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spiced beef

  • 04-12-2009 2:36pm
    #1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,550 ✭✭✭


    hi all
    for the 1st time , this year i have bought spiced beef but have no idea how to cook it ! any help would be appreciated.
    thanks... ho ho ho


«1

Comments

  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1 Cleire1


    Put it in a saucepan, cover it with water and boil it- half an hour to the pound. Once it is boiled, leave it rest in the water.

    Enjoy!!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,550 ✭✭✭curly from cork


    thank you so much . some one told me i should roast it in the oven but i guess not ?? thanks


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 908 ✭✭✭scuby


    why not ask the butchers in the english market....might get some different idea's, from the old lads there


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 140 ✭✭GavinZac


    Roast it like any cut of beef, although adding a bit of water to the bottom of the roasting dish is a good idea to keep it moist - and make some gravy!

    http://www.bordbia.ie/aboutfood/recipes/beef/Pages/TraditionalDrySpicedBeef.aspx


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,550 ✭✭✭curly from cork


    omg..
    i looked up that recipe . thanks, 5 hours in the oven does sound excessive though. i did ask a friend of a friends mam and she said boil it like bacon ???:confused:


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 874 ✭✭✭Max001


    Thanks for asking this question and thanks for the answers, cause I always wondered about this! :D


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 420 ✭✭tommmy1979


    Don't roast your spiced beef.. it's supposed to be boiled and the resting in the water thing as someone has already mentioned is very important. I love christmas sandwiches :D


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 31 nolo77


    Definitely don't roast it - you are supposed to boil it! Darina Allen suggests covering it in cold water and boiling a 3 - 4lbs piece for 2 to 3 hours until soft. Also, I'd advise you check the meat during cooking and top up with boiled water if too much has evaporated.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,550 ✭✭✭curly from cork


    ok im def going with the boiling method. i should keep it totally immersed in water all the time ?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,744 ✭✭✭deRanged


    you need to add half a can of murphy's at some point.
    scuby wrote: »
    why not ask the butchers in the english market....might get some different idea's, from the old lads there

    this is a brilliant suggestion. the butchers are usually very helpful.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,864 ✭✭✭MunsterCycling


    deRanged wrote: »
    you need to add half a can of murphy's at some point.



    this is a brilliant suggestion. the butchers are usually very helpful.


    BTW the Beamish or Murphys is added to the beef when its being roasted, you seal the joint in and raise it above the liquid on a baking rack. We used to boil but now its so much easier to roast as you don't have to stand over it / keep an eye on etc


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 451 ✭✭LilMrsDahamsta


    My mum puts the spiced beef into a small clean pillowcase and ties it up with string (like you do with bacon) before cooking. This stops the cooking water washing too much of the spice off while it is simmering. She takes the cloth off after it is cold, again to keep as much of the spice intact as possible. AFAIK, the timing is 30mins/lb + 30mins; start timing from when the water reaches simmering, not when you put it on in the cold water at the start. Also, take it out of the water when it's cooked and cool it to room temp before refrigerating; it it's left sitting in the water until that gets cold it will overcook.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,550 ✭✭✭curly from cork


    thanks all who helped with my query. boiled the beef last night. 30 mins for each pound. yummy !!! it wont last the day . Merry Christmas to all


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 868 ✭✭✭Boardnashea


    I know this thread is from last year but doesanyone know where I can get saltpeter to make my dry cure mix for Spiced Beef. Is the saltpeter just to keep the colour or does it play another role in the process. I'm working off a Bord Bia recipe http://www.bordbia.ie/aboutfood/recipes/beef/pages/traditionaldryspicedbeef.aspx but I would be surprised if they were abvle to provide.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,544 ✭✭✭Hogzy


    My mum puts the spiced beef into a small clean pillowcase and ties it up with string (like you do with bacon) before cooking. This stops the cooking water washing too much of the spice off while it is simmering. She takes the cloth off after it is cold, again to keep as much of the spice intact as possible. AFAIK, the timing is 30mins/lb + 30mins; start timing from when the water reaches simmering, not when you put it on in the cold water at the start. Also, take it out of the water when it's cooked and cool it to room temp before refrigerating; it it's left sitting in the water until that gets cold it will overcook.

