NB,the butcher needs to keep this in the brine for 3 weeks so order early! Also remember this takes a couple of days to prepare and best kept for a week before serving.

Ingredients
1.5 K  Boned salt silverside brisket
Ground black pepper
Soft dark sugar
1 tablespoon Whole Allspice berries
1 tablespoonful Juniper berries
2 teaspoonfuls Whole cloves

Method
Soak the joint in cold water for 3 hours, changing the water a couple of times.  Make several incisions into the beef to allow the spices to get all the way through.  Cover the joint generously with the black pepper then cover thickly with the sugar.  Crush the allspice and juniper berries in a mortar then press into the sugar.  Stick the cloves all over the meat.  Wrap the beef in foil, place in an overproof dish and leave overnight at room temperature.

Set oven at 140C, cook beef for 4 hours.  Pour off juices, seal the foil and place a board and weights on top and leave in a cool place overnight.

Now wrap in fresh foil and store the Christmas Spiced Beef in the fridge for up to a week.