Having a go at Salt-Beef

I was browsing the internet the other evening primarily on the Weschenfelder site here:

http://www.weschenfelder.co.uk/

I needed new skins as I am going to have a go at making salami at home and I wanted to have a go at making some home made sausages as well.  Whilst browsing I noted that they do a Salt Beef Brine cure so I also sent for some of that.  (this has the Saltpetre (curing salt) added to it) We both like Beef Brisket in any event and I am anxious to progress my meat skills this year on the Charcuterie front in particular.  One of the aims I have for this year is to be able to have a nice and different selection of Charcuterie meats for the Christmas table. My Nan when I was growing up always used to do her own Ham and also cook Tongue.  For special celebrations like my 21st birthday party at her home (the informal family one) she bought in Lincolnshire Chine.  I love it, but it is an acquired taste.

I know that there is a lot of "who-ha" about saltpetre not being good for you but I do want my meat to look healthy and not grey (at least at the minute).  I am very much a beginner and my ideas on this may change as I go along. So I am just relating what I am doing just in case you want to have a go too.

As usual I am collating my ingredients "tools" together so that all I will need to do is go and buy the meat and then start and cure the same. I think the Salt-beef will be good for pack-ups - I know OH likes it as do I.  I like mustard as well which he does not.  But he likes Gherkins which I do not so it is swings and roundabouts.

The items I ordered arrived today.  I now need to source a piece of Brisket and get on with the curing process.

However and very thoughtfully I think Weschenfelder included a Salt-Beef recipe with what I ordered and I share this for you in case you would like also like to have a go.

"Salt-Beef Recipe  - using Weschenfelder's Salt Beef Curing Salts.

Making your own authentic Salt-Beef using this superb cure which contains regular salt and the cure which helps preserve the Beef and fix the colour.  The cure is a "plain cure" with no additional herbs or spices, so the attached recipe is just one of many you could use.  You can use any traditional recipe and follow it exactly, by simply replacing the salt and the saltpetre with Weschenfelder's Salt-Beef Curing Salts.

Ingredients:

1kg Beef Brisket

2 litres of Salt-Beef Brine Cure

150g Brown Sugar

1 tsp Crushed Black Pepper

1 tsp Coriander Seed

2 Bay Leaves

1 tsp Thyme

Method:

Mix the Brine by adding 95% water to 5% of the Salt-Beef Cure, i.e. 50g of cure to 1 litre of water.  Add the sugar and spices to the brine and bring quickly to the boil before allowing to cool down.  Once the brine is cold, cover the beef with the brine in a suitable "Tupperware" style container.  You may need to weigh the meat down if it floats in the brine. Leave in the fridge for 3 to 4 days turning the beef daily.  Once the beef is cured, was under cold running water and then cook in gently simmering water for 2 to 3 hours.  The meat can then be served hot with bread and mustard or leave to stand and serve thinly sliced".

I also found this article by Tom Parker Bowles which was printed in the Daily Mail which offers a different way of dealing with the Salt Brisket without Saltpetre although he does give the quantity required in case you would wish to use this.  He also offers a different flavoured brine to use as well

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/moslive/article-1359876/Salt-beef-You-make-dont-forget-tell-half.html

I may well end up trying both to see which one I actually like or indeed researching for another recipe.

Off to play.

Catch you soon.

Pattypan

x