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Simple Salt Beef Recipe

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★★★★★

4.5 from 106 reviews

This simple salt beef recipe features a tender, flavorful pickled beef brisket slow-simmered with aromatic bay leaves, carrots, peppercorns, and juniper berries. The resulting meat is incredibly soft and perfect for serving hot or cold, making it versatile for sandwiches, mains, or charcuterie boards. The slow simmering method preserves the meat’s juiciness and enhances its distinctive savory taste.

Ingredients

Scale

Beef and Spices

  • 1.6kg flat piece of pickled beef brisket
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 tsp black peppercorns
  • 4 juniper berries
  • 1–2 tsp sugar (optional)

Vegetables

  • 4 large carrots, peeled but left whole

Instructions

  1. Bring Beef to Room Temperature: If possible, leave the pickled beef brisket on the kitchen counter for 1 hour to come up to room temperature. This step helps reduce the overall cooking time.
  2. Initial Boil and Skimming: Place the beef in a large pan and cover it with cold water. Bring the water to a boil, skimming off any foamy scum that rises to the surface to ensure a clear broth.
  3. Add Aromatics and Simmer: Once the scum is mostly removed, add the bay leaves, black peppercorns, juniper berries, carrots, and optional sugar to the pan. Reduce heat to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook for 2 hours 30 minutes to 3 hours 30 minutes, or until the meat is very tender and a fork slides in easily.
  4. Check Tenderness: Start checking the brisket at the 2-hour mark by inserting a fork or skewer into the thickest part of the meat. It should penetrate and pull out with no resistance.
  5. Rest and Drain: Once tender, turn off the heat. Remove the beef from the cooking liquid using two forks, allowing excess water to drain off. Place the meat on a cutting board and loosely cover with foil. Let it rest for 10-15 minutes.
  6. Slice and Serve: Slice the beef thickly against the grain to prevent crumbling. Serve hot or cold according to your preference.
  7. Storage and Reheating: Leftover salt beef can be refrigerated for up to three days or frozen for up to six weeks. For freezing, slice the beef and wrap in baking parchment, then foil. Freeze the cooking liquid separately. To reheat, defrost the meat arranged back into a whole brisket shape in an ovenproof dish with the cooking liquor, cover with foil, and heat at 180°C (160°C fan, gas mark 4) for 20 minutes.

Notes

  • Allowing the beef to reach room temperature before cooking helps speed up the simmering process.
  • Skimming the foam during boiling improves the clarity and flavor of the cooking liquid.
  • Adding sugar is optional and can balance the saltiness of the meat.
  • Slicing against the grain is important to keep the meat tender and intact.
  • Keep the cooking liquor when storing leftovers as it enhances flavor during reheating.
  • Carrots are left whole to impart subtle sweetness and texture without disintegrating.

Keywords: salt beef, pickled brisket, slow simmered beef, British salt beef, boiled beef brisket

Find it online: https://kitchenbynora.com/simple-salt-beef-recipe/