Recipe ingredients and directions:
6 lb joint of beef (silverside or topside)
3 oz light brown sugar
1 oz black peppercorns
1 oz juniper berries
1 oz allspice berries
4 oz sea salt
1/4 oz saltpeter
Rub the meat all over with the sugar and put it in a pot with a
lid for 2 days. Leave it in a cool place, turning and rubbing the
meat occasionally with the sticky liquor that develops. Crush the
peppercorns, juniper and allspice with a pestle and mortar and mix
with the salt and saltpeter. Rub this mixture well into the meat
and leave it in the pot for a further 9 days. Turn the meat and
rub the pickling mixture into the flesh daily.
When the pickling is complete, remove the beef and rub off any
excess spices adhering to the surface. Do not rinse it. Wrap the
meat in cooking foil [the Victorians used suet] and put into a
large ovenproof pot. Add about 10 fl oz water, cover the pot with
a double layer of foil and fit the lid on tightly. Preheat the oven
to 275 deg F. Bake the meat slowly allowing 45 min per lb. When
the meat is cooked, remove the pot and set aside until it is quite
cold. Unwrap the meat, drain off any excess liquid and place on
a board. Cover with foil, put a weight on it and leave for at
least 24 hr. Carve the meat into thin slices and serve with anything
from good mustard to pickled kumquats.
Category: Beef Veal Recipes
