Hunters Beef (Paleo, Keto)
A Pakistani version of corned beef or pastrami, the four day process is all about patience. The end result is this melt-in-your-mouth delicious roast beef with a gorgeous pinkish red colour. This recipe has both a store-bought spice mix version as well as my own spice mix that emulates the store-bought flavour without the extra preservatives.
Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 2 lbs top sirloin or round boneless beef keep in one large piece, trim off any excess fat around the outside
- 2 large lemons, juiced or use 3-4 limes
- 1/2 box Hunters Beef Masala (I like shaan masala or see notes below to make your own hunters beef spice mix)
- 1 tsp kalmi shora /potassium nitrate / saltpetre You can skip this if you cannot find it, but it will change the colour of the final product. It will not affect the flavour though.
- water, as needed
Instructions
Prepare the Meat for Marination
- Wash and trim the excess fat off your meat. Use a sharp knife or fork to lightly pierce into the flesh all over. Be careful not to poke all the way through to the other side. This will help the marinate to penetrate into the centre of the meat and help get that beautiful pink colour inside when it cooks.
- Add meat to a glass plastic bowl with a tight fitting lid (or use a ziplock bag).* Add the lemon juice and masala mix, mix well to coat. Cover and refridgerate for 3 to 4 days.
- Every day, turn the meat over and pierce with a fork again a few times to allow the marinate to distribute again.
- On the last day of marinating, a few hours before you intend to cook the meat, pierce again with a fork a few times and sprinkle with 1 tsp kalmi shora all over. Rub with your hands to make sure it is well coated. Cover and set aside for 2-3 hours. This is what will give it that distinctive pink colour on the inside.
Boil the Hunters Beef
- Stove Top Method:
- Discard the marinade and place the meat in a large pot Fill with enough water to cover the meat by 1 inch. Bring to a boil and then simmer for 3-4 hours until it is fork tender. Discard any remaining liquid. If there is a lot of fat on top you can save this for the next step.
- Instant Pot Method:
- Discard the marinade and place the meat into the instant pot with 1 cup of water. Cover and seal. Cook on high pressure for 45 minutes. Allow to naturally release pressure for 10 minutes then quick release the pressure. Discard any remaining liquid if there is a lot of fat on top, save this for the next step.
Bake the Hunters Beef
- Preheat oven to 350F. Wrap the beef in foil - shiny side inside to help retain the heat. If you had saved any fat you can spread this all over the meat before wrapping in foil to help the browning process.
- Bake for 30 minutes.
- Remove the foil and broil for 5-7 minutes or until golden brown and starting to caramelize on top.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before slicing.
Notes
DIY Hunters Beef Marinade:
For 2 lbs of meat:
- 3-4 Black peppercorns
- 1inch cinnamon stick
- 3-4 black cardamom pods
- 1 bay leaf
- 3 cloves (laung)
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp papaya powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup brown sugar