CORNED BEEF & CABBAGE
3-5 lbs brisket (since it takes 4 to 7 days to brine it, I'm assuming you bought a pre-brined (corned) one. That probably means it has sodium nitrate. That makes it prettier (more red), but a bit bitter, but still alright (imho))
paprika
dry mustard
Medium yellow onion, quartered
thyme, 2 sprigs
bay leaves, two or three, broken up
lemon
peppercorns, say 8
3 or more cloves of garlic, minced
beef stock, two cups (canned is ok)
1 Guinness stout
water
1 head of cabbage, cut into eight wedges (or three pints of Brussels sprouts, to be fancy)
small white onions, a dozen or more
3 or 4 big carrots, in two inch hunks
2lb some sort of potatoes, in 1 to 2 inch chunks (I like Yukon, baby reds are good too), leave at least some of the peel on them
anise seed, half a teaspoon
dill, 1 tbls
parsley, three tbls
squeeze lemon over and sprinkle paprika and dry mustard on both sides of brisket when you begin to bring it up to room temperature
wrap the thyme, yellow onion, bay leaves and peppercorns in cheese cloth, tie tightly.
stab the meat about thirty times on each side.
put bundle and meat (fat side up) and the garlic in your biggest pot or dutch oven. add stock, beer and enough water to cover everything.
bring to a boil and then turn down to a simmer (you might need to add more water later, but i doubt it)
Boil. For at least two hours, plan on two and a half, until a skewer slides right into the thickest part.
preheat oven to 200 degrees. Move meat to a platter, ladle a little bit of liquid over it, and cover with foil, put in oven to keep (discard the spice bundle)
sprinkle anise seeds and dill on cabbage, and parsley on the potatoes
skim a reasonable amount of fat from the pot (no need to get OC about it, it's a holiday, and lent is called off for the day.)
toss the potatoes and carrots into the pot - return to a boil and then bring down to a simmer again. Cook for twelve to fifteen minutes (until half done).
Add cabbage and white onions to pot, and cook for another ten minutes, until everything is tender.
Serve and eat while wearing the green. Enjoy.
(Extensive research has shown that people do eat corned beef and cabbage in Ireland, but it's not close to being the national dish. They eat cabbage and bacon more often (but in the US, bacon just isn't what it is everywhere else.). This is more a displaced Irishman's dish.)
Erin Go Braugh!!!
(Both the nation and the person too!)
Stuck in time
When I saw the title of this in the new posts column, I couldn't help but think of it as an old bit from a "Carnak" skit by Johnny Carson. I've had a lot of fun imagining what the question was! :-)
They know they can survive
Corned beef and Cabbage
Well, it seems like a lot of extra work, but sounds really good to. Maybe I can try it next year. I just did my standard New England Boiled dinner today, with a corned beef (with nitrates) and their spices, potatos (yukon golds) carrots, onion and cabbage. Hmm, not too different except for the rub and I used less onion in mine.
Oh yeah, with buttermilk cornbread. None of that sweet sugar nonsense!!
CaroL
CaroL
I do like onions
but that is all this is, a NE boiled dinner. Two herbs to chop, plus the garlic (is there anything to cook that doesn't need garlic chopped?) Everything else is straight from the tin. And it's good.
Doesn't it seem like many of the old comfort foods (weeknight foods of yesteryear), meat loaf, pot roast, pot pies, enchiladas, chili (I'm not from New England.) take more prep time than the feast foods (rib roast, turkey) though? Of course, part of that is cheaper ingredients, but part of it is we just aren't used to being in the kitchen, watching the pot now, I think. (I do know someone who roast corned beef, but that's not the way it's done!)
[withheld, the question is what's for St Pat's Day supper, of course. (I had another question too, but it's political, so I won't)]
There's nothing like
a good corned beef. I'm originally from Nova Scotia with both fishers and miners on both sides of my family. I like the sounds of your recipe. I have also found lots of uses for the boil broth too from using it as a wonderful base if you freeze some of it when you make an Irish stew. It's great for cooking both barley and lentils in as well.
Or my favorite...reduce it down a lot and add some stone ground mustard and a can of chickpeas and put it through the food processor. It's great as a spread on a corned beef and cabbage sandwich.
Oh and adding some caraway seed to the cabbage is great to reheat it as left overs in a frying pan with some butter.
Bailey Summers
You had me at the Guinness
I probably won't try this myself since I live alone and that's a lot of food but it does sound yummy and perhaps if I'm ever called on to prepare a St. Paddy's Day feast....
Can't make this for my brother's family either. He's under a strict dietary prohibition from his wife. No cruciferous vegetables aloud! No, that is not a misspelling. :)
Hugs,
Erin
= Give everyone the benefit of the doubt because certainty is a fragile thing that can be shattered by one overlooked fact.
= Give everyone the benefit of the doubt because certainty is a fragile thing that can be shattered by one overlooked fact.