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Hi one and all and I hope you are having a good break (for those who are of course).

I wonder if you could help me - again!

One of my presents this year was a whole fillet of beef from a local farmer, and I remember a long time ago tasting pickled beef fillet and thought it was the dogs dooies.

Does anyone have a recipe for ths dish? Does it have to be cooked or is it eaten raw, well pickled? I seem to remember I had it not cooked. Anyway all replies most welcome.

Cheers WW.

Hi WW, I've come across 3 recipes...I prefer the look of the third one myself.

Marinade
1 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 CUP full bodied red wine
1/2 CUP water
1 onion, sliced thin
4 slices fresh ginger
6 juniper berries, crushed
6 whole black peppercorns, crushed
4 whole cloves
4 whole bay leaves

4 lb. beef roast (top or bottom round work well)
4 tablespoon (1/2 stick) butter or pork fat
1/2 CUP onions, chopped
1/2 CUP carrots, chopped
1/2 CUP celery, chopped
2 TABLESPOON flour
4-6 ginger snaps (molasses cookies)

Bring vinegar, wine, water, sliced onion and seasonings to a boil and then let cool completely.

Place roast in a plastic bag and pour in the cooled marinade. Refrigerate for 3-4 days, turning the meat over at least once a day.

Remove the meat from the marinade, pat it dry, and brown it on all sides in the butter or fat. Transfer meat to a casserole and brown the vegetables in the same fat. Sprinkle with flour and add the marinade. Bring to a simmer, then pour the sauce over the meat.

Cover casserole tightly and keep at a bare simmer on top of the stove or in the oven at 325� F for 2 - 2 1/2 hours.

When meat is tender, remove from the sauce, put on a warm platter, and cover with foil to keep warm while finishing the sauce. Add the gingersnaps to the sauce and pur�e in a blender. If the sauce is too thin, thicken with more snaps, if too thick, thin with red wine. Simmer a few minutes to mingle the flavours, and pour over the meat.

PICKLED BEEF TENDERLOIN
1 cup. vinegar
1 tbsp. salt
4-5 slices bacon, diced
3 tbsp. pickling spices
3 carrots, sliced
3 stalks celery, sliced
1 lemon, sliced
1 parsley root, sliced
1 med. onion, sliced
Water (enough to cover meat)
4 lb. beef tenderloin

Cool the liquid and put the meat into it. Let meat, in liquid, stand in refrigerator for at least 1 week, turning meat every couple of days. Next, put meat and liquid into a roasting pan and cook covered in a medium oven for 3 hours or until meat is tender, turning at once.

Remove meat to platter and strain liquid into another pot. Grind vegetables and return to liquid. In a frying pan, melt 1/8 pound (1/2 stick) butter with 2 tablespoons flour and brown lightly. Add a little cold water and mix into liquid after bringing it to a boil.

Recipe 3
Soaking meat in a salt solution is exactly how old-fashioned corned beef is made. The three-day brining period is a great technique for keeping the brisket moist. Beef brisket or boneless pork shoulder are excellent in this boiled dinner. Garnish with chopped parsley.

7 cups water, divided
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
2 tablespoons pickling spice
1 tablespoon juniper berries, crushed
1 tablespoon coriander seeds
8 bay leaves
6 thyme sprigs
4 garlic cloves, crushed
3/4 cup salt
1/2 cup sugar
2 cups ice cubes
1 (4 1/2-pound) beef brisket, trimmed
1 1/2 cups (2-inch-thick) slices carrot
1 (2-pound) head green cabbage, cored and quartered
9 small red potatoes, quartered
6 small onions, peeled and halved

Combine 1 cup water, peppercorns, and the next 6 ingredients (peppercorns through garlic) in a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Pour into a large bowl; cool to room temperature. Add remaining 6 cups water, salt, and sugar, stirring until salt and sugar dissolve. Pour salt mixture into a 2-gallon zip-top plastic bag. Add ice and brisket; seal. Refrigerate 3 days, turning bag occasionally. Remove brisket from bag, and discard brine. Pat brisket dry with paper towels.

Place brisket in a large stockpot; cover with water. Bring to a boil; skim foam from surface. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 2 1/2 to 3 hours or until brisket is tender. Remove brisket from pan; keep warm. Reserve cooking liquid. Add carrots, cabbage, potatoes, and onions to reserved cooking liquid; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes or until tender.

Thanks Hobbitfeet - great reply.

Do you know of any recipe that is just for pickling rather than cooking?

Cheers WW

Hopefully see you soon to fill your freezer!

Do you mean more like a traditional deli corned beef (Not the rubbish in the tins)

I dont know really

I tried some "pickled beef" a while ago and it had a fantastic texture and flavour. I was told it was fillet and I had no reason to doubt this as there was little if any fat. The meat I am sure was not cooked, but pickled instead, and I would like to recreate this. I suppose the closest thing I have been to this before is the salt beef I ate once at Blooms in Golders Green some years ago.

I am sure the product as not cooked, but I could be wrong - again!

Cheers WW.

As far as I am aware, pickled/salt/corned beef is cooked after brining. I have made it using topside and silverside and it comes out nice and tender. Fillet would be even more tender (if that is possible), but if it were me, I would use it for Bresaola (which is uncooked).

Regards, Paul Kribs