CURED MAPLE, FENNEL & PEPPERCORN SIRLOIN

Fermenting: 24–72 hrs. Serves 8–12 sliced thinly or 6 as steaks.

1kg pasture-raised organic beef sirloin Cure 1½ tbsp mixed peppercorns, lightly crushed

240g coarse sea salt

120g maple sugar or light brown muscovado sugar

1½ tbsp fennel seeds

2 chillies, to taste (optional)

1 Prepare a very clean non-reactive container such as a small enamel baking tray. Trim meat of any obvious sinew and most, but not all, of the fat capping. (Leave cap on if you will be searing and serving as steaks.)

2 Cure Combine cure ingredients together in a bowl. Sprinkle an even layer of cure mixture over base of container or tray and lay beef on top. Cover with remaining mixture and rub cure into beef, making sure to get it into all the crevices. Cover beef with a sheet of baking paper and weigh down using a small plate with additional weight on top, such as a sealed jar filled with water. Place weighted container in fridge for 24–72 hours, turning beef every 6 hrs or so. The beef will firm up as it cures and releases liquid.

3 Remove beef from cure; brush off and discard as much of the cure as possible. Slice into wafer-thin pieces and eat as is or cut into thick slices ready to sear in a hot frying pan. Be sure to sear the fat cap well too, and don’t overcook the steaks.