Salt beef, also known as corned beef, is a salt-cured cut of beef that has been an important food source for centuries. Though the exact origins are unknown, salt beef likely first came about as a way to preserve meat before refrigeration. Today it remains a beloved ingredient in many cuisines around the world.
A Brief History of Salt Beef
The process of curing meats like beef in salt dates back thousands of years. Salt has natural antibacterial properties that help preserve meat. Before refrigeration, dry salt-packing was vital for storing meat long term without spoilage. Specific references to “corned” beef appeared in English texts starting in the 17th century. The word corn refers to the coarse salt kernels used to cure the beef, not maize.
Production of corned beef became industrialized in England Scotland and Ireland in the 18th and 19th centuries. It was a cheap source of meat that could feed urban factory workers and sailors on long ocean voyages. Immigrants later brought salt beef recipes and traditions to America, Asia, Africa, and Oceania. Though once known as a working-class food, corned beef is now considered a delicacy around the world.
How Traditional Salt Beef is Made
Authentic salt beef starts with brisket or another beef cut like round, chuck, or rump. The beef is submerged in a seasoned brine solution for 4-7 days. The basic brine contains water, salt, sodium nitrite, and often sugar, spices, and garlic.
The salt preserves the beef while the sodium nitrite keeps its color reddish-pink. Spices like coriander, mustard, allspice, and peppercorns add flavor The beef cures in the fridge until the brine penetrates deep into the meat. Once fully cured, the beef is rinsed and then gently simmered until tender
Global Variations of Salt Beef
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In North America, salt beef brisket is often sliced and piled high on rye bread sandwiches. Pastrami and Montreal smoked meat also start as salt beef.
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The British call uncooked salt beef “salt beef” and cooked corned beef “bully beef.” Canned corned beef sustains many Commonwealth military forces.
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Caribbean nations like Jamaica and Barbados have their own spicy corned beef dishes. Newfoundlanders in Canada enjoy hearty salt beef stew.
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Jewish delis across the globe serve up tender homemade salt beef brisket, the base for pastrami. It often appears at Passover Seders.
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Europeans transform salt beef into smoky Ham in Ireland or zesty rouladen rolls in Germany. Salt beef remains essential to Irish boiled dinners.
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Africans adapted corned beef to local tastes after it was imported in the colonial era. Hawaiians add it to hearty plate lunches.
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Asians use canned corned beef in dishes like Filipino sinigang stew or Hong Kong street food stir-fries.
Nutrition & Preparation Tips for Salt Beef
Salt beef is high in protein, zinc, iron, and B vitamins. Opt for low-sodium beef to limit the salt content. Before cooking, soak it in water to remove excess salt, changing the water several times. Simmer until fork-tender before slicing across the grain.
Store cooked corned beef in broth up to 5 days in the fridge. Freeze for longer storage. Reheat gently in the cooking liquid to prevent drying out. Leftovers make excellent hash, omelets, tacos, sandwiches, baked beans, and more!
From medieval Europe to modern delis, salt beef has remained a cherished food for centuries. The salting process tenderizes beef while infusing it with seasoned flavor. Though salt beef requires patience, the results are well worth it. This guide covers the history, curing methods, cultural traditions, nutrition, and tips for serving this enduring cured meat delicacy known as corned beef or salt beef.
Salt Beef by Lori McCarthy
We regularly make our own salt beef and in my opinion it’s always best when you can get beautiful local meat.
If your interested here are a just a couple of places. (Oliver Farm in Placentia Junction/Haricot Farms in St. Mary’s Bay/New World Beef in Maidstone/Highpoint Farms in Goulds)
We also love to make salt moose and it makes for a great way to use up the tougher cuts of moose. As the Fall is arrives, its a great opportunity to use up any moose that you still have in your freezer from last years hunt
This is not a heavily salted cure, so you get the added benefit of not having to pre-soak it or change the water when it’s cooking. It’s very important to follow the cooking instructions as mom found out when she call me with “ your fadder and I didn’t find it very salty”.
Now lets address nitrates as many people ask all the time about whether to use it, or not to use it. It’s simple, USE IT.
