28 Comments

  1. Wow, learnt something different. In our part, particularly in Southern Africa we make Biltong (and Jerky). Silverside is cured in mixture of vinegar, salt and spice and then air dried. You can also use kudu or ostrich – alas in India, these are also not available.

  2. It taste best this way : it should be a Sunday when you are out of home…. take out the salted-beef piece stored by you in the fridge….. take some slice bread…. make small bits of the salted beef… make some rough sandwich … umm…. sorry nothing was left when you returned….. but we were six of us…. and I can vouch for them it was really a wonderful treat !

  3. I was hoping you will put up post on chinese new year. I hope you knew about our cny which was on the 27 th jan, i have been cheking your blog since then, hoping to read bout the happenings in tangra which i left behind. I now live in vanvouver and read your blog hoping to find a little solace from getting homesick.

    1. Yupp I will write about CNY. In fact was there at Tangra last evening enjoying Chinese Food at the annual CNY Fete.

      I want to write the blog a lil differently bringing Dragon Dace into it thus will take some time but I am sure you will love it… 🙂

      Will keep you posted 🙂

    1. It has been done purposefully for easy of search on Google. People search more for “Salt Meat” and “Salted Beef” is not that common. This gets in more targeted audience. 🙂

  4. Hi Subhadip, thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe. I would like you to please clarify the following because I would like to try this recipe soon. thank you.
    1. you mean 20 -30 full limes
    2. Is this the Iodised table salt that we get now
    3. What quantity is this “2 Units” of Cane Sugar Jaggery – how many grams?
    4.How do we add the jaggery on the 4th day — the units as it is or it has to be crushed.
    5. How many days can one keep this Salted Beef in the refrigerator.
    with best wishes
    Penny & Mohan
    cochin, kerala

    1. 1. you mean 20 -30 full limes
      YES FULL AVERAGE SIZE LIMES

      2. Is this the Iodised table salt that we get now
      IODISED

      3. What quantity is this “2 Units” of Cane Sugar Jaggery – how many grams?
      APPROX 200 GRAMS EACH (NOT SURE EXACTLY AS THEY ARE SOULD OUT HERE IN UNITS)

      4.How do we add the jaggery on the 4th day — the units as it is or it has to be crushed.
      CRUSH AND ADD HALF OF ONE UNIT SO THAT IT MIXES WELL

      5. How many days can one keep this Salted Beef in the refrigerator.
      MONTHS. JUST DONT TOUCH IT WITH DIRTY (MOISTURE) HAND OR KNIFE. KEEP IT AWAY FROM MOISTURE AND IT STAYS ON.

  5. Hi Subadip, There were two more comments on this thread– one by Pragho in which he mentioned sausages in Kerala and another post in which the other person says he has authentic Entally sausage recipe. i had made a query to each of them the same day I wrote to you. Since yesterday I cannot find their posts and my query to them. However, my query to you and your reply are still there. Can you please tell me what happened. Thank you.

      1. I cannot view any one of them, Sir.
        Can you please tell me if they have replied to my queries. If so, would you please tell me what their replies are. Thank you very much, Mr, Subhadip…….. Mohan

  6. Hi………i liked your pastrami/indian thing going on……….really nice take.

    I make cured meats as a business in the U.K and i’m always looking at new ideas. Recently i have experimented(very successfully), with more eastern flavours…….something that the ‘west does not accept, generally)…………everybody wants cured meat euro style……..what they forget is that every human race today has had their own versions of this(and still have), otherwise they would not be here today!! So, i know a lot about various places and their cured meats,,,,,what about india???????? I cant find accurate info because its all in hindu etc….i need some help. I want to uncover this……i know the history of spices and the portugese etc, but you must have a traditional culture of curing meat in some way. I realise much of the cross border stuff has influenced you………buriani etc etc….from persia to you………but much came back the other way, back into persia…!!The spice route saw to that….it was not one directional at all and very much a 4 lane motorway, bi-directional , cultural route of its time……biggest in history. Im a degreed politician and a very keen historian , who now works in food…..namely, cured meats, the oldest of them all. It’s what allows us to trace history from the soldiers of the east to the far west of the UK…..it fascinates me.!!!

    I believe in uncovering old foods and want to investigate them…………this is my most obscure starting point. Please help me on my way and we can find out more about this.
    a you, All the best,

    Andrej Wout

  7. Thank you for posting this. My wife is from Kolkata and she had always told me how nice the salt beef was. If I could recommend using qty in grams for all the ingredients because the saltpetre can be dangerous in too much quantity and too little would let bacteria grow. This would be helpful but still happy to have your recipe and I can’t wait to try

  8. hi….this is european measures: but it will be safe, for sure.
    *Brine: 1 litre (makes enough for about 2 kg meat)
    I litre water
    0.5 tablespoon pickling spice – 4g
    120g salt, based on rock salt , varies with others
    16g sugar
    36g/ 2 tablespoon cure 1/prague powder 1/ pink curing salt/ Instacure #1 DO NOT USE #2, it is dangerous for quick cured meat. Sit in brine for 5 days, wash, cook.
    1 garlic cloves minced
    ———————————
    Method part one for both pastrami and salt beef:
    Combine all brine ingredients and heat to simmer, dissolving salt/sugar. Cool and chill. Submerge brisket in brine for 4-5 days. After 4-5 days remove, wash and dry.

    Part two
    1) SALT BEEF OR PASTRAMI: add meat with leftover pickling spice, and bring a pan of water to very gentle simmer.
    Submerge meat and simmer very low(lowest gas) to a murmur, no higher 85-90c, until internal temp of 74c, for about 2-2.25hrs.Cool until 43c,

  9. I remember my uncle used to make.
    Just want to add.
    1. He used the big nibu size of a cricket ball. He would rub it in every day for a week.
    2. After boiling he used to hang the chunk enough for water to drop out.
    3. Enjoy it with homemade mustard sauce.

  10. This sounds yummyyy!! I will definitely try this… I make something similar, the difference being I use sliced ham instead of beef. Get pretty much the same response from family and friends. Thank you for sharing this mouth watering dish.I must say this, if you get time can visit Biltongplus.co.nz for ideas on this topic.

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