Corning corned beef has been around for almost 150 years. Corned beef and potato soup, corned beef and cabbage, and corned beef hash have all been prepared using it. Get your recommended daily intake of protein from corned beef, which also makes a delicious meal or snack.
However, how do you open those peculiar-looking cans? Why does canned corned beef still use a key? Read this article to find out more information about corned beef in cans.
What Is Canned Corned Beef?
A product with a strong flavor, corned beef is beef that has been salted, brined, and smoked to preserve it. Corned beef that has been sealed in cans and referred to as “canned” is usually meant to mean that. It is typically made from beef brisket or the outer edge of the cow’s stomach.
To add flavor, this is frequently spiced with ingredients like paprika, pepper, and garlic. Other varieties of corned beef are available in cans, including versions made from the heart, tongue, and liver of cows. Irish culture is frequently connected to canned corned beef.
It was initially a home-canned product that was shipped via railroad and later by U.S. mail. At St. Patrick’s Day festivities in the United States. It can be eaten on its own or in sandwiches and chili.
Why Is A Key Used In Corned Beef In A Can?
Food is preserved through the application of heat during the canning process. The method can be used to keep food from spoiling that would have otherwise. Green beans, peas, and artichokes are a few typical canned foods.
There are several steps in the process. The food is washed first. A sterile vessel is then used to contain it. After that, the food is heated. Water and oxygen are taken out of the food during the heating process.
The food is then put into a clean container. The food can be kept for a very long time after processing. It has a six-month shelf life in the freezer. The food is then heated. The addition of the flavor is the process’s last step.
The Best Way To Open A Corned Beef Can
When you don’t know how to open corned beef cans correctly, it can be a hassle. You can quickly enjoy a delicious can of corned beef with a few clear instructions.
First things first, make sure the corned beef can have the small metal key attached to the side before you even put it in your grocery cart. When you get home, lift the metal tab holding the key in place to remove it. It is made simpler by leaning the key out with a spoon or a knife.
Put the key’s smaller slotted opening into the metal tab holding it in place on the can. Ensure that the can’s top edge and the top of the key are in alignment.
The metal tab on the key’s top should transform into a strip that divides the can in half as you roll the key along the can’s top while holding the key in your hand.
The corned beef should just slide out once the can is fully opened, and you can relish the results of your efforts!
Can You Open A Corned Beef Tin With A Tin Opener?
- Open the can’s bottom rather than its top if the latter is smaller. If you open the can opener at the bigger end, it will be simpler to maneuver around the corned beef can’s corners.
- Use your standard can opener to first open the can’s larger end, then make a few slits in the other end.
- Once the vacuum is broken, the can should just slide out with a little bit of pressure on the can’s sides.
The can may not be simple to open, but if you take your time and don’t rush, the tin opener will likely be able to get into even the corners of the tin.
The best can opener for opening a tin of corned beef like this isn’t one of those inexpensive metal can openers you find on market stalls, but rather one that’s a little more robust, with a solid, fat handle that gives you enough grip to turn it.
These can openers are also the easiest to use because the turning “key” is wider, making it easier for you to get a good grip.
Without The Key, How Do I Open A Corned Beef Can?
Sometimes you don’t notice that the key is missing from your corned beef can until you get home. Other times, when you attempt to pry the key off, it flies off and disappears into the empty space where socks and pens usually go. In either case, you need to open the corned beef can, but you are missing the key.
Rest assured that there is still hope. Just like with a key, you can use a pair of pliers or another tool to grasp the metal tab and peel the strip off. Even though it won’t go as smoothly as it would if you had the key, if you peel slowly, the outcome will be the same.
A can opener might also work, but getting around the corners might be a challenge. If you do decide to use a can opener, be sure to go slowly, especially around those corners, and open the corned beef can from the bottom, which is typically bigger than the top.
Summary
The process of putting the meat into a container with brine or water that contains salt and sugar results in canned corned beef. To preserve the meat and give it a tangy flavor, salt and sugar are added.
Unlike other canned food products, corned beef cans require a special technique to open. A unique metal key that fits into a tab on the side of each can is included with it.