Spiced Round: A Vanishing Nashville Delicacy

Spiced Round: A Vanishing Nashville Delicacy

from southernliving.com
Entree

Spiced Round is a special preparation of beef round placed in a salt-brown sugar brine for a two-week period. It was a beloved Christmas tradition throughout Middle Tennessee that in more recent years has been harder to come by.

Ingredients

  • ½ cuppacked dark brown sugar
  • 1 ½ tsp.pink curing salt
  • ½ cupplus 1/4 tsp. kosher salt, divided
  • 4 tsp.coarse ground black pepper, divided
  • 1 ½ tsp.ground allspice, divided
  • ¾ tsp.ground ginger, divided
  • ¾ tsp.ground cinnamon, divided
  • ¼ tsp.plus 1/8 tsp. ground cloves, divided
  • ¼ tsp.plus 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper, divided
  • 1beef top round roast, patted dry
  • 1 ½ cupsrendered pork fat (lard), at room temperature
  • rolls, breads, or biscuits
  • condiments of choice (such as chili sauce, grainy mustard, and/or horseradish cream)

Directions

  1. 1

    Gather all ingredients.

  2. 2

    Whisk together sugar, curing salt, 1/2 cup of the kosher salt, 3 teaspoons of the black pepper, 1 teaspoon of the allspice, 1/2 teaspoon of the ginger, 1/2 teaspoon of the cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon of the cloves, and 1/4 teaspoon of the cayenne pepper in a large bowl. Place roast in a 13- x 9-inch baking dish (such as Pyrex) or nonreactive shallow bowl. Liberally coat roast on all sides with salt-spice mixture. Cover dish using plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 10 days, rotating roast, 1 turn in any liquid collected, once per day; recover dish using plastic wrap before returning to refrigerator.

  3. 3

    Remove roast from any liquid collected in baking dish; discard liquid, and clean baking dish. Pat roast dry using paper towels; set aside.

  4. 4

    Stir together pork fat and remaining 1 teaspoon black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon allspice, 1/4 teaspoon ginger, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon cloves, and 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper in a large bowl until well combined. Spread a layer of seasoned pork fat on all sides of roast. Cut a piece of cheesecloth that is 3 times larger than roast. Wrap seasoned roast tightly in cheesecloth, and tie using kitchen twine to secure. Return roast to cleaned baking dish; refrigerate for 12 hours (do not cover dish).

  5. 5

    Place wrapped roast in a large pot, and add enough cold water to cover by at least 1 inch; bring to a boil over medium-high. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer, uncovered and undisturbed, until meat is fork-tender, 4 to 5 hours, adding additional water or placing a heatproof plate directly on top of roast to keep fully submerged. Remove pot from heat; let cool slightly, about 2 hours. Cover pot with plastic wrap; refrigerate for 12 hours.

  6. 6

    Remove roast from cooking liquid in pot, discarding fat and liquid. Remove and discard cheesecloth and twine. Using a sharp knife, carve spiced roast against the grain into thin slices, about 1/8-inch thick. Arrange on a platter, and serve with your favorite rolls and condiments.