Yummy Lummy

A blog about food and me

Tag: Food

  • Labour day steak

    Labour day steak


    Labour Day is a public holiday most Australians enjoy without necessarily thinking about why it exists. We welcome the long weekend, some sleep in, some light the barbecue, and some people spend time with family and friends.

    I welcome the long weekend; I get out of bed before dawn to go for a walk and I am happy spending it alone on my couch watching TV. Mind you I did go into the office today to complete some compulsory training in peace and quiet.

    Behind the public holiday lies a story of workers who argued for something many of us take for granted: a reasonable balance between work, recreation, and rest.

    This Labour Day, I celebrated with a scotch fillet steak, crispy potato gems cooked in beef fat, and a blue cheese sauce.

    What is Labour Day?

    Labour Day marks the achievements of the labour movement and the efforts for fair working conditions in Australia. It celebrates the campaign for the eight-hour working day.

    This idea was revolutionary. In the mid-1800s, many workers worked for 10 to 14 hours a day, six days a week, often in physically demanding and dangerous conditions.

    Labour Day in Australia

    Australia’s Labour Day traces its origins to the Eight Hour Day movement.

    On 21 April 1856, stonemasons working on the construction of the University of Melbourne stopped work and marched through Melbourne demanding shorter working hours. Their campaign succeeded, securing an eight-hour working day without a reduction in pay. This was a landmark achievement and one of the earliest successful campaigns of its kind anywhere in the world.

    It became a symbol for workplace reforms. Over subsequent decades, workers and unions continued campaigning for better conditions, leading eventually to shorter working weeks, workplace safety improvements, paid leave, and other employment protections that Australians now regard as normal.

    What Does Labour Day Mark?

    Labour Day marks:

    • The achievements of Australian workers.
    • The success of the eight-hour day movement.
    • The importance of fair pay and working conditions.
    • The contribution of organised labour and trade unions.
    • The principle that life should include work, rest, and recreation.

    Labour Day recognises that workers are more than economic units. They are parents, partners, community members, volunteers, and citizens.

    Why Do We Have a Labour Day Public Holiday?

    The purpose of the public holiday is both commemorative and practical.

    It commemorates the struggles and victories of previous generations of workers while giving today’s workers a day to enjoy the very work-life balance those campaigns sought to achieve. The holiday reminds Australians that fair working conditions were won through collective action rather than simply granted by employers or governments.

    A long weekend is arguably an expression of the eight-hour movement’s goals.

    What Official Activities Occur on Labour Day?

    Official activities vary between states and territories, but commonly include:

    • Union-organised marches and parades.
    • Community festivals.
    • Speeches by union representatives and political leaders.
    • Ceremonies recognising workers and labour history.
    • Educational events focused on workplace rights and labour history.

    In Queensland, May Day marches remain a prominent tradition, while other states often host commemorative gatherings and community events connected to labour organisations.

    How Many Australians Participate in Official Labour Day Events?

    This is harder to answer precisely.

    While Labour Day marches, parades, and commemorative activities occur, I could not locate an authoritative national statistic showing what proportion of Australians participate in official Labour Day events. Sources describe the events and their significance, but do not provide a national participation rate.

    Anecdotally, participation in official events represents only a small fraction of the Australian population, with most people observing the holiday simply as a public holiday and long weekend.

    Labour day meal

    A public holiday deserves a meal that feels special without requiring a day spent in the kitchen.

    Scotch Fillet Steak

    The dry-brined steak spent one hour in a water bath maintained at 57 °C. This temperature produces an even medium-rare result from edge to edge, preserving tenderness and juiciness.

    Once removed from the bag, the steak was dried thoroughly and finished over a gas barbecue. To achieve a deeper crust, a gas blowtorch assisted with the final sear, creating a caramelised exterior.

    The result was what a scotch fillet should be:

    • Tender.
    • Juicy.
    • Beefy.
    • Browned on the outside.

