Jeremy’s corned beef with white sauce and suet dumplings

This recipe is a combination of two of Jeremy Strode’s corned beef recipes, kindly supplied by Jane Strode, with some elements from our own pickling recipe for corned beef. Some of the ingredients we would use in the pickle, Jeremy uses in the poaching broth, so this represents something of a joint effort. You’ll also find a recipe for the traditional accompaniment of white sauce and one for suet dumplings as well.

I asked Jane for this recipe because Jeremy Strode was the very first customer of Feather and Bone. He bought one of three whole Southdown lambs that made up our first consignment. He would later buy many Wiltshire Horn lambs from us and they were his favourite. I think he was particularly chuffed that he could source lamb bearing the name of his home patch in England.

It’s been said many times before but Jeremy is sorely missed by many in the Australian food world. He was a friend to Feather and Bone and we’re delighted to include this recipe here.

Jeremy Strode, chef

Feeds: 4–6 | Preparation time: 30 minutes, plus brining, cooling | Cooking time: 3 hours

1–1.5 kg (2 lb 4 oz–3 lb 5 oz) piece silverside or whole eye of silverside (beef girello)

1 carrot

1 brown onion, cut in half

1 celery stalk

6 garlic cloves

1 bay leaf

3 thyme sprigs

12 black peppercorns

3 star anise

1 clove

1 teaspoon coriander seeds

Boiled potatoes and a green salad, to serve

Beef pickle

300 g (10½ oz/2¼ cups) sea salt

200 g (7 oz) caster sugar

2 bay leaves

6 cloves

6 black peppercorns

6 juniper berries

2 teaspoons celery seeds

1 teaspoon yellow mustard seeds

Suet dumplings

60 g (2¼ oz) suet (order from your butcher)

125 g (4½ oz) plain (all-purpose) flour

2 teaspoons salt

½ teaspoon baking powder

White sauce

50 g (1¾ oz) butter

50 g (1¾ oz/¹/₃ cup) plain (all-purpose) flour

1 litre (35 fl oz/4 cups) strained beef cooking liquor

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon fresh grated horseradish (use a good-quality jarred horseradish if you can’t find fresh)

2 tablespoons pouring cream

To make the beef pickle, combine salt, sugar, bay leaves and spices in a large saucepan, add 2 litres (68 fl oz/8 cups) water and bring to the boil. Cool to room temperature. Submerge beef in the brine, cover, and refrigerate for 1 week.

To cook the beef, combine carrot, onion, celery, garlic, bay leaf, thyme, peppercorns, star anise, clove and coriander seeds in a large saucepan. Add 3 litres (101 fl oz/12 cups) water, bring to the boil, then add pickled beef and return to the boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer gently for 2–2½ hours or until tender (test with a skewer). Remove from heat and cool in liquor.

Meanwhile, to make the suet dumplings, combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix slowly with cold water (add just a little at a time) until a dough is formed. Roll dough into a cylinder on a lightly floured surface, cut into 6 pieces and roll each piece into a ball. While beef is cooking, gently poach dumplings in corned beef liquor for 20 minutes, or do it separately at the end.

While beef is cooling, make the white sauce. Melt butter in a saucepan over low heat. Add flour and cook, stirring continuously, for 10 minutes. Slowly whisk in 1 litre (35 fl oz) strained cooking liquor and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes or until thickened and smooth. Pass sauce through a fine sieve.

Reheat remaining cooking liquor in a saucepan over medium heat, and cut beef into 2–3 slices per serve. Gently warm the beef in the liquor. Reheat 500 ml (17 fl oz/2 cups) white sauce, add mustard, horseradish and a dash of cream. Season with salt and freshly ground white pepper to taste. Divide beef among warm plates and pour sauce over meat. Serve with suet dumplings or boiled potatoes, and a green salad.

Note: White sauce and beef (in the remaining liquor) will keep refrigerated for up to 1 week.