Corned beef is beef that is first pickled in brine and then cooked by boiling. Usually, cuts of meat are used that feature long muscle grain, such as the brisket.

The name corned beef is due to a coarse salt being used in the pickling. Corn originally meant grain, as in a small particle of something, and referred to the corns of salt.

Corned beef is often purchased at delicatessens. Perhaps the most famous sandwich made with it is the Reuben sandwich, consisting of corned beef, Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, and Russian dressing on rye bread and served hot.

In the United Kingdom corned beef is normally bought in canned form, and usually regarded as a 'cheap' foodstuff. Most of it is sourced from Brazil and Argentina.

19th century corned beef recipe

• Fifty pounds of beef
• Three pounds of coarse salt
• One ounce of saltpetre
• Three-quarters of a pound of sugar
• Two gallons of water

Mix the above ingredients together and pour over the meat. Cover the tub closely.

Local variants

• New York style corned beef is called pastrami, which is highly spiced.
• Montreal style corned beef is called smoked meat, or less commonly, smoked beef.

References

• The Household Cyclopedia, 1888