Jiggs Dinner

Method8 steps

1. 1

   Step 1: The night before, cut the raw salt-cured beef (2 lb) into large chunks and cover it with cold water in a covered container. Refrigerate overnight for at least eight to ten hours. In a separate bowl, cover the dry yellow split peas (1 cup) with water and leave them to soak overnight.

   Uses 2 lb raw salt-cured beef, soaked overnight in step 1 · 1 cup dry yellow split peas, soaked overnight in step 1 · Cold water to cover the salt beef for overnight soaking; drain and discard · Water to cover the split peas overnight; drain and discard

2. 2

   Step 2: Drain the soaked salt beef and discard its soaking water. Put the actual drained beef in a large stockpot with six to seven litres of fresh water, adding more if needed to cover it. Choose a pot large enough for the beef and the vegetables that will be added later.

   Uses All the actual soaked salt beef, drained; discard its soaking water · 6–7 L fresh cooking water, or more to cover

3. 3

   Step 3: Drain the soaked split peas and discard their soaking water. Put the actual drained peas in a food-safe pease-pudding canvas bag, or a triple layer of cheesecloth, and tie it securely while leaving room for the peas to expand.

   Uses All the actual soaked split peas, drained; discard their soaking water

4. 4

   Step 4: Place the actual bag of soaked peas in the pot with the salt beef and fresh cooking water. Tie the bag strings to an outside pot handle to keep it from sticking to the bottom, keeping the strings away from the burner. Bring the pot to the boil, lower the heat and simmer gently for two hours, until the peas are tender and the beef is cooked and tender.

   Simmer salt beef and the pea bag · 120 minUses The actual salt beef and all its fresh cooking water · The complete tied bag of soaked split peas

5. 5

   Step 5: Lift out the actual cooked pea bag, leaving the beef and broth in the pot. Empty the cooked peas into a bowl, mash with all the butter (3 tbsp) and season with black pepper to taste. Cover the pease pudding and keep it warm while the vegetables finish cooking.

   Uses Only the actual cooked pea bag; leave the cooked beef and cooking broth in the pot · 3 tbsp butter for the pease pudding · Black pepper for the pease pudding, to taste

6. 6

   Step 6: Wash the cabbage and remove any damaged leaves, then cut it into large wedges. Peel the carrots (6) and quarter them lengthwise; peel the turnip (1 large), halve it and cut it into wedges; peel and halve the potatoes (8). Add all the cabbage wedges to the pot containing the actual cooked salt beef and hot broth. Boil gently for twenty minutes, then add the prepared turnip, carrots and potatoes and boil for another twenty minutes, or until all the vegetables are tender. The timer covers forty minutes in total; add the root vegetables after the first twenty minutes.

   Boil cabbage 20 min, then roots 20 min · 40 minUses The actual cooked beef and broth left in the pot after removing the pea bag · 1 head green cabbage, cut into large wedges in step 6 · 6 carrots, peeled and quartered lengthwise in step 6 · 1 large turnip · 8 potatoes, peeled and halved in step 6

7. 7

   Step 7: Lift out and drain the cooked beef and vegetables onto a serving platter, retaining the broth in the pot. Check the beef has reached at least 63°C / 145°F and let it rest on the platter for at least three minutes before serving.

   Uses All the actual cooked beef, cabbage, turnip, carrots and potatoes; leave the cooking broth in the pot

8. 8

   Step 8: Divide the rested cooked beef, boiled vegetables and actual warm pease pudding among six servings. Ladle some of the hot cooking broth alongside as pot liquor, if desired. Serve with canned beets or mustard pickles if desired.

   Uses All the actual rested cooked beef and drained vegetables · All the actual prepared pease pudding · Some actual cooking broth remaining after lifting out the beef and vegetables · Canned beets to serve, as desired · Mustard pickles to serve, as desired