| Corned Beef | |
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| Category | Meats |
Cookbook |Recipes |Ingredients |Equipment |Techniques |Cookbook Disambiguation Pages |Ingredients
Corned beef is a variety ofcured beef.
The production of corned beef starts with curing. Here, curing salts and spices such as peppercorn, juniper, coriander, and mustard are combined and applied to a tough cut of beef likebrisket[1][2]—this can be done as a dry cure or can be made into a brine for a wet cure.[3] The beef is then cured for several days,[3] which gives it a more complex, savory-sour flavor and preserves its pink color.[1][4] Typically, the curing process is then followed by a long, slowbraise to cook and tenderize the meat.[1][2] It may also be smoked to make pastrami.[3]
Commercially, corned beef is available both "fresh" and canned. The canned version is typically chopped or ground and pressed into a block in the can—it is fully cooked and ready to use, and it has a very long shelf life.[1][5] The "fresh" version is cured but not cooked, and it must be stored in the fridge before final preparation.[3][4] Once cooked and/or opened, corned beef will last for a few days in the fridge.[1]
In the United States, corned beef is most commonly associated with Jewish and Irish cuisines, and it tends to be eaten in sandwiches or as part of corned beef hash.[1][2][6] Canned corned beef is popular in cultures subjected to Western imperialism and military invasion, such as the Philippines and Hawaii.[1][6]