There has been an enormous resurgence in corned beef over the past year or so. Sales in the UK alone have increased by a staggering £9.8m! This is, in part, attributed to millennials (re)discovering the economical and delicious foodstuff. I’ve always loved corned beef – yes, I liked it before it was cool – and I’m always looking for new reasons to crack open a tin. Mind you, I can’t seem to do it without breaking off the little key halfway through. Perhaps I’m a little too eager to get to the good stuff inside.
You don’t have to be a millennial to enjoy corned beef (I’m pretty sure I’m generation X). Before I get to some of my favourite go-to recipes, I’d like to share five great reasons to stock up your store cupboards with tins of corned beef.
1. Corned beef is already cooked. This means that there is often little or no ‘cooking time’ when preparing a meal. Unlike minced beef (ground beef if you’re American) that requires cooking and then simmering time to make tender, corned beef only requires warming through. Cooked in a pan with tomatoes, corned beef melts down into a rich and delicious gravy or ragu.
2. Corned beef is economical. Not only are tins of corned beef cheap to buy – although how long this will remain the case considering the rise in popularity coupled with an unstable economy – but due to the fact the meat is already cooked the fuel costs (gas or electricity) are less.
3. Corned beef can be eaten ‘as is’. Corned beef is highly flavoured and can be sliced and eaten straight after leaving the tin. However, avoid buying packets of pre-sliced corned beef unless you’re prepared to spend a lot more for the convenience.
4. Easy storage. Tinned food is designed to be stored in a cupboard for a long time. One of the great benefits of corned beef is that you can stock up your store cupboard and always have the main ingredient on hand for impromptu dishes.
5. Corned beef tastes great. We’ve already covered this, I know, but we can hardly leave this virtue unsung in our five reasons why corned beef is amazing. For those whohaven’t had corned beef in a long time, perhaps even years, the novelty of the new flavours corned beef brings to the table (literally!) are an asset we shouldn’t ignore.
Below I share my go-to corned beef recipes as promised. Beginning with corned beef hash, I start with the classics and end with a recipe of my own that I’m pleased to say goes down really well with my friends and family. It’s not a dinner party dish but a tasty meal that is well appreciated by all I share it with. I’ll keep you guessing as to what it is but I hope you try it out and enjoy it too.
5 Corned Beef Recipes
Corned Beef Hash (Serves 4)
Ingredients
- 340g can corned beef, cut into cubes
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon mixed Italian herbs
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 500g potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes
- 4 tablespoons rapeseed oil
- Medium onion, sliced
- Clove of garlic, chopped finely
- 200g can plum tomatoes, drained
- 1 tablespoon tomato ketchup
- Ground black pepper
- 50g grated Cheddar cheese and green salad, to serve
Method
- Place corned beef in a bowl and toss in Dijon mustard, mixed Italian herbs and Worcestershire sauce. Put in the fridge to marinade for 10 minutes.
- Par boil the potatoes and then shallow fry in 3 tablespoons rapeseed oil. Place on kitchen roll to drain and set to one side.
- Fry sliced onion in remaining oil until soft and caramelised, adding chopped garlic a minute before the end.
- Add the corned beef and fry for 2 minutes.
- Add drained plum tomatoes, breaking up the tomatoes with a wooden spoon or spatula, and stir in the tomato ketchup. Cook on a medium heat for 5 minutes.
- Season with black pepper and gently stir in the diced potatoes.
- Serve with a sprinkle of grated Cheddar cheese and a green salad.
Fusilli Pasta with Corned Beef Ragu (Serves 4)
Ingredients
- Medium onion, diced
- Red bell pepper, diced
- 2 tablespoons rapeseed oil
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 340g can corned beef, cut into cubes
- 400g can chopped tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon tomato ketchup
- 1 teaspoon chilli flakes (optional)
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs
- Ground black pepper
- 400g fusilli
- 50g grated parmesan, to serve
Method
- Sauté onion and red bell pepper in rapeseed oil until soft.
- Add garlic and fry for a further minute.
- Add corned beef and heat for two to three minutes until it has broken down.
- Add chopped tomatoes, tomato ketchup, chilli flakes (optional), Italian herbs and black pepper,and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Cook the pasta, drain and then stir into the corned beef sauce.
- Sprinkle on grated parmesan and serve.
Corned Beef Cottage Pie (Serves 4)
Ingredients
- Medium onion, diced
- Medium carrot, diced
- 2 tablespoons rapeseed oil
- Clove of garlic, minced
- 340g can corned beef, cut into cubes
- 200g can chopped tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon tomato ketchup
- ½ teaspoon Tabasco sauce (optional)
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- Ground black pepper
- 500g potatoes, cubed
- 50g butter
- 300g petit pois, to serve
Method
- Sauté the onion and carrot in rapeseed oil until soft.
- Add garlic and fry for a further minute.
- Add cubed corned beef and heat for two to three minutes until it has broken down.
- Add chopped tomatoes, tomato ketchup, Tabasco sauce (optional), Worcestershire sauce and black pepper, and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Cook the potatoes and mash with butter (alternatively, heat up frozen mashed potatoes).
- Spoon the corned beef mixture into an oven-proof dish and top with the mashed potatoes, roughing up the surface of the mash with a fork.
- Grill until crispy and golden.
- Serve with petit pois.
Corned Beef and Cheese Toasted Sandwich (Serves 1)
Ingredients
- 2 slices bread
- 1 teaspoon sandwich pickle
- 2 slices corned beef
- ½ teaspoon mustard
- 2 slices Gruyere cheese
- ½ medium tomato, sliced
- Coleslaw and pickled beetroot, to serve
Method
- Place two slices of bread under the grill and toast one side only until broken.
- Flip the two slices of bread and smear pickle onto one slice, topped with slices of corned beef and mustard onto the other topped with slices of Gruyere cheese.
- Grill until the cheese is bubbling and the corned beef is softened.
- Add thinly sliced tomato to the corned beef, then top with the cheesy slice.
- Serve with coleslaw and pickled beetroot.
Corned Beef and Green Bean Curry (Serves 4)
Ingredients
- Medium onion, sliced
- 2 tablespoons rapeseed oil
- 3 teaspoons minced garlic and chilli
- 340g can corned beef, cubed
- 450g jar butter chicken sauce
- 1 teaspoon mango chutney
- 400g green beans, drained
- Basmati rice and mint raita, to serve
Method
- Fry the onion in hot rapeseed oil until softened.
- Add minced garlic and chilli and fry for a further minute.
- Add diced corned beef and fry for two minutes until the beef begins to caramelize.
- Stir in butter chicken sauce, mango chutney and green beans and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Serve with basmati rice and mint raita.