    This is how i have learned to do it too over the years. Probably the best way with the most succulent results

    /runs downstairs to cut another slice before bed :D


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,376 ✭✭✭Funsterdelux


    One of the butchers told me not to take it out of the vacuum packed plastic bag when boiling it, so it'll keep all the spices nicely packed in!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 375 ✭✭KingIsabella


    Usually ge the spiced beef and ham cooked, the turkey uncooked and after a lash o pints christmas eve head back home for ham and spiced beef sandwiches....imagine my poor mothers surprise when she cut into a raw spiced beef at 12 o clock christmas eve night last year....

    And boiling it makes the house smell unreal too!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2 AnthonyEagn


    Don't roast it, place in a large casserole dish, cover with water & cook in a low oven 140C for about 5 hours (2kg joint), leave to cool in cooking liquid for 3 hours then roll tightly in clingfilm and store in fridge. I'll have mine thinly sl;iced with apple & Parmesan crumble.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 543 ✭✭✭nightster1


    hi all
    for the 1st time , this year i have bought spiced beef but have no idea how to cook it ! any help would be appreciated.
    thanks... ho ho ho

    you could easily start a fight in Cork's english market by asking the wrong stall holders about how to cook the spiced beef. There are many ways to cook a piece of meat but differences of opinion on spiced beef preparation can draw out much swearing and fist shaking. Good to see the arguments from a safe distance though!:cool:


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 56 ✭✭guinness queen


    :Dthink you get it in pharmacy. I remember boiling it in guinness well at least guinness in to water. Added carrots, and I think Juniper berries, mayb e a bit confused it ws a long time ago.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 118 ✭✭TBoneMan


    For tender succulent spiced beef simply -
    Put the beef and all the spice into a large pot of cold water NEVER COOK IN THE BAG
    Allow 1 inch cover of water above the meat ... bring to the boil
    As soon as its boiling reduce to a half heat ... a simmer is what you want ... time it from now
    allow 20 minutes per lb weight and 20 extra (ex: 4 lb is 100 minutes simmering)
    Once finished cooking turn off the heat and allow the meat to rest in the water for a minimum 30 minutes but i always give it an hour...this keeps it super juicy and makes the spices stick to the joint... remove, cool & cut or fridge ...
    i used to leave it in the water over night but i found that it feel apart from overcooking

    best place for spiced beef ?? O Mahonys & Durcans in the market for sure; McCarthys in kanturk if your out that way; Bresnans in douglas is my personal favourite ... always great and superb west cork ham too


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,535 ✭✭✭Radharc na Sleibhte


    Any recommendations what to serve it with? Have a lovely piece out there now cooling. Would be lovely in crusty bread too, but with what?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,550 ✭✭✭curly from cork


    Looks WONDERFUL ! Cant wait for Christmas now . I love the spiced beef cold , best with fresh white bread and some chutney / chilli jam . :)


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,663 ✭✭✭Cork24


    My man...

    Boil for one hour, after the hour pour in some beamish into the boiled water leave to boil take out your beef, don't throw away the water, use that as your water for your gravy,, the. Nicest gravy you will ever taste,

    Best time to have spice beef coming home langers and making a sandwich with a can of coke


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 247 ✭✭seamey beag84


    Well, this Spiced Beef malarky sounds good, never had it.. I'm goin on the hunt for it tomorrow. Can't wait!

    Maybe a stupid question but i just seen this is in the Cork city Forum. Is this only sold the English Market or would any butchers have it.
    Cheers.


    ah, nevermind. The local butcher has it. Starving now at the thoughts of it!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 118 ✭✭TBoneMan


    Got a big chunk of spiced brisket in Bresnan's in Douglas for half price. 4 lbs for only 6euro ... SB. pickle & salad cream sandwiches for lunch this week ... HEAVEN


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 18,625 ✭✭✭✭BaZmO*


    I saw this recipe online and thought it look lovely. http://m.europe.wsj.com/articles/a/SB10001424127887324662404578332351474044828?mg=reno64-wsj

    I bought a lovely 4lb piece of brisket today and when I asked the butcher to roll it for me he said that I shouldn't roll for the curing process but the recipe says I should! Confused?!!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1 lesleymac


    With regards to cooking the spiced beef, could you do it in a slow cooker?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 8,411 ✭✭✭ABajaninCork


    lesleymac wrote: »
    With regards to cooking the spiced beef, could you do it in a slow cooker?

