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Serves 6
This recipe is based on my mother’s corned beef and is a family favourite. I always loved rolled corned beef as it is juicy, succulent and flavoursome from the fat. These days it is a little difficult to source, so I look for the fattiest silver-side I can find.
Today the ‘eye’ of the silver-side or the girello is most popular.  This is a leaner cut with just a little fat on the outside and it is the fat which I miss. Corned beef has been soaked in a salt bath by the butcher; this gives the meat its texture and flavour. When cold, it is easily reheated; always reserve some of the cooking liquid and simmer the beef in it until warmed through. I always save the cooking liquor as it makes a beautiful corned beef stock and broth.  After removing the beef, strain the stock, and reduce the liquid.  It makes a divine broth to drink like soup, see the jug with the broth in the photo below.  I also freeze this stock and use it, along with extra water, when I cook my next corned beef.

Ingredients
1.5-2kg corned beef, silverside or pickled girello
2 onions, peeled and quartered
3 carrots, cut into 5cm pieces
2 bay leaves
1 stick celery
A handful parsley stems, which are better than leaves for long, slow cooking as they do not become bitter
6-8 whole black peppercorns
1 x star anise
6 cloves – sometimes I press these into the meat
1 – 2 tbsp lemon juice or vinegar		  

Accompanying vegetables
12 small carrots or Dutch carrots
1 small cabbage, halved and shredded
12 pickling onions, peeled, left whole with roots ends left on
2 tbsp chopped parsley
A quantity of creamy cauliflower cheese
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It used to be necessary to soak the meat in a large saucepan of cold water for 3-4 hours, or even up to 12 hours to remove the excess salt. This is not necessary these days as a different pickling method and less salt is used.
To cook the corned beef: place the corned beef into a suitably large pot, cover with plenty of fresh, cold water. Add onions, carrots, bay leaves, celery, parsley stems, peppercorns, star anise, cloves and lemon juice or vinegar, whichever you are using.
Bring to a lazy ‘boil’, just a blurp, blurp, blurp, and keep it at this low simmer. Continue to simmer very gently, uncovered, for 2½ hours, skimming any scum and fat from the surface, re-topping with extra boiling water, if necessary, to keep the meat submerged. I also place a cartouche or a saucer on top of the meat to help it stay under the liquid. Remove and discard the vegetables with a slotted spoon.
The rule of thumb is to gently simmer the beef for 40 minutes per 500grams, although I always cook it for longer and let it rest in the broth.  If serving immediately, keep the meat warm by leaving it in the broth while cooking the vegetables for serving.  Otherwise, allow it to cool in the liquid and refrigerate until ready to use.  It is delicious cold and it is always a summer cold meat in our home.
To cook the vegetables: ladle some of the poaching liquid into a large saucepan and bring to the boil. Add the extra carrots, and pickling onions, bring back to the boil and cook for 10-12 minutes, or until the vegetables are just tender.  When about to serve, add the shredded cabbage to cook until just wilted.
Slice beef into ½ – 1cm thick pieces. Serve sitting on our creamy cauliflower cheese, surrounded by the vegetables. Ladle over a little of the cooking liquid and sprinkle with chopped parsley.