    Potato Gems in Beef Fat

    Potato gems are already one of humanity’s finer inventions.

    Cooking them in beef fat elevates them to another level.

    The hot beef fat develops a blistered golden crust while enhancing the savoury flavour. The outside becomes wonderfully crisp while the inside remains fluffy and soft.

    Every bite tastes indulgent.

    Blue Cheese Sauce

    The blue cheese sauce added richness and complexity.

    Sharp, salty, creamy, and slightly funky, it complemented the scotch fillet beautifully. Each mouthful balanced the sweetness of the beef, the crunch of the potato gems, and the bold character of the cheese.

    Dry-brined scotch fillet steak cooked sous vide at 57 °C for 1 hour and seared with a gas blow torch, served with crispy beef-fat potato gems on a creamy blue brie cheese sauce, garnished with cracked peppercorns and fresh chives.
    Close overhead photograph of dry-brined scotch fillet steak cooked sous vide at 57 °C and seared with a gas blow torch. Golden potato gems sit on a velvety blue cheese sauce made with cultured butter, cream, cream cheese, blue brie cheese, and Dijon mustard, topped with peppercorns and chopped chives.
    Torch-seared scotch fillet steak sliced and arranged beside crisp potato gems cooked in beef fat. The meal is presented on a creamy blue cheese and Dijon mustard sauce, finished with cracked pepper and green chive garnish.
    Overhead view of medium-rare scotch fillet steak slices with a charred crust from gas blow-torch searing. Beef-fat potato gems rest on a smooth blue cheese sauce, with freshly cracked peppercorns and chopped chives scattered across the plate.
    Plate of sliced scotch fillet steak cooked sous vide and torch-seared, accompanied by golden potato gems cooked in beef fat. The dish sits on a rich blue cheese sauce made with cultured butter, cream, cream cheese, blue brie, and Dijon mustard, garnished with cracked pepper and fresh chives.

    Final Thoughts

    Labour Day is a reminder that the balance between work, rest, and recreation is worth protecting. More than 170 years after some stonemasons marched for the eight-hour day, Australians continue to benefit.

    A long weekend provides an opportunity to reflect on those achievements. It also provides an excuse to cook a scotch fillet steak, crisp some potato gems in beef fat, and drown everything in blue cheese sauce.

    References

    National Museum of Australia. 2024. Eight-hour day.

    State Library Victoria. Origins of the 8-hour day.

    Australian Workers Heritage Centre. 2025. Labour Day History.

    Australian Workers Heritage Centre. 2026. 170 Years of the Eight Hour Day.

    LabourDay.com.au. What is Labour Day?

    ABC News. 2026. Which states get a public holiday today? What event is it?

    Time Out Australia. 2026. What is Australia’s Labour Day public holiday for?

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  • Beefy soup

    Beefy soup


    This beefy soup began with a pressure cooker full of short ribs, vegetables, potatoes, passata, and mixed mammal cooking liquor. It ended, after an overnight pause and a little stick-blender persuasion, as a thick, rich soup with tender beef, soft potato, and extravagantly buttered rye sourdough. It is not a quick dinner, but most of the waiting happens while you are doing something more interesting, like sleeping.

    A dark bowl filled with beef short rib soup sits on a pink background. The smooth orange broth contains one piece of slow-cooked beef short rib and pieces of soft potato. A metal spoon is tucked behind a slice of double-buttered rye sourdough toast resting across the rim of the bowl. The sourdough is heavily spread with cultured butter, and a second buttered slice sits on a matching black plate beside the bowl. The contrast between the dark crockery, creamy butter, and warm-coloured soup creates a hearty and inviting presentation.

