Because beer (And because St. Patrick’s day is this week) … (And because tradition).
I may be a ginger but I am not Irish. My husband however is. As a result, I believe it to be the case, that if he were to go a year without having corned beef the week of St. Patrick’s day, he may get kicked out of the club. Or at least this is how it works in my crazy brain (even though corned beef was originally Jewish. Let’s not get caught up in the details of it OK?).
I have spent the last nineteen years or so trying to perfect this tradition. I think this year I have come pretty damn close (Or everyone at dinner the other night lied to me to spare my feelings, which is entirely possible. I am a fairly difficult human…).
Let me tell you how to make it, then you can tell me if It’s true OR if my loved ones are in fact liars… either way the end result is dinner so it’s a win.
Here is what you need:
-1 Corned beef brisket (This year I used a 5 lb. sucker thinking I would have SO many leftovers. I completely forgot about shrinkage. That struggle is as real for corned beef as it was for George Costanzia… and if you don’t get my Seinfeld reference, you may be dead to me).
-Pickling spice about 3 tbsp. in total (Your corned beef may come with a tiny packet of this. We will use it. But we’re also gonna add more. I know this is an Irish dish and they are not exactly famous for their strong flavor but we’re going to prove that stereotype wrong with this one).
-1 Beer of your choosing (I have used Guinness in the past. This year I used a beer that was aged in whiskey barrels. What’s more Irish than that! Basically any beer that is warm and toasty in flavor and not super "hoppy" will work).
-Beef Broth about 4 cups (it’s within your best interest to use low sodium here. Corned beef is a salty bastard and we want to have some semblance of control. We are control freaks after all).
-3 Bay Leaves (I’m still not 100% convinced these add any flavor at all to anything ever, but who am I to decide?).
-3 medium onions peeled and cut into quarters (it’s totally OK to leave the little onion nubbin on the end. They’re going to cook so long it will cease to even exist. …and yes, onion nubbin is a word I made up. So good right?).
-8 large carrots washed, peeled and cut into thirds.
-6 to 8 potatoes washed and quartered (The amount depends on the size, the number of people you are feeding, the room you will have in your pot and how much potatoes actually mean to you. They mean a lot to me. We used 8).
-Water enough to cover the corned beef almost entirely (This depends on the pot size, the brisket size, the size beer you use and so on. There is no exact amount. This bothers me. We have to move on from it. It will be OK…).
NOTE: You may notice cabbage is NOT on my list of ingredients nor is it in the title of the recipe. I don’t go the cabbage route. I prefer to serve my Brussel Sprouts on the side. I mean they are like cute mini cabbages after all. I realize this is scandalous and I should be ashamed or whatever… but you know what? I’m just not. I like sprouts better kids. So there! You can find my recipe here:
https://www.thecondescendingcontrolfreak.com/thecondescendingcontrolfreak/they-re-not-burnt-just-trust-me-brussel-sprouts
Now that we have cleared the air on cabbage (and I know there is some sort of pun in there because of the effects cabbage has on one’s stomach and all but we’re a classy food blog… sort of... and therefore we will refrain), let’s get to cooking!
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
Remove the corned beef from the packaging and rinse thoroughly (This is going to be gross. I’m not even going to pretend otherwise. We’ve got to do it kids. This is how we take control over the salt. We NEED control!!!).
Place the corned beef in a large oven safe pot with a lid (in my case I used my fancy cast-iron-enameled Dutch Oven that I’m always bragging about but any oven safe pot with a lid will work…or you know an oven safe pot with tin foil or whatever.), pour in one beer and the four cups of low sodium beef broth.
Add in the three bay leafs (Which are the leaves from the poisonous Laurel tree. I don’t know who was like “Hey! Let’s add these inedible leaves from that-there poisonous tree to all of our broth’s and sauces!” but someone somewhere did and now we do).
Add 3 tbsp. of pickling spice (or the 1 packet and another 2 tbsp. or so).
Add enough water to just about cover the rest of the beef (but not so much water that you have no room to later add the veggies, because guess what? Spoiler alert: Later we’re adding the veggies! Whoa right?).
Add in the onions (I know these are veggies but we’re going to use them to flavor the broth and the beef and not so much as a side dish and why are you even questioning my onion methods?).
Bring the pot to a full boil (In case you were wondering, the old adage “A watched pot never boils” is complete and total BS. It totally does. I feel like I was lied to my whole damn life).
Once the pot is at a full boil, place the lid on the pot and place the pot in the oven (This sucker is going to be heavy with all the liquid and meat and whatever. It’s going to be hot. Please be careful. I can’t have any injuries on my conscience).
This is going to braise in the oven for about an hour per lb. This means for a 5 lb. corned beef (which as I said is what I used and you will probably use since you want to be just like me), was 5 hours (amazing math right?!?!).
Set the timer two hours less (we’re not done adding things remember kids?).
When the timer goes off (CAREFULLY, I can’t stress that enough… probably because I’m talking to myself here. I’m a klutz), remove the pot from the oven, and slowly add in your potatoes and carrots.
Replace the cover on the pot (This cover will be hot as it will have been in the oven. Use the pot holder. Don’t be like me and forget. Remember HOT) and put the pot back in the oven.
Finish cooking for the last two hours. You will know this is done when the corned beef and all the veggies are fork-tender (which is another expression that weirdly freaks me out. I have issues).
Slice the beef against the grain (Yes. Meat has a grain. It’s kind of gross to think about so we prefer not to over-think it so I’ll just put a picture of it below).
Remove those tricky bay leaves (because they are inedible as I mentioned).
Serve alongside the potatoes and carrots and my “They’re Not Burnt Just Trust Me” Brussel Sprouts.
Pour yourself a Guinness or some whiskey or both and Enjoy!
Happy St. Patrick’s Day friends!
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