Simple Salt Beef

3.00 (6)
⏱ 260 mins 🍽 Serves 6 🌶 jewish ✅ Easy 🏷 Main course

This recipe guides you through creating your own succulent salt beef, a classic Jewish dish perfect for lunch. The process involves simmering a pickled beef brisket with aromatic vegetables and spices until it becomes exceptionally soft. The resulting meat is wonderfully tender and can be served hot or cold, traditionally sliced in a sandwich with rye bread and pickles. The method includes advice for checking doneness and detailed instructions for storing leftovers, including freezing and reheating techniques to preserve flavour and texture. The total preparation and cooking time is 260 minutes, serving six people.

Simple Salt Beef

Ingredients

  • 1.6kg flat piece of pickled beef brisket
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 4 large carrots peeled but left whole
  • 1 tsp black peppercorns
  • 4 juniper berries
  • 1-2 tsp sugar (optional)

Method

  1. For best results, let the pickled beef sit out for an hour to reach room temperature, which helps reduce cooking time. Place the brisket in a big pot and add enough cold water to cover it completely. Bring the water to a boil, removing any foamy residue that appears on the surface. After most of the foam is gone, introduce the remaining ingredients to the pot. Adding them at this stage prevents interference with the skimming process.
  2. Lower the heat, put a lid on the pan, and let it simmer gently for 2 hrs 30 mins-3 hrs 30 mins. The beef is ready when a fork inserted into the thickest part meets no resistance and slides in effortlessly. Begin testing for tenderness after 2 hours. You may also use a skewer to check if the meat is sufficiently soft.
  3. When the beef is perfectly tender, switch off the heat. You can leave it in the cooking liquid for up to an hour if not serving immediately. Alternatively, lift the meat out using two forks, let it drain, and transfer to a board. Reserve the liquor for later reheating or freezing. Cover the beef loosely with foil and let it rest for 10-15 mins. Slice it thickly against the grain to prevent crumbling. Serve it hot or chilled. Leftovers can be refrigerated for three days. For freezing up to six weeks, slice the meat first, wrap it in baking parchment and foil, and also freeze the cooking liquor. To reheat, defrost and arrange the slices in a dish with the thawed liquor. Cover with foil and warm at 180C/160C fan/gas 4 for 20 mins.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories419 kcal
Fat32 g
Saturates11 g
Carbs1 g
Protein31 g
Sodium1680 mg
Salt4 g

Recipe details

Skill levelEasy
CategoryMain course
Cuisinejewish
DietGluten-free