    At a glance

    • Serves: 2 generously or one Gary
    • Pressure cooking: 45 minutes at high pressure, followed by natural pressure release
    • Chilling: overnight
    • Reheating: 30 minutes in a 60 °C water bath, plus time to reduce and blend the soup

    Ingredients

    • Beef short ribs, cut across the bone into pieces about 5 cm long
    • 1 fennel bulb, sliced
    • 2 celery stalks, sliced
    • 1 brown onion, sliced
    • Potatoes, cut into bite-sized pieces
    • Passata
    • Mixed mammal cooking liquor, sufficient to provide the pressure cooker’s minimum required liquid and partly cover the ingredients
    • Rye sourdough, thickly sliced
    • Cultured butter, softened
    • Salt, to taste
    • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

    Yummy Lummy’s note: The exact quantities can vary based on the size of your pressure cooker and your appetite, but do not exceed the manufacturer’s maximum-fill line. Keep enough thin liquid in the pot for the cooker to reach and maintain pressure; passata alone may be too thick.

    Equipment

    • Electric pressure cooker
    • Sharp knife and cutting board
    • Cooking twine
    • Tongs and slotted spoon
    • Fine-mesh strainer or colander
    • Three heatproof bowls or containers
    • Saucepan
    • Stick blender
    • Water-bath circulator and heatproof container
    • Toaster or grill
    • Butter knife

    Day 1: pressure-cook the ribs and vegetables.

    1. Slice the fennel, celery, and brown onion. Cut the potatoes into bite-sized pieces.
    2. Cut the beef short ribs into pieces about 5 cm long. Tie cooking twine firmly around each piece, securing the meat to the bone. This is culinary seatbelting: it keeps the rib and meat together after its energetic trip through the pressure cooker.
    3. Place the fennel, celery, onion, potatoes, passata, and mixed mammal cooking liquor into the pressure cooker. Add the tied rib pieces.
    4. Check that the contents sit below the maximum-fill line and that the cooker contains the minimum volume of thin liquid required by its manufacturer.
    5. Seal the cooker. Cook at high pressure for 45 minutes.
    6. When cooking finishes, leave the cooker untouched and allow the pressure to release naturally. Open it only when the pressure indicator confirms that it is safe.
    7. Using tongs and a slotted spoon, transfer the cooked ribs and potatoes to one container.
    8. Drain the fennel, celery, and onion, reserving them in a second container.
    9. Strain the cooking liquor into a third container. Cool everything promptly, cover, and refrigerate overnight.

    Day 2: turn the vegetables into soup

    1. Set the water bath to 60 °C. Place one chilled rib portion and one potato portion in a suitable sealed bag, and warm them for 30 minutes.
    2. Meanwhile, place the drained fennel, celery, and onion in a saucepan. Add a small amount of the chilled cooking liquor—enough to loosen the vegetables without drowning them.
    3. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Cook uncovered until it begins to reduce, and the flavours concentrate.
    4. Remove the saucepan from direct heat briefly, then blend with a stick blender until thick and smooth. Add a little more cooking liquor if it becomes closer to mashed potato than soup. Return it to a gentle simmer.
    5. Taste, then season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. The cooking liquor may already be salty, so approach the salt cellar with manners.

    Twice-Buttered Rye Sourdough Toast

    1. Toast the rye sourdough until crisp and well browned.
    2. While the toast is still hot, spread it with a thin layer of cultured butter. This first layer melts into the crumb.
    3. Allow the toast to cool slightly.
    4. Spread on a second thin layer of cultured butter. The cooler surface lets this layer remain in golden patches rather than disappearing completely.
    5. Finish the twice-buttered toast with a light sprinkle of flaky salt.

    This is sometimes called two-stage or double buttering. Published descriptions of Nigella Lawson’s method follow the same sequence: butter immediately so the first layer soaks in, wait for the toast to cool, then add a second layer that stays on the surface (Funderburk 2026; Reynolds 2026). I call the result supersaturated toast. It may not be a formal scientific phase, but it is a very satisfactory one.

    To serve

    Ladle the simmering soup into a warm bowl. Remove the reheated rib and potato from the bag, discard the twine, and settle both into the soup. Serve the twice-buttered rye sourdough beside it for dipping, scooping, or quiet contemplation of butter’s excellent career choices.

