Potted beef

Jun 13 2008 by Bill Oldfield, The Journal

THIS could be described as a rough paté but is actually the result of a traditional preserving process. It’s not complicated.

Actually, it’s ridiculously easy but needs planning ahead – at least a week. But the result is worth it and you end up with something that you couldn’t buy in the shops.

We serve it as a starter with pickled onions and toast but it’s great on its own with salad or a few crackers or as part of a larger buffet. And you’ll almost certainly never have made anything like it.

To clarify butter, melt in a pan until the foaming has finished. Then pour off the clarified butter leaving the sediment behind to be discarded.

INGREDIENTS

1kg brisket of beef with the fat trimmed off.

1 litre of water

150g sea salt

50g brown sugar

Six cloves

Six sprigs of fresh thyme

Two bay leaves

10 black peppercorns

150g clarified butter – melted

One level teaspoon of mustard seeds

Two teaspoons of chopped fresh parsley

METHOD

Place the water, salt, sugar, cloves, thyme, bay leaves and peppercorns in a pan and bring to the boil before removing from the heat and allowing to cool. Place this resulting brine in a large non-reactive bowl – such as one made from glass, plastic or stainless steel – of a size that will allow the brisket to be submerged in it.

To be sure that the brine is of the correct strength, an uncooked egg should float in it. If it doesn’t, add a little more salt until it does.

Place the brisket in the brine and place on a non-reactive weight to keep it submerged.

I’ve used a stone wrapped in clingfilm before but I’m sure you get the idea. Place the bowl in the fridge for at least a week or up to 10 days, turning the brisket over every day or so.

To cook the meat, rinse it off well under running water, place in a suitable pan, cover with fresh water and simmer for three to four hours until very tender.

Remove from the pan (keeping the resulting liquor) and, in a bowl, break it down using a wooden spoon. Add the mustard seed and parsley along with a couple of twists of black pepper and mix well. Divide the beef up into eight ramekins, spoon over a little of the poaching liquor followed by a layer of clarified butter and refrigerate.

To serve, allow it to return to room temperature accompanied by good pickled onions and toast.

Oldfields Restaurants cookbook, Passion for Real Food, is out now and available in good bookshops.

For discounted copies contact us at the restaurant on Claypath, in Durham on (0191) 370-9595 or go to www.oldfieldsrestaurants.com