A lower-calorie way to make Corned Beef
Corned Beef simmers gently with vegetables and mustard sauce
Silverside corned beef, cabbage and root vegetables make an Australian family dinner for about 520 calories per plate.
Australian corned beef is best when the salty curing liquid is controlled and the meat never reaches a violent boil. The silverside is rinsed, covered with fresh water and simmered gently with aromatics. Root vegetables join according to their cooking time, while a light mustard sauce made from poaching liquid and milk provides the familiar finish without butter-heavy white sauce.
What changes—and what stays
From often 650–850 calories with fatty slices, rich white sauce and large potato portions to 520 calories
Trim the silverside, simmer it in fresh water, portion thin slices and make mustard sauce with milk instead of cream. Bay, peppercorn, clove and vinegar perfume the cured beef while sharp mustard cuts through its richness and salt.
| Part | Conventional | Lighter | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Core method | More added fat or a heavier proportion | Trim the silverside, simmer it in fresh water, portion thin slices and make mustard sauce with milk instead of cream | Bay, peppercorn, clove and vinegar perfume the cured beef while sharp mustard cuts through its richness and salt. |
How the flavor stays
Bay, peppercorn, clove and vinegar perfume the cured beef while sharp mustard cuts through its richness and salt.
A cost rule that survives inflation
A braising cut supplies seven meals, and cabbage, carrots and potatoes cook in the same pot without requiring a separate expensive side dish.
Ingredients for 7
Measure first; timing is part of how this recipe uses less fat.
- 1.5 kgcorned beef silverside— trimmed
- 800 gpotatoes
- 500 gcarrots
- 700 ggreen cabbage
- 250 gonion
- 400 mlreduced-fat milk
- 30 gDijon mustard
- 30 gall-purpose flour
- 20 mlmalt vinegar
Method
Each step includes heat, a visible cue, and a recovery.
Step 1 · follow the visible cue
Rinse and trim the silverside
Rinse the beef under cold water and remove thick exterior fat while leaving the compact muscle intact.
Look for: The surface should be clean of brine and no broad white fat cap should remain.
Step 2 · follow the visible cue
Hold the pot below a boil
Cover beef with fresh water, onion, bay, peppercorn and vinegar, then maintain a bare simmer until nearly tender.
Look for: Only an occasional bubble should break the surface and a skewer should enter with slight resistance.
Step 3 · follow the visible cue
Add vegetables in timed groups
Add potatoes and carrots first, then cabbage for the final fifteen minutes so each vegetable keeps its shape.
Look for: Potatoes should pierce cleanly and cabbage should be tender but still pale green.
Step 4 · follow the visible cue
Rest, slice thinly and make mustard sauce
Rest beef twenty minutes, whisk flour into milk and poaching liquid until thick, add mustard, then slice beef across the grain.
Look for: Slices should bend without shredding and the sauce should coat a spoon smoothly.
Calories at the same serving size
234 kcal · 31% lower estimated
The estimate uses the listed ingredients divided into 7 servings. Brand labels, trimming, and the amount left in the pan can change the result.
Keep the leftovers in the same spirit
Refrigerate sliced beef with a little cooking liquid for four days. Reheat gently and keep mustard sauce below a boil.
Refrigerate sliced beef with a little cooking liquid for four days. Reheat gently and keep mustard sauce below a boil.
Frequently asked questions
Why is corned beef sometimes too salty?
It was not rinsed or the cooking water reduced too far. Use fresh unsalted water and maintain a covered gentle simmer.
Can I cook it in a slow cooker?
Yes. Cover with fresh water and cook on low until tender, adding cabbage late so it does not disintegrate.
- corned beef silverside1.5 kg
- potatoes800 g
- carrots500 g
- green cabbage700 g
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Recipe development and nutrition review: CaloNote Editorial
This editorial recipe uses ingredient-level nutrition estimates and reviewed cooking principles. It is not represented as physically test-cooked, and nutrition is approximate.
Published and last reviewed: August 25, 2026
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