    A dark bowl filled with beef short rib soup sits on a pink background. The smooth orange broth contains one piece of slow-cooked beef short rib and pieces of soft potato. A metal spoon is tucked behind a slice of double-buttered rye sourdough toast resting across the rim of the bowl. The sourdough is heavily spread with cultured butter, and a second buttered slice sits on a matching black plate beside the bowl. The contrast between the dark crockery, creamy butter, and warm-coloured soup creates a hearty and inviting presentation.

    Food-safety notes

    • Divide the cooked food into shallow containers so it cools quickly. Refrigerate it promptly.
    • Keep the refrigerator at 5 °C or colder.
    • The 60 °C water bath is a gentle warming step. Start with properly chilled food, use a sealed bag suitable for the purpose, and serve immediately after warming.
    • Bring the vegetable soup to a proper simmer before serving. If you are feeding someone who is pregnant, older, immunocompromised, or otherwise vulnerable, reheat the beef and potato until piping hot rather than relying on gentle warming alone.

    References

    Funderburk, C. 2026, ‘Nigella Lawson just taught me her delicious butter rule for the best toast’, The Kitchn, 3 February, accessed 27 September 2026. Notes: Describes Lawson’s two-stage method—one layer on hot toast, followed by a second after cooling.

    Reynolds, L. 2026, ‘Why you should butter toast twice’, Tasting Table, 18 July, accessed 27 September 2026. Notes: Explains how the first layer soaks into the crumb while the second remains on the surface.

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  • Croissant sandwiches

    Croissant sandwiches


    A buttery reflection on steak, corned beef, and why a fresh croissant may be better than ordinary sandwich bread.

    There are moments in life when an ordinary sandwich loaf simply will not do. This week, fresh croissants found themselves pressed into sandwich service, and I am not sure I want to go back to standard bread any time soon.

    The first experiment used leftover Scotch fillet strips, vintage cheddar, and cultured butter. The croissant was split, the base was buttered, the beef and cheese were layered over the top, and the whole lot had five minutes in the air fryer. The lid received another smear of cultured butter after it cooled slightly because, apparently, I had decided moderation was a spectator sport.

    The result was probably the best steak sandwich I have eaten in many, many years. There was flaky pastry, savoury beef, melted cheese, and enough cultured butter to make the croissant feel deeply appreciated.

    Sliced Scotch fillet steak arranged on a decorative ceramic plate, showing a deep brown seared crust and a pink medium-rare centre. The steak was cooked sous vide in a water bath and finished with a barbecue sear and gas torch, creating a charred exterior while retaining a juicy interior. A pat of butter rests on top of the sliced beef, beginning to melt over the warm meat, while flakes of coarse sea salt and cracked black pepper are scattered across the surface. The plate features colourful fruit and leaf motifs that contrast with the rich red and brown tones of the steak.
    Open toasted croissant sandwich on a wooden chopping board, filled with thick slices of leftover Scotch fillet steak and topped with melted vintage cheddar cheese. The croissant lid is generously spread with cultured butter, while the steak shows a dark, charred crust and a pink medium-rare centre. The melted cheese is sprinkled with cracked black pepper and finely chopped chives. The sandwich is presented partially assembled, highlighting the flaky croissant layers, buttery interior, and richly coloured steak and cheese filling.

    Not content with one success, I repeated the experiment with hashed corned beef from a tin. The corned beef was gently sautéed in a skillet until the fat rendered and the meat took on a little colour without becoming dry. Because the meat was hashed, it spread beautifully over the croissant base.

    The warm corned beef met the generously buttered croissant, and the cultured butter melted through the pastry layers. This was not high ceremony. This was practical with a French accent and a very happy ending.

    Open butter croissant sandwich on a colourful striped plate, topped with a generous layer of pan-fried hashed corned beef. Thick cultured butter is spread across the upper half of the flaky croissant and has begun to melt into the pastry. The corned beef filling is lightly browned and seasoned with black pepper, with a small amount spilling onto the plate. The image highlights the contrast between the buttery golden croissant, rich pink corned beef, and brightly coloured plate.