    YES!! I do it for both spiced and corned beef. Heaven....:D I put mine in the slow cooker, set the temp to low, and leave it cooking overnight. By the time you get up, it'll be nicely cooked. Leave to rest in the water for half an hour, then let it rest on the plate covered with a damp tea towel for another couple of hours.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,550 ✭✭✭curly from cork


    The slow cooker sounds interesting , just wondering do you totally cover the beef in water ?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 8,411 ✭✭✭ABajaninCork


    About 2cm over the top of the beef. Set the cooker to low. I usually turn mine on just as I'm going to bed anytime between midnight-1am.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,380 ✭✭✭.red.


    I remember boiling it in guinness well at least guinness in to water.

    I know this is an old post but this needs to be said lol
    Anyone who puts guinness into spiced beef, regardless of username needs to be tarred and feathered. Its murphys or beamish or just plain water. You cant be putting that black sh1te from the pale into a good honest Corkonian xmas joint of meat!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 73 ✭✭hbonbr


    Its basically silverside of beef. I am sure the slow cooker would do a good job. The trouble, as I would see it is that you need to get it out of the slow cooker before it is too soft to cut.

    I have mine on at the moment, starting with the butcher's advice of 2.5 hrs for a 4lb joint, ie a half hour a pound plus a half hour. I expect it will be fairly tough, in which case I will give it longer.

    Incidentally, if you are going to eat it cold, overcooking is less of a problem as it firms up.

    The Bord Bia 5 hr oven method is standard for slow roasting beef, you need to be sure of your oven temp. I havent tried it for that reason.

    Guinness is essential, dont mind those folk from Cork, they have a well justified inferiority complex!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,015 ✭✭✭Ludo


    Omg... Someone from outside Cork giving advice on spiced beef... Feck off... :-)


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 12,449 ✭✭✭✭pwurple


    hbonbr wrote: »
    Its basically silverside of beef.
    It's topside, but close enough.

    Guinness is essential, dont mind those folk from Cork, they have a well justified inferiority complex!
    Adding alcohol to such a lean piece of meat will not do a thing for it, except dry it out further, so it's far from essential.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 8,411 ✭✭✭ABajaninCork


    pwurple wrote: »
    It's topside, but close enough.



    Adding alcohol to such a lean piece of meat will not do a thing for it, except dry it out further, so it's far from essential.

    I agree. All I do is chuck in a bouquet garni, and off I go.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 118 ✭✭TBoneMan


    TBoneMan wrote: »
    For tender succulent spiced beef simply -
    Put the beef and all the spice into a large pot of cold water NEVER COOK IN THE BAG
    Allow 1 inch cover of water above the meat ... bring to the boil
    As soon as its boiling reduce to a half heat ... a simmer is what you want ... time it from now
    allow 20 minutes per lb weight and 20 extra (ex: 4 lb is 100 minutes simmering)
    Once finished cooking turn off the heat and allow the meat to rest in the water for a minimum 30 minutes but i always give it an hour...this keeps it super juicy and makes the spices stick to the joint... remove, cool & cut or fridge ...
    i used to leave it in the water over night but i found that it feel apart from overcooking

    best place for spiced beef ?? O Mahonys & Durcans in the market for sure; McCarthys in kanturk if your out that way; Bresnans in douglas is my personal favourite ... always great and superb west cork ham too

    On my third batch this year from bresnans...absolutely superb...a friend of mine even brought some to Kazakhstan with them :-)


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 603 ✭✭✭_Jamie_


    Hi all, I cooked spiced beef for the first time this year and sadly, it came out dry and overcooked. I think I know why but was hoping for the opinions of more experienced cooks when it comes to spiced beef.

    It was 1.374kg, and I gave it 30 mins per lb + 30 minutes after turning it down to a simmer, so that was two hours total. Problem was, I was cooking it in my parents-in-law's house and wasn't quite used to their gas stove as I have an electric hob myself. I put it at what seemed to be a simmer when I walked away but when I checked on it an hour, it was actually slightly greater than a simmer. It wasn't boiling but the water was definitely more agitated than for a simmer. So I made sure it was on simmer for the last hour but still... overcooked! The cooking method was wrapping it in muslin and covering in water.

    I'm bringing more to my own folks today so I get another crack at cooking it and I don't want to ruin another nice joint of meat! And my family love their food whereas my huz's family are more a 'food is fuel' type family so it's especially important for me to get it right this time, though I would have liked to get it right both times. :(


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 59 ✭✭rebelgourmet


    Maybe a bit late but, I cook it sous vide @56.5c for 18hrs. If you had access to sous vide kit? Very succulent if I do say so myself! :)


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 603 ✭✭✭_Jamie_


    Maybe a bit late but, I cook it sous vide @56.5c for 18hrs. If you had access to sous vide kit? Very succulent if I do say so myself! :)

    Sadly, no I don't! :)


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,380 ✭✭✭.red.


