Jellied salt beef

Serves 8-1

(Jason Lowe)

700-800g salted ox cheek, brisket or silverside, soaked in cold water for about 10 hours
A few sprigs of thyme
1 bay leaf
2 medium onions, peeled and quartered
3 sticks of celery
10 black peppercorns

To set the beef

12g (4 sheets) of gelatine
2tbsp chopped parsley

Drain and rinse the salt beef and put it into a large saucepan with the rest of the ingredients. Cover with water and bring to the boil. Simmer for about 2 hours, until the beef is tender. Check to see if the water needs topping up. Cooking time will vary according to the cut and size of the meat. Remove from the liquid and leave to cool.

Remove about one-third of a litre of the cooking liquid to set the beef; discard the rest. Soak the gelatine leaves in a shallow bowl of cold water for a minute or so until soft. Squeeze out the water and add to the hot cooking liquor with the parsley, and stir until dissolved. Leave somewhere to cool but do not let it set.

Meanwhile, roughly shred the beef. Put the meat into either a suitable-sized terrine mould or a rectangular container. When the jelly is cool, pour it over the salt beef until just covered (you may have some extra left which you can discard) and give it a stir with a spoon.

Cover with clingfilm and leave to set in the fridge overnight. To serve, remove from the mould by spooning it onto serving plates or turn it out and slice it; serve with a good pickle or piccalilli.