So how do you cook your corned beef? This year for

[Fire1]

St. Paddy's Day, I'm going to 'roast' it, for the first time. I usually boil the brisket. Feel free to share recipes!

[The empressof all]

1. I have cooked them in the oven with good results

I believe this cut does well with a slow braise as an alternative to boiling. I wouldn't cook it "dry" like you would for a good roast. You need some moist heat to break down that tough cut and a tight fitting lid. I've cooked it in the dutch oven with beer and one year I even did it with white wine. I usually dry roast the veggies on a separate sheet pan and steam the cabbage on top of the stove with a bit of caraway and garlic.

I have also cooked the corned beef in the slow cooker and in the pressure cooker. Pressure Cooking the beef in beer is probably my favorite method though you really need to be spot on with your timing or the end product could be too stringy.

[Fire1]

2. I plan to add water for moisture, as well. I've always wanted

a pressure cooker. I've heard that it cuts cooking time in half. I'm going to cook cabbage and veggies on top of the stove, too.

[The empressof all]

3. I love, love, love my pressure cooker

I have an electric one that sits on my counter because I use it almost every day. I cook most of my veggies in there and make a lot of veggie purees. I use a steamer basket and steam potatoes for SO's mashies. It saves so much time and infuses tons of flavor into what you are cooking. Soups and stews are a breeze and it makes a great pulled pork in no time at all. Once you get the hang of it it's hard to live without one.

[Fire1]

4. I just told my son and hubby that I want one for my birthday

but I don't think I can wait that long! LOL!!

[Blues Heron]

5. Just roasted some last sunday

St. Paddy's day came early this year!

I bought a pre-brined wellshire farms brisket from Whole Paycheck, 7.5 lbs

Soaked it for a couple hours in cold water to de-salt it a bit, scraped off some of the seeds and whatnot

Studded it with cloves like it was a ham, slathered it with honey mustard

Baked it covered with foil in a large pyrex baking dish at about ~ 310 degrees for a total of 4 or 5 hours ( I did some errands during part of the cooking and it was off but in the oven for that period - maybe an 90 minutes) , till it was around 190 degrees in the thickest part - uncovered for the last 45 min

A lot of water came out in the first hour or so, I let it braise in that for maybe 2 hours, then removed the liquid.

Hope this helps! It was (still is in fact) delicious!!

[Fire1]

6. Thanks for the temp and timing. I figured about 185 to 190

degrees. I'll take the cover off for the last 45 minutes, too. That's one thing I like about corned beef, the left overs. It tastes even better the next day.

[Warpy]

7. I'm letting the cows keep their muscles

but I always make a batch of fancy Irish bread for the occasion, spiked with caraway and black currants. It's really my favorite bread, I don't know why I don't do it more often.

[tigereye]

15. my mom used to make that- very yummy.

[pengillian101]

8. So how do you cook your corned beef?

I have tried and tried to make it - baked in the oven or boiled it - and it always is just FATTY!

The past few years, our neighbor pal who owns a resort makes dinners to serve or take home. She gets restaurant quality meat. Her Mom is almost 80 years old and makes it the way best ever!

I wonder if that's the difference - getting restaurant quality meat to start with.

Just thinking about it, until I get her extreme meal, today I made some leftover new potatoes and deli corned beef and made a hash (w/butter, spring onions and fresh parsley. Fixed me right up, for now, anyway ;-)

[pengillian101]

9. And I used brussel sprouts instead of cabbage.

In a pinch as a micro-steamed vegie.

Same family of flavors.

Yum to me.

[Richard Steele]

10. I guess my method could best be desribed as " slow braising"....

I put it in a roasting pan, add an inch or so of water,
then put the pan in a 250-degree oven for several hours.

I should mention that I haven't bought any 'corned beef'
for almost 3 years now; I've been making my own since
I saw this thread:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=236&topic_id=49633&mesg_id=49633

Once you try that recipe for yourself, 'store-bought'
will forever seem entirely second-rate.



And I've gone beyond using BEEF- since the "corning" process
works best with the LEANER roasts, and I've started getting
back up to Polecat Hollow for 'deer hunting season again,
I've been applying that recipe to entire haunches of
fresh wild VENISON.

It's just about the BEST meat I've ever eaten, Itellyawhut!
KOBE beef can't hold a candle to Polecat Hollow Corned venison.

[Tesha]

11. ooohhh that sounds wonderful!

We corn our own too, tho' we don't have access to venison... mmmmm.

It takes time, and it takes space, but it takes the cake as the best corned meat you can get.
I always simmer it for an hour with some of the corning spices
then add all the root veggies that fit...

potatoes, rutabaga, parsnip, carrots, onion, and cabbage
according to their cooking time

here's ours with corned beef ribs

[Richard Steele]

13. I agree: root vegetables are the BEST with it!

Our PARSNIP & carrot crop was meager and weak last year,
but our last parsnip harvest yielded just enough
to cover a roast, and the tiny cabbages we harvested were
remarkably sweet.

We didn't arrange them as ARTISTICALLY as you did there,
but the flavor combination was just OUTSTANDING.

[hippywife]

14. Yep.

I use that recipe sazemisery posted way back then. It is truly awesome. Better for having done it yourself.

:hi:

[blue neen]

16. Thank you so much for posting that recipe thread!

It sounds so delicious...we may have to celebrate St. Patrick's Day a little late, so I can make this corned beef instead.

:yourock:

[Richard Steele]

17. It really is so good, I've risked the ire of my fellow DUers....

...by kicking that thread MONTHS after it was dead.
(check the dates on it- you'll see what I mean)

It really is just the best recipe EVER.
If you take the time and effort to follow this recipe,
every other bit of 'corned beef' you've ever eaten
will seem like some sort of halfassed, second-rate excuse
for 'corned beef' in comparison.

[EFerrari]

18. I can't believe you ate Bambi.

:cry:

[DrDan]

12. with lots of mustard, cabbage, boiled potatoes and carrots