Salt beef recipe

Ingredients

• 2.5 kg (5.5lbs) beef brisket
• 2 large onions
• roughly chopped
• 4 stalks of celery
• 2 large carrots
• quartered
• 1 head of garlic
• halved
• 2 bay leaves
• 4 l (7pints) water
• 450 g (15.9oz) salt
• 100 g (3.5oz) sugar
• 8 bay leaves
• crushed
• 4 large cloves of garlic
• 1 tsp ground mace
• 6 allspice berries
• 6 juniper berries
• 6 black peppercorns
• 0.5 cinnamon stick
• crushed
• 1 tbsp coriander seeds
• 1 tbsp yellow mustard seeds
• 1 thumb-sized piece fresh ginger
• 0.5 tsp chilli flakes
• 3 cloves

Instructions

1. Lightly toast the mustard seeds, coriander seeds and peppercorns.
2. Crush with the side of a knife or the bottom of a pan.
3. Bring water, salt sugar and spices to a boil.
4. Allow to cool completely.
5. In a pot large enough to hold the brisket.
6. Cover with the brine.
7. Keep the meat submerged by using a large plate.
8. Refrigerate and allow to brine for 24-36 hours.
9. Remove from the liquid and discard the used brine.
10. Rinse the beef well.
11. Add the aromatics to your cooking pot.
12. Add the brisket.
13. Cover with water.
14. Bring to a bare simmer.
15. Cook gently for 3-4 hours or until fork tender.
16. Remover the cooked beef and allow to rest before carving.
17. Reduce the cooking liquor by 1/3 monitoring the salt levels, to intensify the flavours.
18. Use the reduced cooking liquor to moisten the meat for serving.
19. If you do not need to serve immediately, allow the brisket to cool in the liquor it achieves a finer result.