salt beef

This Reuben sandwich recipe makes enough for one sandwich, including the Russian dressing. Just scale it up to make more sandwiches, and any extra dressing will keep in the fridge.

If your meat is at room temperature, not straight from the fridge, it will help the other ingredients warm through and melt the cheese.

Reuben sandwich

mayonnaise

tbsp tomato ketchup

horseradish sauce

hot sauce

Worcestershire sauce

tsp finely chopped shallot

cornichon dill

hot paprika

bread

Swiss cheese,

sauerkraut

salt and black pepper

dill pickles, to serve

Salt beef has a wonderfully unique flavour and is perfect paired with horseradish mash. 

Salt beef and horseradish mash

beef brisket joint, tied

demerara sugar

sea salt

white peppercorns

star anise

cloves

bay leaves

thyme

carrots, peeled, chopped

peeled,

celery stalks, chopped

leek, chopped

garlic cloves,

parsley

500 grams/17½oz potatoes, peeled, chopped

grams/5¼oz butter

horseradish

chives

This American classic layers rye bread with pickles, sauerkraut, cheese and salt beef, topping it all off with a quick homemade Russian dressing.

Salt beef sandwich

banana shallot, finely chopped

Tabasco

pickles, sliced

Swiss cheese

rye bread

ready salted crisps

A classic brined and boiled beef recipe, synonymous with American delis.

Salt Beef

beef

440 ml stout (such as Guinness)

100 g light brown sugar

tsp pink curing salt (or Prague Powder

400 g fine sea salt (plus more)

ginger

chillies

cinnamon

cardamom pods

tbsp peppercorns

coriander seeds

tbsp mustard seeds

tbsp allspice berries

tbsp juniper berries

Add the chillies, cinnamon, bay leaves, cardamom, peppercorns, coriander seeds, mustard seeds, allspice, juniper, and cloves to a dry pan and gently toast over medium-heat, shaking occasionally. Cook until the spices begin to jump in the pan and smell incredible (3-5 minutes), without letting them burn. Transfer to a pestle and mortar or spice grinder and lightly crush.

Add the stout, brown sugar, curing salt, fine sea salt, ginger, and 4.5 litres of cold water in a large, food-safe pot or container. Mix until all of the sugar and salts are dissolved. Scoop out around 125 grams of the spice mixture and reserve in a jar or covered bowl until you cook the salt beef. Pour the rest of the spices into the container with the water, followed by the brisket – making sure the brisket isn’t folded. Weigh down with a plate or something heavy, to make sure the brisket is submerged. Cover with a tight lid or with cling film and brine for 3-5 days (or less if you’re short on time), turning the beef over once each day.

Once the beef has brined, remove from the brine and rinse thoroughly. Discard the brine and bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a simmer. Add the beef to the simmering water alongside the reserved spices. Cook, covered, over a low heat until the beef is tender and easily shreds. This should take around 2 hours 40 minutes-3 hours (9 minutes per 100g).

Slice the beef against the grain and serve. The cooked salt beef can also be stored for a few days in the fridge, covered with cling film.

Making juicy, tender salt beef is easier than you think. Serve in a sandwich with New York-style rye bread, pickled cucumbers, mustard and sauerkraut

Simple salt beef

1.6kg flat piece of pickled beef brisket

carrots,

tsp black peppercorns

juniper berries

sugar

If you can, allow the pickled beef to come up to room temperature before you start by leaving it on the kitchen counter for an hour. It will speed up the cooking time. Put the beef in a large pan and cover with cold water. Bring to the boil, skimming away any foamy scum that rises to the surface. Once the foam has been mostly removed, add all the other ingredients. Adding them now means they don’t get in the way of the skimming.

Reduce the heat, cover and simmer gently for 2 hrs 30 mins-3 hrs 30 mins or until a fork pushed into the meat slides in easily – it should be really soft. Start checking after 2 hours – there should be no resistance when you pull the fork out of the meat. You could also use a skewer to do the testing – make sure to push it into the thickest part of the meat.

Once the beef is tender, turn off the heat. Either leave it sitting in the cooking liquor if you're not ready to eat (it can sit like this for up to an hour), or use two forks to lift the meat out, allow the water to drain off, then put it on a board. Keep the liquor if you plan to reheat or freeze the salt beef. Cover loosely with foil and allow to rest for 10-15 mins. To serve, slice thickly against the grain of the meat or it will crumble. Serve hot or cold. Leftovers will keep in the fridge for three days and in the freezer for up to six weeks. Before freezing, it’s best to slice it and wrap first in baking parchment, then foil. Make sure you also freeze the pot of cooking liquor. When you want to eat it, defrost and then put it (with slices arranged back into a whole brisket shape) in an ovenproof dish with the thawed liquor. Cover with foil and reheat at 180C/160C fan/gas 4 for 20 mins.

Top 5 salt beef recipes from across the web

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Reuben sandwich

Salt beef and horseradish mash

Salt beef sandwich

Salt Beef

Simple salt beef

Top 5 salt beef recipes from across the web

The most viewed salt beef recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Reuben sandwich

Salt beef and horseradish mash

Salt beef sandwich

Salt Beef

Simple salt beef

The most viewed salt beef recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine