sugar   

 

25g (1oz) allspice   Buy Online

 

25g (1oz) juniper berries   Buy Online

 

25g (1oz) black peppercorns   Buy Online

 

15g (½oz) coriander seeds   Buy Online

 

½ nutmeg grated   Buy Online

 

1 head garlic

 

125g (4oz) salt   Buy Online

 

 

Method

 

Spicing:  Put the meat into a fairly closely fitting dish and cover with sugar.  Cover well and leave for two days in a cool place, turning each day.  Pound soices and garlic together in a mortar.  The spices may be ground coarsely in a grinder but they should not be finely powdered or it will be difficult to remove them from the outside surface of the meat at the end of the spicing - especially important if it is to be baked.  Mix the spices with salt and rub into the meat.  Cover with lid or foil.  Rub and turn meat every day.  The length of time that meat should be left depends on how heavily or lightly spiced you like your meat.  A 2.25kg (5lb) piece of silverside, left in the above mixture for a fortnight, will be very strongly spiced and not to everyone's palate.  All old recipes recommend a month minimum - palates were more robust in those days.  The pickling time also depends on the thickness of the meat - flat brisket will be quite well spiced in five to six days while a thick piece of rumo will need about nine.

 

Cooking:  For boiling - (best for tougher cuts like brisket) wipe off excess spice and put in a pot of boiling water, bring to the boil and skim well.  Add one stick of celery; an onion stuck with a few cloves; one carrot; one small piece of turnip; bunch of parsley and thyme; a tablespoon of peppercorns.  Bring back to the boil, skim and simmer very gently, allowing 30 minutes per pound plus 30 minutes till tender.

 

For braising - wipe off the excess spice.  Melt two tablespoons oil in a pan and add two to three chopped carrots; one small turnip and one medium onion, chopped, and sauté till lightly browned.  Place the meat on top - cover with a skin of fat if necessary.  Add enough water to cover the vegetables completely and come about halfway up the meat.  Cover with a double layer of foil and then a tightly fitting lid and bake slowly at 300°F/150°C/Gas 2 until tender.

 

Pressing:  Remove when cooked, wrap tightly in foil while still hot and put between two boards with a weight on top.  Leave overnight.

 

Serving:  It can be eaten hot, but the spice flavour is best appreciated when cold.  Serve with grated boiled beetroot, seasoned with salt and pepper and mixed with a well-flavoured vinegar and olive oil.  In a sandwich, flavour with mustard or chutney.  Store in the fridge.  It will keep for at least a month.

 

Enjoy!

 

 

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