Lachlan Cox

Oven-Braised Corned Beef (Silverside)

Silverside, lager, spices, mash, veg. One pot.

Prep
10-15 min
Cook
3.5-4.5 hr (+ 20-30 min rest)
Serves
4-6

Ingredients

Meat

  • 1-1.3 kg corned beef (silverside)

Liquid

  • 1/2 cup white vinegar
  • 375 ml lager (e.g. Great Northern Super Crisp)
  • water (enough to fully cover meat)

Spices

  • 1/4 cup black peppercorns
  • 1 Tbsp mustard seeds
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 4-6 whole cloves
  • 6-10 allspice berries

Aromatics

  • 1 onion, peeled and quartered
  • 1 carrot, washed and cut into chunks
  • 1 celery stalk, cut into chunks
  • 3 cloves garlic, crushed

Balance

  • 1-2 Tbsp brown sugar

Mash Potato

  • potatoes
  • butter
  • milk or cream
  • salt

Vegetables

  • carrots (extra, for serving)
  • green beans

Method

  1. Preheat oven

    Preheat the oven to 140-150 C.

  2. Prepare the meat

    Rinse the silverside under cold water to remove excess brine.

  3. Build the pot

    In a large Dutch oven, add the corned beef, vinegar and beer, all the spices, the aromatics and the brown sugar. Top up with enough water to fully submerge the meat.

  4. Bring to a simmer

    Place the pot on the stovetop and heat until it just begins to simmer.

  5. Oven braise

    Cover with the lid, transfer to the oven and cook for 3.5-4.5 hours.

  6. Rest in broth

    Remove from the oven and leave the meat in the liquid for 20-30 minutes.

  7. Clean the broth

    Remove and discard the aromatics (onion, carrot, celery, garlic), then strain the broth through a sieve. Skim excess fat if desired.

  8. Cook carrots

    Add the serving carrots to the strained broth and simmer until tender.

  9. Cook green beans

    Trim the ends, cook in salted boiling water for 3-4 minutes, then drain and toss with butter and salt.

  10. Prepare mash

    Boil the potatoes until tender, then mash with butter, milk or cream, and salt. Adjust seasoning to taste.

  11. Slice and serve

    Remove the beef from the broth and slice against the grain into thick slices. Serve with mash potato, carrots and green beans, and optionally spoon a little reduced broth over the meat or mash.

Notes

Low, slow cooking is critical for tenderness - avoid boiling as it will toughen the meat. The aromatics are for flavour only and should not be served, and cooking the serving vegetables separately gives better texture and flavour. This reheats very well the next day and can also be done in a slow cooker.

Wine Pairing

Riesling (Clare Valley, Eden Valley), Pinot Noir (Yarra Valley, Mornington Peninsula) or Chardonnay (Margaret River, Adelaide Hills) all work well. High acidity wines balance the salt and richness, so avoid heavy tannic reds like big Shiraz or Cabernet - lighter, fresher styles work best with this dish.