One of the distinct annoyances of pregnancy is the complete ban on the consumption of cured meats (in Australia, anyway). Sigh. How I miss ham and salami! If I end up in the post-natal ward after the birth of this baby I’ll be sending Alex out to find me some yummy cured meat and soft cheese. You think I jest. I’m deadly serious.

To scratch my cold-meat-on-toast itch, I’ve taken to cooking up a corned beef and eating it over the following few days. This probably contravenes the ‘don’t eat leftovers more than 24 hours old’ pregnancy rule, but that’s a risk I’m willing to run if I’ve cooked something myself and know it has been stored appropriately.

I use a slight adaption of the Australian Women’s Weekly Slow Cooking recipe book’s corned beef recipe. I think most normal people also add a stick or two of celery, but I detest the stuff so leave it out.

It’s quite an old-school meal, but tasty, economical and oh-so-easy. What’s not to like?

Corned Beef

1.5kg piece of corned silverside
5 whole cloves
1 brown onion, chopped roughly
1 medium carrot, chopped roughly
1 tsp whole black peppercorns
2 tablespoons brown (malt) vinegar
1 tablespoon brown sugar
water to cover

Rinse the beef under cold running water, pat dry with paper towel. Poke cloves into the fat on the silverside.

Add to slow cooker with onion, carrot, peppercorns,  vinegar and brown sugar. Add water until the piece of meat is barely covered.

Cook, covered, in slow cooker on low for 8 hours. The silverside is ready when a skewer slides into it easily.

When cooked, allow to cool slightly in cooking liquid. Be sure not to leave it too long.

Discard liquid and vegetables.

Slice the silverside and serve with vegetables for dinner, or on toast for lunch. I find corned beef goes very well with mustard or relish, and with nice crunchy gherkins.

Of course, I have run out of brown sugar so today I substituted white sugar.