Corned beef
Encyclopedia
Corned beef is a type of salt-cured
beef
products present in many beef-eating cultures. The English term is used interchangeably in modernity to refer to three distinct types of cured beef:
Due to the ubiquity of salting beef for preservation in many cultures, corned beef features prominently as an ingredient in many cuisines, including the Jewish
, Irish American
, and Caribbean cuisine
s. Corned beef is also a main part of the German dish Labskaus
, well known during World War II and still served today in restaurants on Germany's Northern coast.
Canned corned beef is sometimes referred to in the United Kingdom
as bully beef, which derived from the French term bœuf bouilli (boiled beef). In making corned beef, most manufacturers add potassium nitrate
(saltpeter) or sodium nitrite
to the cure to preserve the beef's pink colour.
. Evidence of its legacy is apparent in numerous cultures, including Ancient Europe, and the Middle East. The word corn derives from Old English, which is used to describe any small hard particles or grains. In the case of "corned beef", the word refers to the coarse granular salts used to cure
the beef.
A significant amount of the corned beef in the Atlantic trade was produced in colonial Ireland from local cattle and salt imported from the Iberian peninsula and southwestern France. Coastal cities, such as Dublin, Belfast
, and Cork
, created vast beef curing and packing industries, with the last city producing half of Ireland's annual beef exports in 1668. Although the production and trade of corned beef as a commodity was source of great wealth for the colonial nations of England and France participating in the Atlantic slave trade
, in the colonies themselves the product was looked upon with disdain due to its association with poverty and slavery.
During the Irish Famine and the Great Potato Famine, raising cattle for production of corned beef to sustain the British Isle and Atlantic trade crowded out land for other agricultural development and prevented the raising of crops to feed the local population:
Despite being a major producer of beef, most Irish during this time did not regularly consume the meat product in either fresh or salted form. This was due in large part to its prohibitive cost in Ireland, the fact that the beef cattle were owned by the British colonisers and not by the Irish, and that most if not all of the corned beef was exported. The lack of beef or corned beef in the Irish diet is especially true in Northern Ireland and areas away from the major centres for corned beef production. However, individuals living in these production centres such as Cork did consume the product to a certain extent. The majority of Irish that resided in Ireland at the time mainly consumed dairy and meats such as pork or salt pork
.
Although it ceased to be an important commodity in the 19th century Atlantic trade due in part to the abolition of slavery, corned beef production and its canned form remained important as a food source during World War II
. Much of the canned corned beef came from Fray Bentos
in Uruguay
, with over 16 million cans exported in 1943. Even now, significant amounts of the global canned corned beef supply comes from South America.
Some say it was not until the wave of 18th century Irish immigration
to the United States that much of the ethnic Irish first began to consume corned beef dishes seen today. One reason for the popularity of corned beef over bacon to the immigrated Irish was likely due to corned beef in their native land being considered a luxury product, but was cheaply and readily available in America.
In Ireland today, the serving of corned beef is geared toward tourist consumption and most Irish in Ireland do not identify the ingredient as native cuisine.
The Jewish population produced similar koshered cured beef product made from the brisket which the Irish immigrants purchased as corned beef from Jewish butchers. This was likely facilitated by the close cultural interactions and collaboration of these two immigrant cultures.
, but sometimes round
or silverside
) cured
or pickled
in a seasoned brine
, and canned (cooked).
In the U.S., corned beef is often purchased ready to eat in delicatessens. It is the key ingredient in the grilled Reuben sandwich
, consisting of corned beef, Swiss cheese
, sauerkraut
, and Thousand Island
or Russian dressing
on rye bread
.
Corned beef hash
is commonly served with eggs for breakfast.
Smoking corned beef, typically with a generally similar spice mix, produces smoked meat
(or "smoked beef") such as pastrami
.
In both the U.S. and Canada, some corned beef is sold in cans in minced form, usually imported from South America.
. Corned beef is not considered an Irish national dish, and the connection with Saint Patrick's Day specifically originates as part of Irish-American culture, and is often part of their celebrations in North America. In Ireland
, the closest traditional dish is bacon and cabbage (more akin to Canadian style bacon or ham), as beef was considered a less desirable meat. Corned beef and cabbage became popular in the U.S. after Irish immigrants in the northeast used corned beef instead of pork in the dish. This substitution was likely due to the low cost of corned beef in the U.S.
Corned beef was used as a substitute for bacon by Irish American immigrants in the late 19th century.
