Spiced beef is a traditional Irish dish from County Cork made by rubbing beef with salt and spices, marinating it for a week, and simmering it for several hours. It can stay fresh for up to a month due to the salt and nitrate used in its preparation. It is a special-occasion food, particularly eaten at Christmas, and traditionally made with saltpeter, salt, brown sugar, peppercorns, juniper berries, allspice, water, and stout.
Spiced beef is a specially seasoned meat dish associated with the South West region of Ireland, specifically County Cork. Because it takes several days to prepare, it is generally considered a dish for special occasions, especially Christmas. Spiced beef is made by rubbing a cut of beef with a mixture of salt and spices, letting it marinate for about a week, then simmering it for several hours.
Due to the salt and nitrate used in its preparation, spiced beef can stay fresh for up to a month. Therefore, it is possible that Irish cooks devised the recipe as a way to preserve meat in the days before refrigerators were invented. As of the early 21st century, however, spiced beef is a dish loved by many for its distinctive flavor. Because it takes about a week to prepare, spiced beef is generally considered a special-occasion food. Many Irish families, particularly in the southwestern region of the country, eat it as part of their Christmas dinner.
Usually, spiced beef is made from a cut of beef taken from the back of a cow. Other ingredients traditionally include saltpeter, salt, brown sugar, peppercorns, juniper berries, allspice, water, and stout. Many cooks modify this spice blend to create a flavor that suits their tastes. While saltpeter was once widely available, in the 21st century its availability may be limited due to a belief that large quantities of the compound could be hazardous to health. In some countries, it may only be available from a pharmacist.
The first step to making spiced beef is trimming the cut of excess fat. Next, the salt, saltpeter, sugar and spices are ground together. The meat is then rubbed well with this mixture and placed in a covered container in the refrigerator to marinate. Every day for about a week the meat must be turned over.
Once the spiced beef has been marinated for a week, it’s ready to cook. It should be removed from the refrigerator and transferred to a saucepan. Water and, if desired, should be poured into the saucepan until the meat is soaked. The saucepan should then be covered and the beef should simmer on the stove for 3 to 4 hours or until cooked through. When ready, the beef is removed from the casserole, thinly sliced, and eaten on its own or in a sandwich.
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