Hurricane-Season Bully Beef

Before you start

• Respect the tin.

  Make sure you are buying canned minced corned beef (like Grace or Libby's), not deli-sliced meat or corned beef hash. Open it carefully using the attached metal key. Because the meat is fully cooked and heavily cured, do not add any extra salt to this dish.

Ingredients

• coconut oil1 tbsp
• yellow onion1 med
• scallions2 med
• green bell pepper1/2 med
• garlic2 clove
• Scotch bonnet pepper1/2 small
• Roma tomato1 med
• fresh thyme3 sprig
• black pepper1/4 tsp
• canned minced corned beef12 oz
• tomato ketchup1 1/2 tbsp

Method

1. 01

   Sauté the aromatic base.

   Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onion, scallions, green bell pepper, and minced Scotch bonnet pepper. Sauté for about 3 to 4 minutes, until the onions are translucent and the kitchen smells incredible.

2. 02

   Build the second layer of flavor.

   Stir in the minced garlic, diced tomato, fresh thyme sprigs, and black pepper. Cook for another 2 to 3 minutes until the tomatoes begin to soften and break down, releasing their juices into the pan.

3. 03

   Introduce the beef.

   Add the broken-up corned beef to the skillet. Use a wooden spoon to gently fold it into the vegetable mixture. Break up any excessively large chunks, but take care not to mash it into a paste—you want some texture.

4. 04

   Bind it with the grandmother's secret.

   Stir in the ketchup. Reduce the heat to medium-low and let the mixture simmer for just 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. You only want to heat the beef through so it absorbs the thyme and pepper. Do not overcook, or the beef's fat will melt out completely and turn the meat stringy and tough.

5. 05

   Discard the thyme stems and serve immediately.

   Remove from heat, pick out and discard the bare thyme stems. Serve hot alongside boiled green bananas, fried dumplings, or a thick slice of hard dough bread.

Notes

• Stretch the pot.

  If extra cousins show up unannounced, do what the grandmothers did and stretch the meat. Stir in a half cup of frozen sweet corn or green peas when you add the tomatoes, or sauté shredded green cabbage with the onions before adding the beef.

• Controlling the heat.

  Scotch bonnets pack a profound punch. If your family prefers a milder dish, do not chop the pepper. Drop the whole, uncut pepper into the pan while cooking, and remove it before serving to extract the fruity aroma without the fire.

• The browning debate.

  Some older Jamaican cooks swear by adding a half teaspoon of Caribbean browning sauce alongside the ketchup to deepen the color to a rich mahogany. It is optional, but worth a try if you keep a bottle in the pantry.