A similar dish is the New England boiled dinner
, consisting of corned beef, cabbage, and root vegetables such as carrots, turnips, and potatoes, which is popular in New England
and parts of Atlantic Canada.
. Bully beef and biscuits were the main field rations of the British Army
from the Boer War to World War II
. It is commonly served sliced in a corned beef sandwich
. Hash
and hotpot, in which potatoes and corned beef are stewed together, are also made. Tinned corned beef is also used in mainland Europe.
The U.S. version of corned beef is known in the U.K. as salt beef, and is available in cities with large Jewish communities.
During the time of the Great Frost, a particularly cold spring drought in 1740 made it difficult to raise enough cattle for food or work. Many cattle in the south of Ireland died amid the harsh weather conditions. Cattle that survived and were suitable for food were exported to England.
for three, five or six days then boiled slowly for few hours.
Salt-cured meat
Salt-cured meat or salted meat, for example bacon and kippered herring, is meat or fish preserved or cured with salt. Salting, either with dry salt or brine, was the only widely available method of preserving meat until the 19th century...
beef
Beef
Beef is the culinary name for meat from bovines, especially domestic cattle. Beef can be harvested from cows, bulls, heifers or steers. It is one of the principal meats used in the cuisine of the Middle East , Australia, Argentina, Brazil, Europe and the United States, and is also important in...
products present in many beef-eating cultures. The English term is used interchangeably in modernity to refer to three distinct types of cured beef:
- Wet-cured in spiced brine products are more supple and tender due to the brining, and in modern times, is usually made from brisketBrisketBrisket is a cut of meat from the breast or lower chest of beef or veal. The beef brisket is one of the eight beef primal cuts. The brisket muscles include the superficial and deep pectorals. As cattle do not have collar bones, these muscles support about 60% of the body weight of standing/moving...
or round steakRound steakA round steak is a steak from the round primal cut of beef. Specifically, a round steak is the eye round, bottom round, and top round still connected, with or without the "round" bone , and may include the knuckle , depending on how the round is separated from the loin. This is a lean cut and it...
. - Dry-cured with granular salt beef is much drier and firmer in texture, even after rehydration, and can be made from various cuts of beef.
- Canned minced salted meat is ground salted beef that is crumbly and oily, and made from various portions of beef.
Due to the ubiquity of salting beef for preservation in many cultures, corned beef features prominently as an ingredient in many cuisines, including the Jewish
Jewish cuisine
Jewish Cuisine is a collection of the different cooking traditions of the Jewish people worldwide. It is a diverse cuisine that has evolved over many centuries, shaped by Jewish dietary laws and Jewish Festival and Sabbath traditions...
, Irish American
Irish cuisine
Irish cuisine is a style of cooking originating from Ireland or developed by Irish people. It evolved from centuries of social and political change. The cuisine takes its influence from the crops grown and animals farmed in its temperate climate. The introduction of the potato in the second half of...
, and Caribbean cuisine
Caribbean cuisine
Caribbean cuisine is a fusion of African, Amerindian, British, Spanish, French, Dutch, Indian, and Chinese cuisine. These traditions were brought from the many homelands of this region's population...
s. Corned beef is also a main part of the German dish Labskaus
Labskaus
Labskaus is a culinary specialty from Northern Germany and in particular from the cities of Bremen, Lübeck, and Hamburg. The main ingredients are salted meat or corned beef, potatoes, and onion...
, well known during World War II and still served today in restaurants on Germany's Northern coast.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
as bully beef, which derived from the French term bœuf bouilli (boiled beef). In making corned beef, most manufacturers add potassium nitrate
Potassium nitrate
Potassium nitrate is a chemical compound with the formula KNO3. It is an ionic salt of potassium ions K+ and nitrate ions NO3−.It occurs as a mineral niter and is a natural solid source of nitrogen. Its common names include saltpetre , from medieval Latin sal petræ: "stone salt" or possibly "Salt...
(saltpeter) or sodium nitrite
Sodium nitrite
Sodium nitrite is the inorganic compound with the chemical formula NaNO2. It is a white to slight yellowish crystalline powder that is very soluble in water and is hygroscopic...
to the cure to preserve the beef's pink colour.
History
Although the exact beginnings of corned beef have been lost to history, it most likely came about when people began preserving meat through salt-curingSalt-cured meat
Salt-cured meat or salted meat, for example bacon and kippered herring, is meat or fish preserved or cured with salt. Salting, either with dry salt or brine, was the only widely available method of preserving meat until the 19th century...
