Method 1 – preparing from scratch yourself in six days

If you have all the time in the world, and plenty of patience, it is possible to make salt beef the traditional way. Here’s how to do it.

First, find some saltpetre. We are regularly asked where we get ours from, and we have to admit that it has not been an ingredient of salt beef for a long time, and with good reason. Saltpetre was used to make gunpowder. Back in the days of Mrs Beaton you could have popped down to your local apothecary for some. These days, we wouldn’t recommend it!

Take a piece of brisket, cover with brine and sugar, and leave for several hours. Sprinkle half an ounce of ground saltpetre over the brisket and cover with salt. Turn the meat regularly during the next six days (that’s days, not hours) rubbing the salt into the beef each time and spoon the brine over the beef. Then, after six days, the beef is ready to be cooked. We can’t guarantee that you will be able to face it after all that time, though, so why not let Hensons do all the hard work, leaving you to do the easy bit….

Method 2 – ultra simple preparation in three to four hours

When you buy Hensons Famous Salt Beef all the hard work has been done for you. No matter how hard you try yourself, you can’t beat the consistency of Henson’s low salt cure, and because we use top quality briskets from grass-fed cattle, the result is an outstanding product with plenty of possibilities for you to add your own signature to the dishes.    

Place the raw meat in the largest pan or cauldron available, cover with cold water and bring gently to the boil. Skim the surface of the water and cook gently for around three and a half hours on a rolling simmer, or until the meat is tender. Top up with water during cooking, if necessary. When ready to serve a knife or fork will slide easily through the meat. A thin layer of fat covers the product to help retain its moisture during cooking, which can be discarded before serving.

You do not need to add anything to the pan other than water, but you may wish to add herbs, spices or vegetables. Once cooked the salt beef will stay warm and moist in a bain marie for several hours.

It can also be cooked in advance, refrigerated and then reheated in the original cooking water later the same day or the next day. In this case the water should be refrigerated until it is needed. If you prefer, you can use stock to reheat the product with instead.

So, which herbs and spices to use? Well here’s your chance to add your own cachet to the product. We’ve tried asking the top salt beef chefs for their secrets, but to no avail. So here are our own suggestions, to give you an idea.

Remember that you don’t need to add anything at all, but you might choose from some peppercorns, a couple of bay leaves, garlic, carrots, nutmeg, ginger or mustard. Vegetables can be added to the stock, but should not be served with the meat. Try carrots, onions, or a potato or two. And here’s one little secret – if you want to give the meat some added colour try adding a couple of fresh beetroots to the stock.

Method 3 – buy pre-cooked salt beef and serve within four minutes

For caterers and retailers who don’t have the time or the cooking facilities, you can still offer our premium salt beef to your customer, as it is now available ready cooked. Choose from whole cooked joints, which can be heated up and carved in front of your customer, or packs of either thick or thinly sliced beef.  Pre-cooked sliced beef can be heated up in moments and is perfect for toasties or paninis. 

Serving Suggestions

The classic way to serve salt beef is in a bagel or a crusty bread sandwich. If you can get it, rye bread is perfect for salt beef. Serve with a sliced gherkin and some English mustard. Simplicity in itself. No butter is needed, the meat is lovely and moist on its own. Don’t be frightened to give a generous helping of beef - think of it as a whole meal on its own.

There are endless ways of serving salt beef, both hot and cold, and we have some suggestions in our Ideas for Chefs leaflet, which you can download here.

Have we tempted you? Then maybe you’d like to place an order. If you are a caterer or restaurateur in London and the South East then check out Hensons Foodservice for next day delivery. If you have any more questions about salt beef you can email us at saltbeef@hensons.lls.com or check out our frequently asked questions page.