Brine...Salt Beef

[Hoover.]

Looking at making my own salt beef...... made some using a pressure previoulsy, but I didn't brine it... and to honest it wasn't up there what I tasted previously.....

So I'm looking on some pointers to brining the beef before cooking it (and if you know any good salt beef recipes.... I like the idea of doing in the pressure cooker though)

[cahami]

Ive just had the same thoughts earlier this evening and i have ordered 1kg of this cure mixture
http://www.weschenfelder.co.uk/content/salt-beef-r... very interested to hear other recomendations.

Edited by cahami on Thursday 5th December 01:44

[Dr JonboyG]

I just made salt beef for Thanksgivukkah last week. Used Michael Ruhlman's recipe - http://ruhlman.com/2010/03/corned-beef-how-to-cure... and it came out amazingly well. Started the brine five days beforehand, left it in the fridge until then, then simmered for about 3 hours on the hob.

[Mobile Chicane]

However you cure it, cook it in a slow cooker. It needs a temperature so low that the surface of the water barely trembles.

I do mine with a rib of celery, an onion studded with four cloves, a bay leaf and a roughly chunked carrot, on low for 8 hours.

[GregE240]

I've got a killer recipe for brining that produces an excellent salt beef. Happy to link it.

Also worth getting some Prague powder, or pink salt. I've just bought some off ebay, and v reasonable too.

I love the stuff.

[Hoover.]

Thanks for the replies..... think I'll try that thanks giving method one.... and take not of Mobile Chicanes temperature

I'll report back in week

[Hoover.]

Well I brined it for a week..... and then slowly simmered it for about 6-7 hrs.... and YUK, way to much salt and into the bin... think I scaled the quantities down wrong for the brine...... however the underlying flavour behind the salt was what was lacking in my previous attempts.....

I'll get Xmas out the way and have another go

[Pferdestarke]

Don't ruin it by simmering in a piss weak liquid. Brine it following the guide from your supplier, soak it for 24 hours in lots of clean water, make a dry rub for pastrami and then cook it low and slow in the oven for 5 to 7 hours.

You then won't get that bland, boiled taste where half of the flavour of the meat has leached in to the water.