How to make the perfect salt beef bagel

A proper deli classic, done the Farmfetch way.

There’s a reason the salt beef bagel has never gone out of fashion. Warm, peppery beef. Sharp mustard. Crunchy pickles. Soft, chewy bread. It’s simple – but when each ingredient is good, it becomes something really delicious.

Start with proper beef and everything else falls into place. Trailhead’s Welsh salt beef brings that deep savoury richness you expect from a great deli sandwich, made from traceable PGI Welsh silverside and crafted using traditional curing methods. Whether you slow-cook the joint yourself or reach for the ready-sliced pack, it’s designed for exactly this moment: piled high inside a bagel.

For the bagels themselves, we won’t reinvent the wheel – Jamie Oliver recently shared a brilliant homemade bagel recipe on Channel 4's Feasts for a Fiver that we highly recommend, giving you chewy centres and crisp crusts if you fancy baking your own. Alternatively, if you don't have time to back from scratch, a quality bagel from your local bakery will do the trick perfectly as well.

Now, onto the real star: the sandwich.

The perfect salt beef bagel

Serves 2

Ingredients

• 2 bagels (fresh or lightly toasted)

• 200-250g Trailhead sliced salt beef (or hand-carved from your cooked joint)

• 2 tsp English mustard or 2 tbsp American mustard (per bagel – to taste)

• 4-6 pickled cucumbers or gherkins, sliced lengthways

• Optional: sauerkraut, Swiss cheese, or horseradish

• Freshly cracked black pepper

Method

1. Warm (or cook) the beef 
If you're buying pre-sliced, gently steam or microwave the salt beef for 20-40 seconds until just warm. You want it supple and juicy – never dry.

Alternatively, if you've opted for the raw salt beef joint, it will arrive in a ready-to-cook bag for convenience. Place straight into boiling water and simmer gently for 2 to 2.5 hours, or if you'd prefer to use a slow cooker, you can cook the beef on low overnight.

2. Prepare the bagel
Slice and lightly toast. The exterior should be warm and lightly crisp while the inside stays soft.

3. Build the base
Spread mustard generously on both halves, to cut through the richness of the beef.

4. Pile high
Layer the salt beef generously. A proper bagel should feel almost overfilled – tender folds rather than flat slices.

5. Add crunch & sharpness
Top with pickles (and sauerkraut if using). Finish with cracked black pepper. If adding Swiss cheese, warm this lightly – either under the grill, or with a blowtorch – for a delicious melty texture.

6. Close, press, eat immediately
Wrap in parchment if you want the authentic deli feel. Then enjoy while warm! 

You can find superb quality salt beef online here at Farmfetch, with convenient delivery UK-wide. Browse premium Welsh salt beef – including pre-sliced and raw salt beef joint options – in the Trailhead collection.