Silverside is a cut of
beef
Beef is the culinary name for meat from cattle (''Bos taurus''). Beef can be prepared in various ways; Cut of beef, cuts are often used for steak, which can be cooked to varying degrees of doneness, while trimmings are often Ground beef, grou ...
from the
hindquarter
The buttocks (: buttock) are two rounded portions of the exterior anatomy of most mammals, located on the posterior of the pelvic region. In humans, the buttocks are located between the lower back and the perineum. They are composed of a laye ...
of
cattle
Cattle (''Bos taurus'') are large, domesticated, bovid ungulates widely kept as livestock. They are prominent modern members of the subfamily Bovinae and the most widespread species of the genus '' Bos''. Mature female cattle are calle ...
, just above the leg cut. Called "silverside" in the UK, Ireland, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand, it gets the name because of the "silverwall" on the side of the cut, a long fibrous "skin" of connective tissue (
epimysium) which has to be removed as it is too tough to eat. The primary muscle is the
biceps femoris
The biceps femoris () is a muscle of the thigh located to the posterior, or back. As its name implies, it consists of two heads; the long head is considered part of the hamstring muscle group, while the short head is sometimes excluded from this ...
. Silverside is boned out from the top along with the topside and thick flank.
In most parts of the U.S., this cut is known as
outside or bottom round, or
rump roast (which means something different in countries using the British beef cut scheme).
Usage
Silverside beef is a lean cut, and thus is often cooked via
braising
Braising (from the French language, French word ''braiser'') is a combination-cooking method that uses both wet and dry heats: typically, the food is first Browning (cooking), browned at a high temperature, then simmered in a covered pot in cook ...
or other indirect heating methods in a
pot roast
Pot roast is a beef dish made by slow cooking a (usually tough) cut of beef in moist heat, on a kitchen stove top with a covered vessel or pressure cooker, in an oven or slow cooker.
Cuts such as chuck steak, bottom round, short ribs and ...
recipe. It may also be thinly sliced for
minute steak or
beef olives, or
butterflied to enhance tenderness.
In South Africa, Australia, Ireland and New Zealand, silverside is the cut of choice for
corning or
brining
Brining is treating food with brine or coarse salt which preserves and seasons the food while enhancing tenderness. Flavor can be further developed with additions such as herbs, spices, sugar, caramel or vinegar. Meat and fish are typical ...
, so much so that the name "silverside" is often used to refer to
corned beef
Corned beef, called salted beef in some Commonwealth countries, is a salt-cured brisket of beef. The term comes from the treatment of the meat with large-grained rock salt, also called "corns" of salt. Sometimes, sugar and spices are added to ...
(also called salt beef) rather than any other form of the cut.
Corned beef recipes
taste.com.au In South Africa this cut is often used to make biltong
Biltong is a form of air-dried, cured meat which originated in Southern Africa. Southern African countries include South Africa, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Zambia, Malawi, Botswana, Lesotho and Eswatini. Various types of meat are used to produce ...
(a form of dried, cured meat).
References
Cuts of beef
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