Corned Beef & Silverside: How to Cook It So It's Not Dry
Simmer vs slow cooker, the liquid, how long per kilo, and what to do with the leftovers.
Corned silverside is silverside (or brisket) cured in a salt-and-spice brine. It's cheap, forgiving and freezes well cooked. The one way to ruin it is to boil it hard or slice it hot.
The cooking liquid
Cover the corned beef with cold water and add: 1 quartered onion, 2 bay leaves, 1 tbsp brown sugar, 1 tbsp malt or brown vinegar, 6 peppercorns, 4 cloves. The sugar and vinegar balance the salt and keep the meat tender; skip them and it can taste harsh.
Some people add a splash of the brine from the pack — fine, but taste first, it can be very salty.
Stovetop
Bring to a bare simmer (never a rolling boil — that toughens it), then cook gently, covered, 45–50 minutes per 500g. A 1.5kg piece is about 2.5 hours. It's done when a skewer slides in with light resistance.
Slow cooker
Same liquid, low for 8–9 hours or high for 4–5. The most hands-off method and hard to overdo.
The rest — don't skip it
Turn off the heat and let the meat sit in its liquid for 20–30 minutes before lifting it out. Slice against the grain. Slicing it straight from the pot loses all the juice.
White sauce & leftovers
Classic accompaniment: a parsley white sauce or a mustard sauce made with some of the cooking liquid. Leftovers: corned beef hash, a Reuben, fritters, or sliced cold in sandwiches for a week. It freezes well sliced.
Buying
Our corned silverside is Australian grass-fed, brined in-house without added phosphates. Also great as a bulk buy in a beef share.
Frequently asked questions
How long do you cook corned beef?
On the stovetop at a bare simmer: 45–50 minutes per 500g, so about 2.5 hours for a 1.5kg piece. In a slow cooker: 8–9 hours on low or 4–5 on high. It's done when a skewer slides in with light resistance.
Why is my corned beef tough or dry?
Usually a hard boil (keep it at a bare simmer), or slicing it straight out of the pot. Let the cooked meat rest in its liquid for 20–30 minutes, then slice against the grain.
What do you put in the water for corned beef?
Cold water to cover, plus a quartered onion, 2 bay leaves, 1 tbsp brown sugar, 1 tbsp malt or brown vinegar, peppercorns and a few cloves. The sugar and vinegar balance the cure's saltiness and keep the meat tender.
Can you freeze cooked corned beef?
Yes — it freezes well sliced, for up to 3 months. It's also excellent cold in sandwiches for about a week, or in hash and fritters.