Some help with spiced beef please!

Tupins

Hi,

I am planning to make some spiced beef for Christmas. I have never made it before (I am a fairly novice cook to be honest but like to give things a go). I came across this recipe from bord bia:

http://www.bordbia.ie/aboutfood/recipes/beef/pages/traditionaldryspicedbeef.aspx

It seems fairly complicated to me to be honest. Is this the normal way to cook it? Also there are a lot of ingredients that I wouldn't even know where to get them - (uniper berries? saltpetre?) Does anyone know of substitutes for these?

Any help would be appreciated.

thanks

mathepac

Where are you located? Why not just buy some from your butcher and launch into your preparation next year?

Tupins

Yeah that seems like a plan ha ha!

I think it's a bit over complicated alright. So if I just buy it and boil it that should be ok.

Maybe I'll put my efforts into making a nice chutney to go with instead!

thanks

mathepac

Tupins wrote: »

... thanks

Pas de problem. There's another recipe linked to somewhere in this thread http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056121945 which is more in line with what I recall, including pressing the beef at the end.

biddywiddy

FWIW I got a jar of dried juniper berries in Aldi earlier this year. It was on the shelf with the herbs and spices. Stil haven't even opened the jar cos I haven't a clue what to do with them!

Boardnashea

If you are anywhere near a Sheridan's Cheese shop they usually have juniper berries. You can ask them on http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000041607746#!/pages/Sheridans-Cheesemongers/203123648389
The saltpetre is a bit of a problem though. One recipe said if you can't find the saltpetre use and extra 10 oz (I think) of salt in the mix. I'm going to skip this for now and get ready in time for next year.

nompere

Juniper berries are certainly part of the Schwartz range of herbs and spices - so readily available in any large supermarket. The other spices are all easily bought.

Even Bord Bia reckon that getting saltpetre is hard now. They don't seem to reckon that it would be critical to the end product, though.

It's not that complicated - it's just having the patience to leave the meat to do its thing before you cook it. There's about 10 minutes to spend on day 1, 15 minutes on day 3, and maybe 20 minutes on day 9. That's 26 December so you won't have it on Christmas Day.

CJhaughey

The reason Saltpetre is used is to prevent botulism, and has nothing to do with taste.

Double Barrel

Tell the chemist what you need the sodium nitrate for and you should not have any difficulty. :rolleyes::rolleyes: NaNO3 does add a pinkish/reddish colour to the meat.

CJhaughey

I am not so sure on that, I know from speaking to butchers that Saltpetre is hard to find, An Garda Siochana don't like people having access to it as it is a constituent of black powder.
Chemists I talked to couldn't get it. If you know of some that carry it PM me.

Swampy

Let the beef cool in the cooking water.

annieoburns

I get my spiced beef ready prepared from good butcher. Some might boast 'award winning...' It is vacuum packed and will keep in cold place til needed. I like to do mine when the usual Christmas stuff is running out. I treat it like ham and bring up to heat on hob in water then transfer to a slow cooker for 5 of so hours of gentle cooking. Leave to cool in water and serve cold with salad/ chutney/sandwiches etc. It has a strong flavour so fine sliced makes it go a long way.