Nan's corned beef

Corned beef gets its name from the "corns" of salt once used to cure it. In Old English, "corn" referred to small, hard, grain-like objects, including coarse salt crystals used to brine beef. Corned beef remains a popular meal to this day; Danielle Walker shares her family-favourite version.

• serves

  6

• prep

  15 minutes

• cook

  2:30 hours

• difficulty

  Easy

Series. Cooking. Rated PG.

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The Cook Up with Adam Liaw

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Ingredients

• 1.2 kg corned beef, rinsed
• 1 brown onion, quartered
• 1 carrot, cut into 3 pieces
• 4 cloves
• 2 dried bay leaves
• 1 tsp black peppercorns
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 2 tbsp malt vinegar
• 1 tsp bicarb soda
• Baby new potatoes, boiled, tossed in butter and parsley, to serve
• Steamed broccolini, to serve

For the sauce

• 50 g butter
• 25 g plain flour
• 1.5 cups strained cooking liquid
• 1 cup (250 ml) milk
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp finely chopped curly parsley (optional)
• Salt

Instructions

1. Place the corned beef into a large, heavy-based saucepan with the onion, carrot, cloves, bay leaves, peppercorns, sugar, vinegar and bicarb soda. Pour over enough water to cover the beef by 3 cm, then bring to the boil over high heat. Reduce to a simmer and cook, partially covered, for 2–2 ½ hours, or until the meat is tender. Remove from the heat.
2. To make the sauce, melt the butter in a second saucepan over medium-low heat. Whisk through the flour, then gradually stir in 1.5 cups strained cooking liquid from the beef, with milk in batches, stirring well after each addition. Bring to the boil, stirring continuously until the sauce thickens – you may need an extra splash of cooking liquid. Whisk through the mustard and parsley (if using) and season to taste with salt.
3. Remove the beef from the saucepan and carve. Serve with the vegetables and sauce.

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Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.