Ahhhhh....Corned Beef

[Erisianmonkey]

I know it isn't a traditional Irish dish, but who's doing a corned beef for St. Patrick's day? I am. My justification is that although it may not be traditionally Irish, it sure as shootin' is traditionally Irish American. And as I'm Irish American, I love it. So as I do every year, here's my recipe for perfect corned beef.

1 or 2 corned beef briskets
64 oz. apple cider (can substitute apple juice, but it does change the flavor slightly)
Put the corned beef and cider in a large crock pot or stock pot. If corned beef is not covered by liquid, add water to cover the beef. If using a crock pot, cook on its high setting for 6-8 hours. If using a stock pot, boil for one hour, then bring down to a simmer for 5-6 hours. Remove corned beef from liquid, rinse all spices from spice packet off, and place in baking dish. Put in preheated 375 degree Fahrenheit oven until slightly browned.
If cabbage floats your boat, add a quartered cabbage about one hour from the end of cooking time.
You can do potatoes in the liquid as well, but in my experience they take too much apple flavor that goes well with the cabbage and beef, but just makes the potatoes taste funky.
Enjoy.

[arrogcow]

I always do one. I only boil (and in water not cider), but add onion, turnips, carrots and garlic to the cabbage and potatoes.

Adam

[Bugbear]

Cool. Thanks for sharing that. I've done something on that order in the passed. I like corned beef rolled in grape leaves with a dab of horserattish goop, also.

[McFarkus]

Cool. Thanks for sharing that. I've done something on that order in the passed. I like corned beef rolled in grape leaves with a dab of horserattish goop, also.

Is that kind of an Irish Dolamades?

[Bugbear]

Is that kind of an Irish Dolamades?

That might be a good name for it. Dolamades are a lot more work to make than what I do to make these, though.

[Erisianmonkey]

Grape leaves and corned beef? Interesting. I've actually never yet eaten grape leaves. If we have leftovers, I like to saute the cabbage to remove some of the moisture, and then wrap diced corned beef and sauteed cabbage in eggroll wrappers and deep fry. Makes a killer appetizer for parties. Serve 'em with a good champagne mustard.

[Bugbear]

Grape leaves and corned beef? Interesting. I've actually never yet eaten grape leaves. If we have leftovers, I like to saute the cabbage to remove some of the moisture, and then wrap diced corned beef and sauteed cabbage in eggroll wrappers and deep fry. Makes a killer appetizer for parties. Serve 'em with a good champagne mustard.

Stuffed cabbage is great with the corn beef! I like spicey brown mustard.
I don't grow cabbage, though. I use the grape leaves right off the vine, and you can freeze them too. Fresh like that, they have a slight lemon-ish flavor. Out of the jar, they taste like what ever they pickled them with. They aren't bad pickled though.
I just have them fresh almost year round, so why go to the trouble.

Here's another tip, use the corn beef, even the canned corn beef in your tacos and other mexican food that calls for hamburger meet. So like some refried beans some corn beef a blob of sour cream or plain yohgart on a tortilla, zap it and it's an instant burrito. Same with the taco.


I don't have a food zapper, so I steam heat a lot of stuff or stick it in the toaster oven...

[Oldhiker]

. If we have leftovers, .

What does left over corned beef taste like....? That has never happened in my house.

[Ian.MacAllan]

What does left over corned beef taste like....? That has never happened in my house.

You bring to mind the home brewer who lamented that he would probably never learn how long it took his beer to mature because it was always still improving when he drank the last bottle.

.

[Pleater]

OK - I have to ask - what is this corned beef of which you speak?

We (in England) get cans of corned beef - but it isn't anything you'd go misty eyed over.