Corned Beef in Ginger Beer with Honey Mustard
Slow-braised corned beef silverside simmered in spiced ginger beer until glazed, served with creamy honey mustard sauce. The ginger beer adds subtle spice and sweetness that caramelizes into a golden crust, while the mustard sauce provides tangy richness. Ideal for casual family dinners or camp cooking. This version uses full-sugar ginger beer as the braising liquid, which creates a syrupy glaze impossible with diet versions.
Ingredients
- 1.2 kilogram corned beef, silverside
- ⅛ oz ginger beer, full-sugar only
- 2 tablespoon butter, or margarine
- 2 tablespoon all purpose flour, plain
- 1 ½ cup milk, or water
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 tablespoon mustard, grainy
- 2 teaspoon mustard, English hot
- salt, to taste(optional)
Instructions
- 1
Place corned beef in cast iron pot with half the ginger beer over moderate heat.
- 2
Cook for one hour, turning meat every 15 minutes, keeping liquid at halfway up the sides.
- 3
Top up with remaining ginger beer and cook for another hour until liquid reduces to golden syrup.
- 4
Melt butter in saucepan over low-moderate heat, whisk in flour, cook two minutes.
- 5
Slowly pour milk while stirring constantly with whisk to prevent lumps.
- 6
Add both mustards and honey, bring just to boil, season with salt and pepper.
- 7
Slice corned beef, pour sauce over meat and vegetables.
Tips
Use full-sugar ginger beer only; diet versions lack the carbohydrates needed for caramelization and glaze.
Turn the corned beef every 15 minutes during first hour to ensure even cooking and glaze development.
Whisk milk in slowly to prevent lumps; patience prevents sauce breakage and lumping.
Good to Know
Refrigerate cooled corned beef and sauce separately up to 4 days in airtight containers. Freeze sliced corned beef in sauce up to 3 months; thaw overnight in fridge before reheating gently.
Braise corned beef fully one day ahead; cool in cooking liquid for maximum flavor absorption. Make sauce up to 2 days ahead, reheat gently over low heat stirring frequently.
Slice corned beef against the grain, arrange on platter with boiled or roasted vegetables. Pour warm honey mustard sauce over or serve alongside. Crusty bread soaks up glaze and sauce.
Common Mistakes
Use diet ginger beer to avoid losing the syrupy glaze that defines this dish.
Skip the 15-minute turns to avoid uneven cooking and patchy glaze.
Pour milk too quickly to avoid grainy, lumpy sauce.
Substitutions
Dairy-Free Swaps
General Alternatives
milder spice
FAQ
Can I use diet ginger beer?
No. Diet versions lack sugar needed for caramelization and glaze. The full-sugar ginger beer is essential to create the golden syrupy coating that defines this dish.
How long does leftover corned beef keep?
Refrigerate up to 4 days in airtight containers. Freeze sliced corned beef in sauce up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in fridge and reheat gently over low heat to avoid toughening the meat.
What if my sauce gets lumpy?
Strain through fine mesh sieve or blend with immersion blender. Prevention: whisk milk in slowly and steadily while cooking roux. Cook roux two minutes before adding milk to gelatinize flour.