Corned beef and cabbage- Beef brisket slowly cooked on a low heat to give you tender and juicy beef oozing with delectable goodness in every bite. Serve it with veggies like cabbage, potatoes, and carrots and you’ll have one extraordinary beef meal for Sunday dinner or special occasions.
St. Patrick’s Day is nearly coming. Although we are going to celebrate it a little differently, why don’t we just bring the party inside our homes? We can still put on our matchy green pajamas, socks, hats, shirts, and a lot more greens! Just add a little dash of imagination and sprinkle of creativity and we’re all set to enjoy the party with our loved ones.
The festive tradition will not be complete without the famous Irish Corned Beef. The traditional way of cooking it is boiling it until tender. Adding the carrots, potatoes, and cabbage next. Letting it simmer for a while before serving.
But I came up with a slightly different technique to release and maximize all the flavors. And I’ll tell you how as you read along.😉
What is Corned Beef?
The famous corned beef is actually a beef brisket, a tough cut of meat, particularly the breast part of the cow. It becomes tender and very tasty when cooked properly for a couple of hours. The meat is being preserved by curing it with “corns” of salt in the process of brining.
This method was used even before World War 1, during which fresh meat was rationed. It remained a popular kitchen staple all over the world with several variations. It can be eaten as is or served with vegetables like cabbage and carrots.
Recipe Ingredients and Substitutions
Contrary to some expectations, this Corned Beef Cabbage doesn’t actually need that many complicated ingredients. Most of the ingredients you’ll be needing for this beef recipe are actually pantry staples or can easily be found at your nearest grocery store.
Here’s what you’ll be needing for this recipe.
- Corned Beef with spice packet
- Onion and Garlic
- Fresh Thyme
- Crushed Bay leaves
- Peppercorns
- Allspice Berries
- Mustard Seeds
- Beef Broth
- Beer
- Cabbage, Potatoes, and Carrots
Sometimes, the package doesn’t come with a spice packet but worry not as you can make your own by mixing the following:
- Coriander
- Peppercorns
- Mustard Seeds
- Bay Leaves
- Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
Just toast them in a cast-iron pan for about 2-3 minutes or until fragrant and grind them in a spice mill to release all the flavors. Store them in an airtight container and it’s ready to use any time you want.
And if you want to take a shortcut, a couple of teaspoons of pickling spice will do the trick. You can also use apple cider or apple juice.
Baked vs Boiled
Cooking Corned Beef can be done in 3 ways: boil, slow cook, and bake.
The most common and easy way is boiling it. Simply, put the brisket in a pot with cover, submerged in water. Let it boil for at least 2 hours. Not only it will tenderize the meat but it takes out the excess salt as well. The long cooking time unleashes all the flavors making it more savory.
Same with the slow cooking, but lesser effort as you don’t need to watch it while it cooks. It will take about 4 hours on high and 8 hours on low.
While in baking, you will still need to boil the corned beef brisket to eliminate the curing salt and discard the water after. Do it again to make sure you take out all the salt. Lay the beef fat-side up in a tray covered with foil and bake for 2 hours. To achieve a wonderful brown crispy crust, bake it for another 30 minutes unwrapped.
Tips to Make the Beef Tender
- Brisket is a tough cut of meat. So low and slow gets the best results every single time!
- Fill that pot with enough water. Simmering corned beef on the stovetop with an ample amount of liquid to cover the meat is a tried-and-true method of achieving a tender juicy piece of meat.
- Don’t forget the beer! Beer contains acids and tannins which break down the meat and tenderizes it.
- As with most meat, allow it to rest for a few minutes before slicing so the juices will be reabsorbed back into the meat.
- Remember, slice the meat across the grain. By doing this, the muscle fibers become shorter making it easy to chew.
Storage and Make-ahead Instructions
Yes, you can cook this beef dish ahead of time! Cook as instructed but do not put the vegetables yet. We don’t want our veggies mushy and gooey, right?
Simply place the cooked corned beef in a dry and clean airtight container, or tightly wrapped in a cling wrap and keep it inside the refrigerator for 3-4 days and 1-2 months in a freezer.
Reheating. When ready to serve, take it out from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for about 30-60 minutes before reheating. Get a pot with a lid and immerse the cooked beef with water or water with light beef stock. Let it boil, then toss in the vegetables and simmer them until the veggies are done cooking.
Or you can also bake it in the oven until the meat’s internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit or higher. You can cook the veggies separately while the beef is still inside the oven.
Serving Suggestions
Wanna make an extra hearty spread? Then serve this scrumptious beef dish with any of the following below.
More Recipes for St. Patrick’s Day
How To Make Corned Beef and Cabbage
Remove the corned beef from its package and rinse the meat several times under cool water to remove any excess salt from it. Place corned beef in a large dutch oven or oven-safe pot. Then sprinkle with the contents of the spice packet, if any. Add onion, garlic, thyme, garlic, bay leaves, peppercorns, allspice berries, and mustard seeds. Pour in the beer and broth and add more water to fully cover the beef. Place the pot on the stove on medium heat. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce the heat to a simmer. Let it cook for about 2 1/2 -3 hours.
