Recipe from episode 2

Salt beef

In essence, salt beef and corned beef are the same – the only difference is corned beef is finely chopped and it’s often mixed with a small amount of gelatine. The Old English word for 'corn' is used to describe small grains – like peppercorns. So, to turn this recipe into corned beef for Gelf’s sandwich baps, just finely chop the meat (and if you want, you can set it in beef gelatine).Making it is a great way to celebrate cheap beef cuts like brisket and flank. This recipe is taken from the original River Cottage Cookbook which set in motion a philosophy to be more connected to what you eat and creating your own lunch meats encapsulates just that.

Ingredients

A 2-3kg piece of beef (brisket, silverside, foreflank, shin or a whole tongue)
1 bouquet garni
1 carrot, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 celery stick, chopped
1 leek, chopped
1 garlic bulb, cut in half

For the brine:
5 litres water
500g demerara or light brown sugar
1kg coarse sea salt
1 tsp black peppercorns
1 tsp juniper berries
5 cloves
2 bay leaves
A sprig of thyme
A bunch of parsley stalks
150g saltpetre (optional)

Put all the ingredients for the brine into a large saucepan and stir well over low heat until the sugar and salt have dissolved. Bring to a boil, allow to bubble for 1-2 minutes, then remove from the heat and leave to cool completely.

Cover your piece of beef completely with the cold brine, weighting it down if necessary. Leave the meat in the brine for 5-10 days in a reliably cool place (joints of less than 3kg should not be left for more than a week for they will become too pickled).

Before cooking, remove the beef from the brine and soak it in fresh cold water for 24 hours, changing the water, at least once.

Drain. Then put the beef in a pan with the bouquet garni, vegetables and garlic, cover with fresh water and poach very gently on top of the stove – or in a very low oven (150°C/Gas mark 2) if you prefer. A 3kg piece of beef will take 2 1⁄2-3 hours. Cook until the meat is completely tender and yielding when pierced with a skewer.

Finely chop the beef to turn it into corned beef, or simply sliced the salt beef into thin slivers to slip into homemade sandwich baps, or use in hash or as cold cuts with lentils and mustard or homemade chutney.

For more cooking tips from Gelf Alderson, follow him on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/gelfalderson/
For guidance making more recipes like this one, join artisan charcutier Steve Williams in his online course Charcuterie at Home.

Create your own charcuterie

ONLINE COURSECharcuterie at HomeTaught by Steve Williams

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Artisan charcutier, and River Cottage alumni Steve Williams teaches you how to make chacuterie at home.

Steve is passionate about using carefully sourced meats and making the most of every cut. He'll take you through the butchering skills you'll need, the tools you'll use and how to make the ultimate coppa ham, fermented sausaged and smake your own venison and chicken at home.

Back to Episode 2