Ahhh, corned beef.

There’s no denying that Australians of a certain generation love this vintage dinnertime staple. But why is it such an iconic dish here Down Under? We did a little digging and found out there’s more to corned beef than meets the (rib)eye. 

 

History of “Corned” Beef

Way back in the 17th century, the British invented the corned beef term. ‘Corned’ actually means putting beef in a crock and covering it with large, rock salt kernels which are called ‘corns of salt.’ 

This was a way to preserve meat from spoiling and it goes all the way back to ancient times. So, no, there is no corn in corned beef but there definitely is plenty of rock salt the size of corn kernels.

 

Corned Beef for St. Patrick’s Day?

Corn beef stars on menus during St. Patrick’s Day, especially in countries with plenty of Irish settlers (such as Boston and here in Australia).

While corned beef is not an Irish national dish, it HAS become a tradition to consume corned beef and cabbage to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. 

This most likely stemmed from the fact that corned beef and cabbage were inexpensive foods for those Irish immigrants who moved to America.

Just like the Americans who love corned beef, Australians have been obsessing with this simple yet delicious dish as well. In fact, one of the famous beef cuts used to make corned beef called “silverside”, is now referred to by Australian’s as corned beef.  

 

Things to Look for When Buying Corned Beef

If you’re the type of person who loves to cook your own meals, you might want to try cooking this on your own. However, it can be tricky to get the right slices of cuts. 

When you are looking for beef cuts, you should make sure that the meat has a deep red color. Stay away from those meats that are greyish in color as those are probably old or have been too long in the freezer.

Many people try to avoid too many fats in meat but when it comes to selecting the perfect corned beef cuts, you are going to want to see a good layer of fat over the red, juicy meat. It’s also important to note that when you cook the meat, it will shrink so make sure that you get a nice, big portion.

 

Or, you can leave all the heavy-lifting to us at Hearty Health ready meals.

Email us at hello@heartyhealth.com.au or give us a call at 1300 728 764.