    Why a Croissant Works So Well as Sandwich Bread

    A good sandwich loaf has one job: it holds the filling together. A good croissant does more than hold things. It participates. The laminated layers bring crispness, tenderness, and buttery richness. The exterior flakes, the interior stays soft, and every bite has more texture than a plain slice of bread can usually manage.

    That does not mean a croissant is right for every sandwich. A towering salad sandwich on a croissant may end with lettuce, tomato, and regret on your lap. However, with rich fillings such as steak, cheddar, ham, egg, chicken, or corned beef, a croissant can be just as good as ordinary bread, and possibly better. It is not merely a vehicle. It is the co-driver.

    The Nutritional Question

    Let us address the buttery elephant in the room. Nobody reaches for a croissant because it is dressed as a health food. A traditional butter croissant is more energy-dense than ordinary sandwich bread because it is made with laminated dough, in which butter is folded into the dough repeatedly to create those crisp, flaky layers.

    Approximate Nutrition per Butter Croissant

    Nutrientper large croissant
    Energy1,300–1,600 kJ
    Protein6–8 g
    Fat17–22 g
    Saturated fat10–13 g
    Carbohydrate30–40 g
    Sugars5–8 g
    Dietary fibre1–3 g
    Sodium250–450 mg

    The exact numbers will vary according to the baker, size, butter content, and whether the croissant is plain or filled. Once you add Scotch fillet, vintage cheddar, hashed corned beef, and cultured butter, the numbers change again. The beef lifts the protein and iron, the cheese adds protein and calcium, the corned beef contributes protein, iron, vitamin B12, and sodium, and the butter contributes joy, which nutrition panels still stubbornly refuse to measure.

    From a low-carbohydrate perspective, a croissant is not an everyday staple. From a culinary perspective, however, it is an occasional indulgence that can transform a simple sandwich into something memorable.

    Would the French Approve?

    Possibly. Traditional French breakfasts often feature croissants served simply with coffee, tea, hot chocolate, butter, or jam. The classic version is uncomplicated: buy it fresh, eat it fresh, and preferably enjoy it before the flakes have time to settle into your shirt.

    That said, France is not unfamiliar with savoury croissants. Café counters, bakeries, and takeaway shops commonly sell croissants filled with ham, cheese, chicken, or other savoury ingredients. Some pastry purists may object to using a croissant for corned beef, but food rules are often most interesting when they meet a hungry person holding cultured butter.

    A Brief, Buttery History

    The croissant is closely associated with France, but its ancestry is more complicated. Food historians commonly link it to the Austrian kipferl, a crescent-shaped bread or pastry that predates the modern French croissant. The croissant became distinct when French bakers applied yeasted laminated dough techniques, folding butter through dough to make the thin, airy layers that define the pastry today.

    Those layers do not happen by accident. Croissant dough is rolled, folded around butter, chilled, rolled again, folded again, shaped, proved, and baked. In the oven, water in the butter turns to steam, the layers lift, and the baker hopes the result is golden, crisp, and structured rather than a buttery landslide.

    A proper croissant is at its best on the day it is baked. The outside should shatter slightly, the inside should show an open honeycomb crumb, and the whole thing should make you feel that ordinary toast has taken the morning off.

    Final Thoughts

    Perhaps the lesson here is simple: croissants should not be confined by tradition. If a fresh croissant can elevate leftover Scotch fillet and vintage cheddar into a memorable steak sandwich, and transform humble hashed corned beef into something worth writing about, then it deserves greater recognition as sandwich bread.

    The French may debate pastry etiquette. I will be over here, applying another generous layer of cultured butter.

    Author’s note: No ordinary sandwich loaf was harmed during these experiments. Several croissants, however, made the ultimate sacrifice.

