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Hunter beef is a traditional Pakistani method of curing meat, similar to corned beef. It’s very popular and available in many bakeries across the country.
In this recipe, a large piece of meat is marinated in curing liquid and refrigerated for several days and then simmered on low heat. It is then cut into strips or shred with fork. The strips are then used in sandwiches; eaten for breakfast, or with evening tea.
Traditionally, saltpeter (kalmi shora) or potassium nitrate is used for curing the meat but since I don’t store it for very long without freezer, I just omit the saltpeter because of its health risks. This nitrate free recipe of hunter beef is unique in its taste. It’s ideal for batch cooking as you can easily keep it in the refrigerator for few days and in freezer for months. You can have it for every meal including breakfast.
A combination of simple ingredients you’ll need to make this hunter beef:
How can I serve hunter beef?
This recipe is such a versatile beef recipe and can be served in many ways:
- You can have it for every meal including breakfast with tea or coffee.
- Warm a slice of hunter beef in a pan and serve as it is with tea or coffee.
- Make a hunter beef sandwich for yourself.
- You can have it in wraps, burgers, pizzas, pastas.
- Serve with potato wedges, veggies or salad for a filling meal.
I suggest some great accompaniments to this recipe:
- Avocado Cucumber Salad
- Chickpeas Salad
- Onion Salad
- Kiwi Salsa
- Quinoa Salad
- Iceberg Salad with Olive Oil Dressing
How to store this hunter beef?
- It can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 4 days and can be stored in freezer for up to 3 months.
- Let the slices cool completely and then store in fridge or freezer in an airtight container or freezer bag. When you are ready to consume, just defrost on room temperature and then reheat in microwave or pan.
Recipe Notes and Tips:
- If you have more than one pieces of meat, don‘t put them on top of each other or curing will take much longer.
- I used veal meat, but you could also use mutton for this recipe.
- You can also add potatoes with the beef and cook until tender.
- Use the leftover broth to cook rice or soup.
- For an extra chili kick, you can always garnish the beef with red chilli flakes.
- To reduce the cooking time, you could use pressure cooker.
- If you don’t have access to oven, then finish it off in a nonstick pan.
- I wasn’t planning to keep it in the fridge for longer than 4 days, so I reduced the marination time (curing) for beef to 2 days only. But if you are planning to store it for longer than 4 days in the fridge, you can cure it till 4 to 7 days. Be sure to fully cover the meat in solution during curing.
Video Instructions:
Beef Recipe
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Ingredients
- Beef (boneless, large piece) – 2 kg
- Salt – 2 tablespoons or to taste
- Black Pepper (powder) – 2 teaspoons
- Brown Sugar – ¼ cup
- Cinnamon – 4 sticks
- Vinegar – ¼ cup
- Water – 2 liters
- Butter (melted) – 2 tablespoons
- Black Pepper (crushed) – for garnishing
Instructions
Step by step recipe is given below:
- Tie the meat piece with a kitchen thread and prick the meat from all over with a sharp and pointed knife.
- Place it in a non-reactive container, add salt, black pepper and brown sugar and apply evenly.
- Now add cinnamon sticks, vinegar and water. Stir it up, cover and refrigerate.
- Next day, take the container out from refrigerator. Prick the meat again, turn over, stir up the liquid and put the container back in the refrigerator. Repeat this process the next day. This will help the marinade to properly infuse its taste in the meat (you can cure it till 4 to 7 days, if planning to keep the hunter beef for longer).
- After 2 days discard the liquid, put the beef in a wok, add water and bring to a simmer.
- Cover and cook on low heat for 1 hour or until the meat is tender.
- Once the beef is tender, take it out from the wok. Cut the thread and brush with butter.
- Bake it uncovered in a preheated oven at 180 °C for 15 minutes to give it that beautiful brown colour.
- Take it out from the oven, brush it with more butter and garnish with freshly crushed black pepper.
- Cut into slices or shred it with a fork and your delicious hunter beef is ready to serve.
Serve it as it is or in Sandwiches, Burgers or with Potato Wedges and Salad. Enjoy! And Remember ‘COOKING IS EASY’!
Notes
- If you have more than one pieces of meat, don‘t put them on top of each other or curing will take much longer.
- You can also add potatoes with the beef and cook until tender.
- For an extra chili kick, you can always garnish the hunter beef with red chilli flakes.
