Pickled Beef

[welsh wizard]

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.

[Hobbitfeet]

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.

[welsh wizard]

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!

[Hobbitfeet]

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

[welsh wizard]

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.

[Paul Kribs]

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