    An artificial intelligence large language model was exploited to generate some of the original text before review and editing. The images have not been edited using artificial intelligence.

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  • Beef short rib with fennel

    Beef short rib with fennel


    I wanted to try something different with fennel, so I chose a large piece of beef short rib meat.

    A little over 2.5 kg of beef short rib meat

    Originally, I thought I would do this by slow cooking, but then I ran out of time. So instead, I have used the pressure cooker.

    For most of these sorts of dishes, you could use a slow cooker, a pressure cooker, or do it on a stovetop.

    I’ve provided a method for each.

    If you want to know what mixed mammal meat cooking liquor is, it’s the result of many slow-cooked beef, lamb, or pork dishes. I always keep the cooking liquor because it makes a decent meat broth.

    Ingredients

    Beef and aromatics

    • 1.2 kg boneless beef short rib meat
      cut into cubes ~8 cm³ (about 2 × 2 × 2 cm)
    • 2 tablespoons of beef fat
    • 1 fennel bulb (about 150 g), quartered
    • 2 teaspoons of fennel seeds
    • 2 cups (480 mL) mixed mammal meat cooking liquor
    • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
    • 2 sprigs of rosemary
    • 1 bay leaf
    • Salt and pepper to taste

    To finish

    • 2 tablespoons of cultured butter
    • Serve with Greek-style yoghurt, garnished with pickled pomegranate arils and fennel fronds.
    F. Dick butchers knife with mail glove and liner
    A little over 2.5 kg of beef short rib meat sliced
    A little over 2.5 kg of beef short rib meat diced
    Beef short rib meat diced and vacuum bagged

    Methods

    Stovetop and oven

    1. Preheat oven to 165 °C.
    2. Pat beef cubes dry.
    3. Heat the beef fat in a heavy pot. Brown the beef cubes in batches until well caramelised.
    4. Add sliced fennel and fennel seeds; sauté until the fennel softens slightly.
    5. Add the cooling liquor, rosemary, bay leaf, and vinegar if using.
    6. Return beef to the pot and bring to a gentle simmer.
    7. Cover and cook in the oven for 1.75–2 hours, until tender.
    8. Remove beef. Reduce the sauce on the stovetop until glossy.
    9. Whisk in butter.

    Slow Cooker Method

    1. Brown beef cubes and sauté fennel as above.
    2. Transfer everything to the slow cooker.
    3. Cook Low 5–6 hours or High 3–4 hours.
    4. Remove beef. Reduce cooking liquid in a saucepan until thickened.
    5. Finish with butter and serve.

    Pressure Cooker Method

    1. Brown the beef and fennel separately.
    2. Add fennel, fennel seeds, broth, rosemary, bay leaf, and vinegar.
    3. Seal and cook for 35–40 minutes at high pressure.
    4. Natural release for 10 minutes.
    5. Reduce the sauce and finish with butter.

    With no onion, garlic, tomato paste, thyme, or wine, the carbohydrate load is relatively low. The only meaningful carbohydrate source is fennel, which is widely used in low-carbohydrate recipes due to its low net carbohydrate content. Mixed mammal cooking liquor, beef, rosemary, olive oil, and butter are all compatible with a low-carbohydrate meal.

    Serve with Greek-style yoghurt, garnished with pickled pomegranate arils and fennel fronds.

    This version sits comfortably at 2–3 g net carbs per serving, depending on the amount of fennel.