While your meat is cooking, wash and cut the potatoes into desired chunks, depending on the size of the potatoes. Peel and slice the carrots in large chunks. If using a small cabbage, cut it in wedges otherwise cut in large chunks. Set aside.
When brisket is cooked to desired tenderness, add the carrots, and potatoes, to the pot so it is fully covered in the liquid. If desired, remove the corned beef before adding potatoes and carrots. Bring the pot to a boil, reduce heat and cook on medium-high for about 13-15 minutes or until tender. Do not overcook. Carefully remove the corned beef from the dutch oven and place it on a large plate or a platter.
Heat up a skillet with butter then add the potatoes and carrots and saute for 3-5 minutes or until slightly brown. Place them on the platter. In the same skillet, add butter, or oil followed by onions, and garlic. Add the cabbage and thoroughly mix. Cook over medium heat, adding liquid from the beef as needs to flavor the cabbage and prevent any burns. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove and place next to the corned beef. Slice the beef into thin slices against the grain and serve with cabbage, potatoes, and carrots. If desired, serve with a horseradish sauce.
Best Corned Beef and Cabbage
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Ingredients
- 1 (3-4 pound) corned beef with spice packet
- 1 medium onion, sliced
- 3 crushed garlic cloves
- 2 sprigs of fresh thyme
- 2-3 crushed bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon peppercorns
- 2 tablespoons allspice berries
- 1 tablespoon mustard seeds
- 5-6 cups beef broth
- 1 can (12 -ounce) beer
Vegetables
- 2 pounds small red potatoes
- 1 ½ pounds carrots
- 1 large head green cabbage, cut into 8 wedges
Instructions
- Remove the corned beef from its package and rinse the meat several times under cool water to remove any excess salt from it.
- Place corned beef in a large dutch oven or oven-safe pot. Then sprinkle with the contents of the spice packet, if any.
- Add onion, garlic, thyme, garlic, bay leaves, peppercorns, allspice berries, and mustard seeds.
- Pour in the broth and beer and add more water to fully cover the beef.
- Place the pot on the stove on medium heat. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce the heat to a simmer. Let it cook for about 2 1/2 -3 hours.
- While your meat is cooking, wash and cut the potatoes into desired chunks, depending on the size of the potatoes. Peel and slice the carrots in large chunks.
- If using a small cabbage, cut it in wedges otherwise cut in large chunks. Set aside.
- When brisket is cooked to desired tenderness, add the carrots, and potatoes, to the pot so it is fully covered in the liquid. If desired, remove the corned beef before adding potatoes and carrots.
- Bring the pot to a boil, reduce heat and cook on medium-high for about 13-15 minutes or until tender. Do not overcook.
- Carefully remove the corned beef from the dutch oven and place it on a large plate or a platter.
- Heat up a skillet with butter then add the potatoes and carrots and saute for 3-5 minutes or until slightly brown. Place them on the platter.
- In the same skillet, add butter, or oil followed by onions, and garlic. Add the cabbage and thoroughly mix. Cook over medium heat, adding liquid from the beef as needs to flavor the cabbage and prevent any burns.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove and place next to the corned beef. Slice the beef into thin slices against the grain and serve with cabbage, potatoes, and carrots. If desired, serve with a horseradish sauce.
Traditional Method
- When corned beef is cooked to desired tenderness, add the carrots, and potatoes, to the pot so it is fully covered in liquid. You may remove the corned beef before adding potatoes and carrots if you need more space.
- Bring the pot to a boil, reduce heat and cook on medium-high for about 13- 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
- Carefully remove the corned beef, carrots, and potatoes from the dutch oven and place them on a large plate or platter.
- Instead of frying the cabbage, add it to the liquid so it is fully submerged in the liquid. Bring to a boil and continue cooking for about 5 -10 minutes until tender.
- Remove and serve with corned beef together with potatoes and carrots.
- Slice the meat into thin slices against the grain, then serve on a large platter surrounded by the boiled potatoes, carrots, and cabbage.
- Garnish with parsley.
Tips & Notes:
- Don't worry if your corned beef doesn't come with a spice packet. You can make one at home by toasting 2 tbsps coriander, 2 tbsps peppercorns,
- Nutritional information is only for corned beef for a pound of serving.
- Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only. Please keep in mind that it is a rough estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary greatly based on the products used.
Nutrition Information:
Pauline says
This was absolutely divine! My whole family loved it.
Imma says
Thank you:) There’s more to come, so stay tuned
Raheema says
Nice recipe. Thanks a lot!
Hey, do you have a channel on telegram?
imma africanbites says
Hi, Raheema. Thank you for stopping by. No, I’m not on telegram.
Bob says
Do you recommend point or flat cut of the brisket?
ImmaculateBites says
The point cut is best for braising . It helps the meat tender and infuses more more flavor to the brisket. Be sure to trim off some fat from the brisket before cooking .
Hope this helps.
mimi rippee says
I have a brisket sitting in my freezer, and now I know what I want to do with it! Thanks for this recipe!
ImmaculateBites says
Great! Do let us know how it works out for you.
Chris Saunders says
How do you salt the brisket to begin this recipe ?
ImmaculateBites says
You do not need to salt the brisket because corned beef is soaked in salt water . It is pretty salty.