Product Sneak Peek
House made Corned Beef
What is corned beef? A salt cured beef, most often brisket.
Why corned? About 300 years ago the word corn in English referred to large grains of spices and salt and so corn, used to refer to the large salt grains it was cured in, became its name.
A little history: In the late 1800s in America beef was cheaper than pork and at the same time many Jews had fled the pogroms of the Pale of Settlement to America. They opened up delis and began salt curing beef for sandwiches. When Irish immigrants settled in America the Irish and Jewish communities often ended up side by side and the salt cured beef popular in Jewish delis reminded many Irish folks of the corned beef that was popular amongst the wealthier Irish and English. American Irish immigrants paired it with cabbage and it became popular on St. Patrick’s day while Jewish Americans piled it on sandwiches and it remains a staple of New York City’s Jewish delis to this day.
How do you make corned beef? Nowadays most corned beef is brined rather than salt cure. A brine is a wet cure rather than a dry cure.
So, first you mix a brine solution with water, salt, sugar and a mix of spices. Many often use mustard seed.
You must completely submerge your brisket in the brine and refrigerate for 5 to 10 days. Take the brisket out and rinse any excess solution off under cold water.
You can then slow cook the brisket on low for 8-10 hours or let it simmer in boiling water on the stove top for 3-4 hours.
What makes West End Butcher & Deli’s corned beef special? Our special house blend of brine spices! If you’d like to make your own corned beef we’re happy to brine it for you and vacuum seal it so you can easily boil it at home and it will always be available fresh and ready in our deli. Have it on our beef sandwich or take some home to heat up with cabbage ;)
But what about Montreal smoked meat you ask!? We will definitely also be stocking Montreal smoked meat, my Montreal family wouldn’t let me own a deli without it, that we will be getting direct from Montreal.
Can’t wait to serve you and we hope you’ll come eat with us!
Jesse & Ben