    Nutrient Information (metric; per ingredient)

    Boneless beef short rib (300 g cooked yield per serving)

    • Energy: ~1400–1600 kJ
    • Protein: ~40–45 g
    • Fat: ~35–45 g
    • Carbohydrate: 0 g

    Fennel bulb (150 g total; ~37 g per serve)

    • Energy: 100 kJ
    • Carbohydrate: 7 g (net ~4 g)
    • Fibre: 3 g

    Mixed mammal cooking liquor (480 ml; ~120 ml per serve)

    • Protein: 5–7 g
    • Fat: 1–2 g
    • Carbohydrate: 0–1 g

    Beef fat (2 tbsp; ~7 g per serve)

    • Fat: 28 g

    Butter (2 tbsp; ~7 g per serve)

    • Fat: 14 g

    Estimated total per serving

    • Energy:
      ~2300–2700 kJ
    • Protein:
      ~45–50 g
    • Fat:
      ~55–65 g
    • Net carbs:
      2–3 g
    • Fibre:
      ~2–3 g

    Final Thoughts

    This is a clean, savoury meal that suits low‑carbohydrate preferences. The fennel and rosemary carry the aromatics, and the beef provides richness without needing onion, garlic, tomato paste, thyme, or wine.

    Beef short rib meat cooked in a pressure cooker and served with Greek-style yoghurt garnished with pickled pomegranate arils and fennel fronds.
    Beef short rib meat cooked in a pressure cooker and served with Greek-style yoghurt garnished with pickled pomegranate arils and fennel fronds.
    Beef short rib meat cooked in a pressure cooker and served with Greek-style yoghurt garnished with pickled pomegranate arils and fennel fronds.
    Beef short rib meat cooked in a pressure cooker and served with Greek-style yoghurt garnished with pickled pomegranate arils and fennel fronds.
    Serve with Greek-style yoghurt, garnished with pickled pomegranate arils and fennel fronds.
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  • Corned beef and pickle liquor

    Corned beef and pickle liquor


    I had mentioned to someone a few weeks ago that I was enjoying a pickled gherkin with lunch when I made an open sandwich. It was suggested that the liquor[i] from the jar shouldn’t be discarded because it could be used for slow-cooking corned beef.

    I had about a cupful of pickle liquor, so I thought I’d give it a go.

    I bought a piece of corned silverside[ii] (roughly 2 kg at $AUD10/kg) and slowly cooked it with the pickle liquor.

    Recipe

    Ingredients

    • Corned beef silverside
    • Pickle liquor

    Equipment

    • Slow cooker

    Instructions

    1. Place the beef into the cooking vessel.
    2. Add the pickle liquor.
    3. Cook on low heat for 8 hours.
    4. Remove the cooked corned silverside and refrigerate.
    5. Cut a slice of corned beef and place it on a piece of buttered sourdough bread[iii].
    6. Serve with some mustard and a pickled gherkin[iv].

    Photographs

    For lunch, I had tinned corned beef.

    For tea, I had the slowly cooked corned beef silverside.

    Here are the photographs for comparison.

    Tinned corned beef
    Slowly cooked corned beef silverside.
    Corned beef silverside with pickle, mustard, and sourdough bread

    Thoughts on the meal

    I enjoyed the corned silverside. This version tasted better than my recent effort.


    I used the last of the slowly cooked corned beef silverside, which had been prepared with pickle liquor. I diced the meat along with some gherkins and cooked them in the corned beef cooking liquid. Then, I added mustard, cream, and some cheese.

    I used the last of the slowly cooked corned beef silverside, which had been prepared with pickle liquor. I diced the meat along with some gherkins and cooked them in the corned beef cooking liquid. Then, I added mustard, cream, and some cheese.

    [i] Did you know that pickle liquor is a strong acid solution used in metalworking to clean and descale metal surfaces? Pickle juice is the salty, acidic liquid used to preserve pickles—typically made from water, vinegar, salt, and spices. I like (and prefer) the word liquor because it means liquid in which something has been steeped or cooked.

    [ii] Beef silverside is a large, lean cut from the hindquarter of a cow, known for its coarse texture and low in fat content. It’s popular in Australia, the UK, and New Zealand for roasting, corning, or making biltong.

    [iii] Sourdough bread is a naturally leavened bread made using wild yeast and lactic acid bacteria, giving it a tangy flavour and chewy texture.

    [iv] A gherkin is a small, bumpy cucumber variety that’s typically pickled and enjoyed for its crisp texture and tangy flavour.