Homemade corned beef is not only a labour of love, it also puts store bought corned beef to shame. While many food lovers in the region absolutely love corned beef, most of us can only get as close to premium corned beef if we make it ourselves. But alas! Many can’t cook and even those who can can’t cure meat successfully. Curing meat is both an art and a science. If sprinkled with a good dose of patience, you’ll get a tasty result.

The good news is, you can now ditch your store bought corned beef and just get a kilo of real corned beef from Chris Stolk, the chef, pitmaster, and general manager at Smoke Bar and Restaurant in Paoay.

But why buy lovely, homemade corned beef when you can get regular corned beef at my store Wilfred’s or any other store? Canned corned beef is nice and we have lots but we won’t deprive you of the joy of having real corned beef.

The chef’s corned beef has subtle flavours, the kind that makes one realise how beautiful it is to eat homemade food made from fresh ingredients. Smoke’s corned beef is tender, satisfying, and incredibly comforting. I can’t wait to pair it with wine tomorrow! I paired it with three types of beers today because it’s Friday! More on that later.

Wines with a lot of structure will go very well with this dish. A cabernet sauvignon based wine is the go-to choice. I’d recommend our Basi Maria to go with Smoke’s corned beef any day but the more I think about it, our Ambaristo will do just as well. This sweet red is a fine choice if you like your wine to be a little softer. This fruity red will complement the corned beef’s flavours.

If you favour beer over wine, I suggest getting a lager. Lagers have a toasty malt flavour that will make the meat stand out. Smoky brown ale is also a good match if you want to focus on the spices used by the chef.

If you want a creamier, fresher beer to go with it, any beer made from dark wheat will do. Pairing Smoke’s corned beef with some of the best weissbier brands, such as Paulaner, will unravel the meat’s subtle flavours. Notes of caramel and a slight fruitiness makes this corned beef and beer pairing quite flawless.

Place an order at Smoke today!