. Evidence of its legacy is apparent in numerous cultures, including Ancient Europe, and the Middle East. The word corn derives from Old English, which is used to describe any small hard particles or grains. In the case of "corned beef", the word refers to the coarse granular salts used to cure
Curing (food preservation)
Curing refers to various food preservation and flavoring processes, especially of meat or fish, by the addition of a combination of salt, nitrates, nitrite or sugar. Many curing processes also involve smoking, the process of flavoring, or cooking...
the beef.
18th century Atlantic trade
Though the practice of curing beef was practiced locally in many cultures, the industrial production of corned beef started in the English industrial revolution. Irish corned beef was used and traded extensively from the 17th century to the mid 19th century for English civilian consumption and as provisions for the British naval fleets and North American armies due to its non-perishable nature. The product was also traded to the French for use in Caribbean sugar plantations as sustenance for the colonist, the slave labor, and for control of the slave population. The 17th century English and Irish industrial processes for corned beef did not distinguish between different cuts of beef beyond the tough and undesirable parts such as the beef necks and shanks. Rather, the grading was done by the weight of the cattle into "small beef", "cargo beef" and "best mess beef", with the former the worst and the latter the best. Much of the undesirable portions and lower grades were traded to the French, while better parts were saved for English consumption or shipped to English colonies.A significant amount of the corned beef in the Atlantic trade was produced in colonial Ireland from local cattle and salt imported from the Iberian peninsula and southwestern France. Coastal cities, such as Dublin, Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
, and Cork
Cork (city)
Cork is the second largest city in the Republic of Ireland and the island of Ireland's third most populous city. It is the principal city and administrative centre of County Cork and the largest city in the province of Munster. Cork has a population of 119,418, while the addition of the suburban...
, created vast beef curing and packing industries, with the last city producing half of Ireland's annual beef exports in 1668. Although the production and trade of corned beef as a commodity was source of great wealth for the colonial nations of England and France participating in the Atlantic slave trade
Atlantic slave trade
The Atlantic slave trade, also known as the trans-atlantic slave trade, refers to the trade in slaves that took place across the Atlantic ocean from the sixteenth through to the nineteenth centuries...
, in the colonies themselves the product was looked upon with disdain due to its association with poverty and slavery.
During the Irish Famine and the Great Potato Famine, raising cattle for production of corned beef to sustain the British Isle and Atlantic trade crowded out land for other agricultural development and prevented the raising of crops to feed the local population:
Despite being a major producer of beef, most Irish during this time did not regularly consume the meat product in either fresh or salted form. This was due in large part to its prohibitive cost in Ireland, the fact that the beef cattle were owned by the British colonisers and not by the Irish, and that most if not all of the corned beef was exported. The lack of beef or corned beef in the Irish diet is especially true in Northern Ireland and areas away from the major centres for corned beef production. However, individuals living in these production centres such as Cork did consume the product to a certain extent. The majority of Irish that resided in Ireland at the time mainly consumed dairy and meats such as pork or salt pork
Salt pork
Salt pork or white bacon is salt-cured pork. It is prepared from one of three primal cuts: pork side, pork belly, or fatback. Depending on the cut, respectively, salt pork may be lean, streaky or entirely fatty. Made from the same cuts as bacon, salt pork resembles uncut slab bacon, but is...
.
19th and Modern
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Much of the canned corned beef came from Fray Bentos
Fray Bentos
Fray Bentos, the capital of the Río Negro Department of western Uruguay, is a port on the Uruguay River. It is close to the border with Argentina and about due north of Buenos Aires.-History:...
in Uruguay
Uruguay
Uruguay ,officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay,sometimes the Eastern Republic of Uruguay; ) is a country in the southeastern part of South America. It is home to some 3.5 million people, of whom 1.8 million live in the capital Montevideo and its metropolitan area...
, with over 16 million cans exported in 1943. Even now, significant amounts of the global canned corned beef supply comes from South America.
Cultural associations
In North America corned beef dishes are associated with traditional Irish cuisine. However there is considerable debate about the association of corned beef with Ireland. Mark Kurlansky in his book Salt states that the Irish produced a salted beef around the Middle Ages that was the "forerunner of what today is known as Irish corned beef" and in the seventeenth century the English named the Irish salted beef, corned beef.Some say it was not until the wave of 18th century Irish immigration
Irish American
Irish Americans are citizens of the United States who can trace their ancestry to Ireland. A total of 36,278,332 Americans—estimated at 11.9% of the total population—reported Irish ancestry in the 2008 American Community Survey conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau...
to the United States that much of the ethnic Irish first began to consume corned beef dishes seen today. One reason for the popularity of corned beef over bacon to the immigrated Irish was likely due to corned beef in their native land being considered a luxury product, but was cheaply and readily available in America.
