[Spana]

talking about meats has anyone ever bought or tried salt beef

We usually had home made salt beef at Christmas time as well.  I like it cold best.

We stopped making it when salt petre became difficult to get hold of but i see you can get it at Amazon now. Its goes a bit of a funny colour without salt petre.

I'm going to order a pot and makes some for Christmas, theres just time.

Now you've reminded me of it I want to get started :blink:

[Growster...]

Blimey Spana, you're very, very close to Growster's heart there!

I'd crawl, stark naked over 200 yd of broken glass to get a salt beef sandwich from the old chef at 'The Argyll' pub just off Oxford Street...

We actually formed a club on the place!

It had to be Guinness and salt beef sandwiches for lunch!

Awwwwwwwww.........

[New shoot]

I haven't made this, but I do have a recipe for spiced beef made without saltpetre.  I've made other recipes from this book which is all about pickled and preserved foods and everything else has turned out really well.

Anyway here's the recipe in case you want a go:

6lb round rolled joint of silverside or topside
3oz light brown sugar
1oz black peppercorns
1oz juniper berries
1oz allspice berries
4oz sea salt

Rub the joint with the sugar and keep in a lidded container in a cool place for 2 days.  Turn and rub the meat with the liquor occasionally.
Crush the peppercorns, juniper and allspice and mix with the salt
Rub this into the meat and leave another 9 days.  You must turn the meat daily and rub the pickle in well.
After 9 days remove the beef and rub off any spices, but don't rinse the meat.
Wrap the meat in kitchen foil and put in a lidded ovenproof pot.
Add 10fl oz water, then cover the top of the pot with a double layer of foil and put the lid on tightly.
Bake the meat at 140 degrees C/gas mark 1 for 45 mins per pound, then remove from the pot and allow to get completely cold before unwrapping.
Drain any excess liquid, recover in foil and put a weight on it for 24 hours.
If kept wrapped in foil, it should last in the fridge for quite a time.

[Ice]

Silverside and topside are half price in Tosco at the moment. :blink:

[Auntiemogs]

Yay, thank you Ice, was waiting for that!  :happy:

[Growster...]

Silverside and topside are half price in Tosco at the moment. :blink:

Yup!

Big piece in the fridge for the weekend...!

[sunshineband]

I'd crawl, stark naked over 200 yd of broken glass to get a salt beef sandwich from the old chef at 'The Argyll' pub just off Oxford Street...

Wow! and you didn't get arrested or anything?  I'm surprised the elf & savty chap didn;t come by with a broom too

 

[Ice]

Leg of lamb was also just under half price.  Going back for more today to stock the freezer up.  I portion it up and freeze individually. :blink:

[Growster...]

I'd crawl, stark naked over 200 yd of broken glass to get a salt beef sandwich from the old chef at 'The Argyll' pub just off Oxford Street...

Wow! and you didn't get arrested or anything?  I'm surprised the elf & savty chap didn;t come by with a broom too

 

Ha ha ha KC!

I isn't a 'ladies' pub, because the girl's loos are up a flight of stairs, right over the leery boys part of the middle bar...

The stairs are open at the sides...;0)

[Growster...]

Leg of lamb was also just under half price.  Going back for more today to stock the freezer up.  I portion it up and freeze individually. :blink:

Didn't see that Ice - Bah...

[Auntiemogs]

Mmmm...love lamb so will have to mosey on down layer. Found local whole lamb for £130 and whole mutton for £120 on the squintynet...is that good? Not sure I love it that much though...

[joyfull]

Mmmm...love lamb so will have to mosey on down layer. Found local whole lamb for £130 and whole mutton for £120 on the squintynet...is that good? Not sure I love it that much though...

is that plus postage? - not too bad a price though. I bought a lamb of a local chap for £110 ealier this year - it was grazing in the fields near us a few days before.

[Auntiemogs]

It's local pickup (about 5 miles away) so not too bad.  :happy:

[NormandyMary]

Im really enjoying this thread. Over here, meat is very expensive, even the cheaper cuts as the French eat every single part of the animal.
I tend to shop around for offers and stock my freezers with special buys. One supermarket regularly does mince at "buy one kilo, get another free". Mince over here, is usually huge lumps of de fatted beef, minced to order. Great for the dieters amongst us!
I buy stewing beef, I especially love shin which I cook slowly in a cast iron pot on my logburner, so its free fuel. I also do chicken casseroles with dumplings for bulkage, and pork cooked in cheap cider with apple. We prefer shoulder pork as apart from being cheaper over here is tastier.
After Christmas, my hubby and I have decided that we will economise to the extreme as we need to save money for a tradesman to help my man with the renovations as its difficult for him with his health problems. We will be living out of our freezers, we have our own eggs, providing the girls decide to lay, and I will make my own bread. I will hopefully only have to buy fresh fruit and veg. Times are hard, especially as, like us, you are living on pensions. The problem is, I cant see it getting any better. Oooh Happy Days!