Eight-day Spiced Beef Recipe

Origin: Britain Period: Traditional

This is an excellent dish for Boxing day that should be started eight days before Christmas. The choice of spices is up to you, but choose at least five. The original recipe calls for salt petre. This is optional but it is used in commercially-cured meats to give them a pink colour.

Ingredients

2kg fresh silverside of beef
150g sea salt flakes
1 tbsp black peppercorns
1 tbsp Sichuan peppercorns
1 tsp pink peppercorns
2 tsp coriander seeds
1/2 stick cinnamon
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp allspice berries
1 tsp juniper berries
1 tsp whole cloves
1 tsp freshly-grated nutmeg
2 blades mace
4 tsp saltpetre (optional, but ensures the meat stays free of harmful bacteria)
75g soft brown sugar
3 large bay leaves, crumbled
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried oregano

Eight-day Spiced Beef Preparation:

Method:

Stab the beef joint several times with a filleting knife then place in a large china dish and rub the salt all over. Cover and chill in the fridge for 24 hours. Pour off any juices that collect in the dish and then scrape off as much of the salt as you can.

Crush at least five of the spices (personally I use all of them) in a spice grinder or pestle and mortar then mix with the salt petre and sugar. Sprinkle over the beef and rub in well with your hands. Scatter the herbs over the top, cover and return to the fridge to chill for 7 days. Turn the meat twice a day and baste with any juices that emerge.

To cook, transfer the beef and all its juices to a large stock pan. Cover with cold water and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook very gently for two hours. Remove from the tin, allow to cool and carve into thin slices. This can be served hot or used cold as a beef ham.

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