In Ireland today, the serving of corned beef is geared toward tourist consumption and most Irish in Ireland do not identify the ingredient as native cuisine.
The Jewish population produced similar koshered cured beef product made from the brisket which the Irish immigrants purchased as corned beef from Jewish butchers. This was likely facilitated by the close cultural interactions and collaboration of these two immigrant cultures.
North America
In the United States and Canada, corned beef typically comes in two forms, a cut of beef (usually brisketBrisket
Brisket is a cut of meat from the breast or lower chest of beef or veal. The beef brisket is one of the eight beef primal cuts. The brisket muscles include the superficial and deep pectorals. As cattle do not have collar bones, these muscles support about 60% of the body weight of standing/moving...
, but sometimes round
Round steak
A round steak is a steak from the round primal cut of beef. Specifically, a round steak is the eye round, bottom round, and top round still connected, with or without the "round" bone , and may include the knuckle , depending on how the round is separated from the loin. This is a lean cut and it...
or silverside
Silverside (beef)
Silverside is a cut of beef from the hindquarter of cattle, just above the leg cut. It gets its name because of the "silverwall" on the side of the cut; this is a long fibrous "skin" of connective tissue, which has to be removed as it is too tough to eat. The primary muscle is the biceps...
) cured
Curing (food preservation)
Curing refers to various food preservation and flavoring processes, especially of meat or fish, by the addition of a combination of salt, nitrates, nitrite or sugar. Many curing processes also involve smoking, the process of flavoring, or cooking...
or pickled
Pickling
Pickling, also known as brining or corning is the process of preserving food by anaerobic fermentation in brine to produce lactic acid, or marinating and storing it in an acid solution, usually vinegar . The resulting food is called a pickle. This procedure gives the food a salty or sour taste...
in a seasoned brine
Brine
Brine is water, saturated or nearly saturated with salt .Brine is used to preserve vegetables, fruit, fish, and meat, in a process known as brining . Brine is also commonly used to age Halloumi and Feta cheeses, or for pickling foodstuffs, as a means of preserving them...
, and canned (cooked).
Reuben sandwich
The Reuben sandwich is a hot sandwich of layered meat, sauerkraut and Swiss cheese, with a dressing. These are grilled between slices of rye bread. The meat is either corned beef or pastrami, and the dressing is either Russian or Thousand Island dressing...
, consisting of corned beef, Swiss cheese
Swiss cheese
Swiss cheese is a generic name in North America for several related varieties of cheese which resemble the Swiss Emmental. Some types of Swiss cheese have a distinctive appearance, as the blocks of the cheese are riddled with holes known as "eyes". Swiss cheese has a piquant, but not very sharp,...
, sauerkraut
Sauerkraut
Sauerkraut , directly translated from German: "sour cabbage", is finely shredded cabbage that has been fermented by various lactic acid bacteria, including Leuconostoc, Lactobacillus, and Pediococcus. It has a long shelf-life and a distinctive sour flavor, both of which result from the lactic acid...
, and Thousand Island
Thousand Island dressing
Thousand Island dressing is a salad dressing and condiment, a variant of remoulade and Russian dressing.Its base commonly contains mayonnaise and can include olive oil, lemon juice, orange juice, paprika, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, vinegar, cream, chili sauce, tomato puree, ketchup, or Tabasco...
or Russian dressing
Russian dressing
Russian dressing is a salad dressing invented in the United States in the late 19th century or early 20th century. Typically piquant, it is today characteristically made of a blend of mayonnaise and ketchup complemented with such additional ingredients as horseradish, pimentos, chives and...
on rye bread
Rye bread
Rye bread is a type of bread made with various percentages of flour from rye grain. It can be light or dark in color, depending on the type of flour used and the addition of coloring agents, and is typically denser than bread made from wheat flour...
.
Corned beef hash
Hash (food)
Hash is a dish consisting of meat, potatoes, and spices, that are mashed together into a smooth, creamy consistency, and then cooked either alone or with other ingredients such as onions....
is commonly served with eggs for breakfast.
Smoking corned beef, typically with a generally similar spice mix, produces smoked meat
Smoked meat
Smoked meat is a method of preparing red meat which originates in prehistory. Its purpose is to preserve these protein-rich foods, which would otherwise spoil quickly, for long periods. There are two mechanisms for this preservation: dehydration and the antibacterial properties of absorbed smoke...