We would insist that you do for two reasons. One is that it gives your meat that nice red color that is synonymous with salt meat and not an unpalatable gray color, don’t forget, we eat with our eyes first.
However the most important reason to add this curing agent is because the salt content in this process is so low the cure is necessary to eliminate the chance of spoilage. This is a safety measure for a low salt curing method.
When you go looking for cure, you are looking for a product that has Nitrite and salt in it. You are NOT looking for Nitrite and Nitrate mix, this product is for dry cures and you’re using a brine or wet cure and this only requires Nitrite and Salt for your brine.
It will often be 94% regular salt and 6% nitrite. The often dye it pink so that you don’t mistake it for your household salt but it’s not always pink.
It will come under several names and could be called, Pink Salt #1, Cure #1, Pink Curing Salt #1, Prague Powder #1. The common theme is that you are looking for a #1 cure and check the ingredients so that it only have salt and nitrite in it.
Lori McCarthy identifies fiercely as a Newfoundlander, which means more than just geographical location of birth to her. Her passion for the land is matched only by her passion for food culture.
Deeply rooted here, the skilled chef and outdoorswoman is guided by a sense of responsibility to place. The ethics of conservation and sustainability inform her every move, and she is as serious about protecting Newfoundland culture, resources and food ways as she is about sharing them.
To be an innovative chef, forager, hunter, educator , and enthusiastic outdoors person is less unusual amongst Newfoundlanders than you might think. The province’s culture is based on the values of resourcefulness and working with what the land provides.
But Lori has made it her life, becoming a leader and advocate in a back to the land approach where traditional food culture is central. She’s committed to keeping the wild game and foods of this province on our plates for generations to come, and passing on the pride she learned at her own mother’s knee to her own children who will inherit this island’s abundant bounty.
Since this recipe was first posted, another guest contributor. Chef Mark McCrowe, has added a post for Jigg’s Dinner! His simple guide to making this most iconic of Newfoundland meals.
Be sure to check that out as well by clicking the photo below.
Like to see more traditionally inspired recipes from our province? Please check out this collection on some of our Most Popular Newfoundland recipes.
Homemade Salt Beef. Newfoundland style. Learn to make your own version of this incredibly popular Newfoundland favorite. It’s a must have for Jiggs Dinner!
Originally published Dec. 2022.
Salt beef is a mainstay in Newfoundland cooking. It is found on the side of nearly every sunday roast dinner I have ever had growing up in Newfoundland.
It’s also added for flavour and seasoning in hearty stews and often in place of ham in Newfoundland Pea Soup with Dough Boys.
Newfoundlanders all over the world have contacted me to find a homemade version of salt meat. I decided to ask an expert, and someone who has been making their own salt meat for years, to let you all know how it’s done.
In our continuing series of posts from local experts, let me introduce Lori McCarthy. She gives us complete instructions using a variety of cuts, including moose meat!
Along with co-author, Marsha Tulk, Lori is also the author of Food Culture Place. (Amazon link). Both can be found regularly contributing to their own website of the same name as well.
Lori’s recipe includes aromatic ingredients, which I love, to add to the brine mixture if you want but all of these are marked a optional in the recipe.
I do like a couple of tbsp of black peppercorns added at the least, but this is of course, your own choice.
Salt Beef | Jamie Oliver
FAQ
What is salt beef called in America?
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YouTube · Mashedhttps://www.youtube.comWhat Exactly Is Corned Beef? – YouTubeDec 31, 2022 — but salt indeed Irish corned beef is a preserved meat. product made according to tradition by curing the meat in a large quantity of salt according …
What is salt beef made of?
Salt beef is a traditional part of Jewish cuisine, and a delicious centrepiece for any Chanukah feast. It’s beef brisket, slow-cooked in a gently flavoured broth until it’s fall-apart tender.
Is salt beef healthy?
Corned beef boasts several important micronutrients and is high in protein, which the body needs to build muscle, create enzymes, and repair tissue. However, it is also quite high in sodium and fat. This can be a drawback for those on a low-sodium or heart-healthy diet.
Is salt beef like corned beef?
Salt beef, or rather, corned beef is what most of us call it. The term comes from the way the beef is prepared with large-grained rock salt, also called “corns”. In some countries, sugar and other spices are added to the curing process.