Why is it called corned beef when there aren't actual corns in it?

Filipinos love corned beef, and it has been a sort of staple long before the community quarantine.

Do you ever wonder why it’s called "corned beef" when there isn’t any actual corn in it?

During her online cooking show "ECQusina," GMA News' Kara David explained that the "corn" in "corned beef" actually refers to the curing process of the meat.

"'Yung proseso ng paggawa ng corned beef ay tinatawag nilang 'curing.' Nilalagyan nila ng maraming maraming asin 'yung beef or 'yung baka, 'yung meat, para ma-preserve siya,” she explained.

Corned beef originates from Europe where they used large grains of salt that were likened to corn kernels.

"Sa Europa ang ginagamit nilang uri ng salt nung time na 'yon ay ang lalaki ng butil… Hindi siya 'yung iodized salt na ginagamit natin. Malalaking butil ng asin 'yung ginagamit nila," Kara explained.

"Kaya siya corned beef, kasi it's beef na nilagyan ng maraming malalaking asin which they call corn, kaya siya corned beef," she said.

"ECQusina" with Kara David is a weekly show on Facebook live where she helps her fellow homecooks make the most out of their daily grocery store items.

The main ingredient in the latest episode was corned beef, and she made not one but two dishes that go beyond the regular pan-cooked dish with potatoes.

Learn how to make “Adobo-style Corned Beef Flakes" and “Corned Beef Soup" with Kara David in this livestream:

—Margaret Claire Layug/JCB, GMA News