Top of the mornin' to ya! Drink what you will today, personally I don't go for green beer, but another distinctly American tradition is Corned Beef and Cabbage. Not sure where the custom started because you really don't see a lot of corned beef in Ireland, so it's anybody's guess, really.
I started this post a year ago in response to an email I got on how to cook corned beef. I don't really have a recipe, but I'll try to pay attention to how much of everything I use today, so I update this next year.
Corned beef is almost always made from beef brisket, which as I've noted before, is a trick cut to work with. Check out the link for more information on why, but there are a few different ways to prepare it, plus a method that combines the two.
Update: The corned beef has been in the oven for 4 hours at this point. I started it off at 425º until it browned up a bit, then added the Guinnesses and water. Once it was boiling, I turned the heat down to 275º. I just put the potatoes, onions, and carrots into the oven in another baking dish, raised the oven to 325º, and it's smelling really good in here.
Me? Dipping into the Guinness already? Perish the thought...
BTW, our friend and Food Fight 4 pal Matt has a cool article about the myths of St. Patty's Day in his local paper. Check it out here. Thanks to Gail for the tip!!!
As I mentioned before, you've got two ways to prepare this- boiled on the stovetop or baked/braised in the oven. Boiling (actually simmering nice and low so it doesn't get tough) gives you lots of flavorful broth to cook your spuds, carrots and cabbage in and baking gives you more of a roasted flavor and not as much liquid. Both are great. For boiling use a stock pot at least 6" or 8" tall, for braising use a roasting pan only a little higher than your beef.
Brown it in your pan a bit on all sides with a little oil if there isn't enough fat to keep it from burning. Towards the end of browning, spread a little Colman's mustard on top. I know, it's English so don't tell anyone! Also, throw in a chopped onion and carmelize it well. This will give lots of flavor to the broth.
After your beef and onion are browned, it's time to add liquid. I like to use a can of Guinness to deglaze the pan, scraping up any bits that have stuck to the pan. Now the techniques diverge:
Boiling:
Add another can of Guinness and enough water to cover the beef plus an extra inch or so. Add the seasoning packet, if it came with one. Bring it up to a boil, then lower to a simmer. Again, don't boil the crap out of it, just a nice mellow simmer, it could take 3 hours to really get it just right. About the last hour or so, when you see it's starting to get tender, put in your carrots and potatoes. During the last 10 minutes, lay your cabbage wedges on top so you can fish them out later without breaking them.
Baking/braising:
Add another can of Guinness and just enough water to just enough water to come 1/3 to 1/2 of the way up the side of the beef. Braise in a 325º oven for up to 3 hours, until tender. About the last hour or so, when you see it's starting to get tender, put in your carrots and potatoes. When the corned beef is really tender, take it out of the roasting pan and let it rest on a platter. Lay the cabbage wedges in the broth and return to the oven until the cabbage is finished.
Cabbage:
I like to keep the cabbage in wedges. It looks pro and if someone doesn't want cabbage, they don't have to pick it out of the broth. Take off any nasty outer leaves and cut into wedges. Make sure you leave the core intact so it won't easily fall apart.
Which technique? If you like the broth, stove top. If you like a more roasted texture to your corned beef, make it in the oven. A combo technique is to start it on the stovetop for a few hours, then transfer the beef to a roasting pan and finish it in the oven with the potatoes and carrots, then you can boil the cabbage on the stovetop in the liquid. Anyway, it's a classic, hearty and filling.
Serve with bread and butter and more Guinness. Lots of it, plus a wee drop of Irish whiskey if you're so inclined.
Happy St. Patrick's Day. Sláinte!!!!!!!
Leave a comment