Spiced Smoked Beef with Potato Salad
Photography by Becky Nunes.
Serves: 6
INGREDIENTS
600 gram piece centre cut eye fillet
Dry rub
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons each ground coriander and brown sugar
2 teaspoons finely chopped thyme
finely grated zest of 1 orange
1½ teaspoons sea salt
Smoking Mix
½ cup wood chips, soaked in water or beer
4 dried Chinese mushrooms, roughly chopped
Potato Salad
750 grams waxy potatoes, scrubbed
Dressing
¼ cup each finely chopped celery and red capsicum
¼ cup finely chopped cornichons or gherkins
3 tablespoons baby capers
4 anchovy fillets – optional
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
¼ cup chopped basil
2 hard-boiled eggs
⅓ cup olive oil
1½ tablespoons good red wine vinegar
METHOD
Dry Rub: Combine all the ingredients in a small food processor or mortar and pestle, and grind. Rub the spice mix all over the beef and leave for up to 24 hours. Refrigerate if leaving for more than 1 hour but return to room temperature before smoking.
Smoking: Drain the chips, pressing out excess water and place in the smoker or a foil-lined wok. Scatter the mushrooms over the chips. Place the beef on a rack over the smoking mix. Heat the smoker, uncovered, over a moderate heat until the mixture begins to smoke. Reduce the heat to medium and cover tightly. Smoke for 10 minutes then remove from the heat and leave for 10 minutes before uncovering.
Heat a sauté pan or ridged grill until hot. Brush the beef with a little olive oil and sear on all sides, cooking for 5 minutes in total. Set aside, lightly covered, until cool. If not using immediately, cover and refrigerate.
Potato salad: Boil the potatoes in salted water until just tender. Drain well, cool, peel and cut into bite-size pieces.
Dressing: Combine the celery, capsicum, cornichons and capers in a bowl. Finely chop the anchovy fillets and roughly mash the eggs. Add to the bowl along with the remaining ingredients and stir to combine. Season to taste and fold through the potatoes.
To serve: Thinly slice the beef and lay slightly overlapping, on a serving platter. Place the potato salad alongside.

Keep up to date with
dish weekly recipes,
food news, and events.
latest issue:
Issue #120
As the days become shorter, and the nights cooler, the latest issue is perfectly timed to deliver delicious autumn dishes. From recipes using fresh seasonal produce such as feijoas and apples, to spectacular soothing soups and super-quick after-work meals in our Food Fast section, we’ve got you covered. With Easter on the horizon, we feature recipes that will see you through breakfast, lunch and dinner over a leisurely weekend holiday, and whip up chocolatey baking treats sure to please. We round up delicious dinners for two and showcase a hot new Korean cookbook before heading south to Dunedin to check out all that’s new in food and dining.The latest issue of dish is on sale NOW at all good bookstores and supermarkets – don’t miss it!