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1
Cook the Rice
20 Mins
High heat to boil, then low simmer, about 95°C (200°F)
Put the rinsed rice and 540 ml water in a medium pot with a pinch of salt if you like. Bring to a boil over high heat, then drop to the lowest simmer, cover with a tight lid and cook for 15 minutes without lifting the lid. Take off the heat and rest, still covered, for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
Start the rice first — it needs no attention while you cook the beef, and both finish at the same time.
Done when: The rice is tender, separate and fluffy, with no water left in the pot.
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2
Soften the Onion, Pepper & Celery
5 Mins
Medium heat, about 175°C (350°F)
Warm the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion, green bell pepper, celery and garlic and cook, stirring often, until the onion turns translucent and the pepper softens at the edges.
Keep the heat at medium, not high — you want the vegetables soft and sweet, not browned.
Done when: The onion is translucent and the pepper bends easily when pressed with a spoon.
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3
Break In the Corned Beef
5 Mins
Medium heat, about 175°C (350°F)
Add the corned beef to the pan and break it apart with a wooden spoon, stirring it through the vegetables so it fries a little and picks up their flavour. Sprinkle in the thyme and black pepper and keep stirring until the beef is heated through and loosened into shreds.
Tinned corned beef is already cooked, so this step is about texture — break it fine for the classic steamed look, or leave bigger shreds if you prefer.
Done when: The beef is hot all the way through, at least 74°C (165°F), and broken into even shreds.
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4
Stir In Tomato, Paste & Corn
3 Mins
Medium heat, about 175°C (350°F)
Stir in the diced tomato, tomato paste and drained corn, then add the 120 ml water and the Scotch bonnet if using. Keep stirring until the paste dissolves into the pan juices and the whole mixture turns a deep, even red.
This is where Fire Engine gets its colour — if the mix still looks pink and pale, stir in another teaspoon of tomato paste.
Done when: The mixture is uniformly red and glossy, with the corn kernels visible throughout.
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5
Steam It Down
15 Mins
Low simmer, about 100°C (212°F)
Turn the heat to low, put a tight lid on the pan and leave the beef to steam for 15 minutes, stirring once halfway through. The vegetables finish softening, the tomato settles into the beef and the flavours come together. Squeeze in the lime juice at the end and stir once more.
Do not skip the covered steam — it is what makes this steamed corned beef instead of fried corned beef, and it is where the name Fire Engine comes from.
Done when: The beef is soft, spoonable and steaming hot, at least 74°C (165°F), with just enough sauce to spoon over rice.
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6
Plate Over Rice
2 Mins
Serve hot, about 60°C (140°F) or above
Mound hot rice on each plate and spoon the red corned beef generously over the top, making sure every serving gets its share of corn. Serve at once, with lime wedges and hot sauce on the table.
Spoon the beef over the rice, not beside it — the sauce soaks into the rice and that is half the pleasure of the dish.
Done when: Each plate shows the red, white and yellow of the dish: red beef, white rice, yellow corn.
auto_awesome Finishing Touches & Plating
Spoon the red corned beef generously over mounds of hot white rice, making sure each plate gets its share of corn, and finish with a squeeze of lime and hot sauce at the table.
Bahamas
45m