(or "smoked beef") such as pastrami
Pastrami
Pastrami , is a popular delicatessen meat usually made from beef and, traditionally in Romania, also from pork and mutton. In Israel, "Pastrama" is the term used for sliced chicken and turkey. Like corned beef, pastrami was originally created as a way to preserve meat before modern refrigeration...
.
In both the U.S. and Canada, some corned beef is sold in cans in minced form, usually imported from South America.
Saint Patrick's Day
In the U.S. and Canada, consumption of corned beef is often associated with Saint Patrick's DaySaint Patrick's Day
Saint Patrick's Day is a religious holiday celebrated internationally on 17 March. It commemorates Saint Patrick , the most commonly recognised of the patron saints of :Ireland, and the arrival of Christianity in Ireland. It is observed by the Catholic Church, the Anglican Communion , the Eastern...
. Corned beef is not considered an Irish national dish, and the connection with Saint Patrick's Day specifically originates as part of Irish-American culture, and is often part of their celebrations in North America. In Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, the closest traditional dish is bacon and cabbage (more akin to Canadian style bacon or ham), as beef was considered a less desirable meat. Corned beef and cabbage became popular in the U.S. after Irish immigrants in the northeast used corned beef instead of pork in the dish. This substitution was likely due to the low cost of corned beef in the U.S.
Corned beef was used as a substitute for bacon by Irish American immigrants in the late 19th century.
A similar dish is the New England boiled dinner
New England boiled dinner
New England boiled dinner is the basis of a traditional New England meal, consisting of corned beef or a smoked "picnic ham" shoulder, with cabbage and added vegetable items, often including potato, rutabaga, parsnip, carrot, white turnip and onion. When using a beef roast, this meal is often known...
, consisting of corned beef, cabbage, and root vegetables such as carrots, turnips, and potatoes, which is popular in New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
and parts of Atlantic Canada.
United Kingdom
In the United Kingdom, corned beef refers to the variety made from finely minced corned beef in a small amount of gelatin (bully beef; from the French bouilli "boiled"), and is sold in distinctive oblong-shaped cans, just as in the U.S. and Canada, or in slices from supermarkets. It is mainly imported from Argentina, Brazil and UruguayUruguay
Uruguay ,officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay,sometimes the Eastern Republic of Uruguay; ) is a country in the southeastern part of South America. It is home to some 3.5 million people, of whom 1.8 million live in the capital Montevideo and its metropolitan area...
. Bully beef and biscuits were the main field rations of the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
from the Boer War to World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. It is commonly served sliced in a corned beef sandwich
Corned beef sandwich
A corned beef sandwich is a sandwich prepared with corned beef.In the United States of America, this sandwich is often served with mustard and a pickle....
. Hash
Hash (food)
Hash is a dish consisting of meat, potatoes, and spices, that are mashed together into a smooth, creamy consistency, and then cooked either alone or with other ingredients such as onions....
and hotpot, in which potatoes and corned beef are stewed together, are also made. Tinned corned beef is also used in mainland Europe.
The U.S. version of corned beef is known in the U.K. as salt beef, and is available in cities with large Jewish communities.
Ireland
The appearance of corned beef in Irish cuisine dates to the 12th century in the poem Aislinge Meic Con Glinne or The Vision of MacConglinne. Within the text, it is described as a delicacy a king uses to purge himself of the "demon of gluttony". Cattle, valued as a bartering tool, were only eaten when no longer able to provide milk or to work. The corned beef as described in this text was a rare and valued dish, given the value and position of cattle within the culture, as well as the expense of salt, and was unrelated to the corned beef eaten today.During the time of the Great Frost, a particularly cold spring drought in 1740 made it difficult to raise enough cattle for food or work. Many cattle in the south of Ireland died amid the harsh weather conditions. Cattle that survived and were suitable for food were exported to England.
South Asia (India and Pakistan)
In South Asia specially in Pakistan it is called Hunter Beef , with an addition of few spices namely cardamom, black pepper, cinnamon, lemon juice or vinegar and brown sugar. The beef is rested in mix of spices, salt and saltpeterSaltpeter
Saltpeter or saltpetre often refers to:*Potassium nitrate, or the mineral niter, the critical oxidizing component of gunpowder, and a food preservative.It may also refer to:...
for three, five or six days then boiled slowly for few hours.
External links
- Corned Beef and Food Safety
- HD video of making a corned beef sandwich http://eatinganddining.com/meat-eggs/cornering-the-market-on-awesome-corned-beef/