    My piece was 1.8kgs and I popped it in the slow cooker on low for 10hours. It was too long tho and it fell in 2 when I lifted it out. 8 hours would probably have been perfect.
    It tasted good tho, nice and tender and it was all eaten over a few days.
    A slow cooker can be gotten for less than €20, a great investment, especially for any 9-5 worker.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,036 ✭✭✭BailMeOut


    Maybe a bit late but, I cook it sous vide @56.5c for 18hrs. If you had access to sous vide kit? Very succulent if I do say so myself! :)

    never had spiced beef that I ever enjoyed but this looks spectacular and beautifully cooked.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 33,518 ✭✭✭✭dudara


    I put the joint in a pressure cooker with a decent glass of white wine, bay leaves, a little bit of brown sugar and top with water. Seal the pressure cooker and cook under pressure for about 50 mins ( depending on size). Do not open the pressure cooker straights away, and leave the meat to cool in the water a bit before taking out.

    It always turns out tender and perfect this way. I cooked two joints so far this Christmas, both bought from O'Mahonys in the English Market. One was traditional beef topside and the second was a piece of spiced buffalo from Lynch's herd in Kilnamartyra.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 12,449 ✭✭✭✭pwurple


    Are you guys cutting it that thickly normally? I cut mine more like wafer thin shavings...


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 33,518 ✭✭✭✭dudara


    I tend to cut quite thin when it's cold/cool. If I'm serving it as a main course for dinner, then I cut a little thicker, but not chunky.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 603 ✭✭✭_Jamie_


    Anyone any tips for a normal stove top? I have no pressure cooker or slow cooker! Basic tools only! :D


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 12,449 ✭✭✭✭pwurple


    _Jamie_ wrote: »
    Anyone any tips for a normal stove top? I have no pressure cooker or slow cooker! Basic tools only! :D

    I just use a saucepan on an ordinary hob... same method as my parents and grandparents ,none of this fancy schtuff. ;).

    Saucepan, with plenty of cold water in it and the spice beef. Pot should be big enough to cover the beef with the water and not splash all over your hob.

    Bring up to simmering point and time it from that point on. I usually do it for 25-30 minutes per pound (the 30 is if it's a big piece), then turn off the heat and let it go completely cold in the water.


  • Hosted Moderators Posts: 9,984 ✭✭✭mik_da_man


    I've only cooked it twice, being a blow in!

    As above, good deep pot, cover it in cold water and bring to the boil.
    Once boiling turn down to a low simmer, 30 mins/pound. Plus 30 mins
    I did a 3lb piece this Christmas, had it simmer for 2 hours and then left it to cool in the water for an hour.

    Took it out then and left to cool.
    It was a bit brittle at that point but cooled quite firm after.

    Brought it up home to Meath for many sandwiches, very well received. :D

    Will pick up another bit next week as it will be sold off...


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,570 ✭✭✭MyStubbleItches


    dudara wrote: »
    I put the joint in a pressure cooker with a decent glass of white wine, bay leaves, a little bit of brown sugar and top with water. Seal the pressure cooker and cook under pressure for about 50 mins ( depending on size). Do not open the pressure cooker straights away, and leave the meat to cool in the water a bit before taking out.

    It always turns out tender and perfect this way. I cooked two joints so far this Christmas, both bought from O'Mahonys in the English Market. One was traditional beef topside and the second was a piece of spiced buffalo from Lynch's herd in Kilnamartyra.

    How did the buffalo turn out in comparison to beef, it being very lean? BTW, they're doing farm sales of buffalo meat now.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 603 ✭✭✭_Jamie_


    pwurple wrote: »
    I just use a saucepan on an ordinary hob... same method as my parents and grandparents ,none of this fancy schtuff. ;).

    Saucepan, with plenty of cold water in it and the spice beef. Pot should be big enough to cover the beef with the water and not splash all over your hob.

    Bring up to simmering point and time it from that point on. I usually do it for 25-30 minutes per pound (the 30 is if it's a big piece), then turn off the heat and let it go completely cold in the water.

    This is what I did, reduced it to 25 minutes per lb at a simmer. Came out much better this time but I'm going to say something possibly sacrilegious now - I've realised I'm not that keen on spiced beef. Nobody in either family was wowed by it so I don't see it being adopted into either west of Ireland family's Christmas tradition! I find it fine, but that's all.


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