Corned beef is an aromatic brisket prepared with whole allspice, peppercorns and bay leaf for hours before braising with ale and root vegetables for maximum flavor. Finish it off by stirring some Dijon mustard into the cooking liquid for a zesty bite at the end.
This recipe makes the perfect St Patrick's Day or New Years Eve dinner! Serve alongside stone ground mustard or horseradish sauce for maximum flavour!
Ingredients
Start this easy crock pot corned beef and cabbage recipe by washing and prepping your vegetables, including cutting up carrots to use baby reds or medley varieties and cutting potatoes into thirds before placing all in your slow cooker along with onions and garlic cloves.
Add corned beef that has been prepared and brined using the traditional method. This should come in a vacuum sealed package at your grocery store's meat counter and should be clearly labeled "corned beef." To find leaner and more subtle flavorful cuts of corned beef look for flat cut brisket instead of point cut; these feature more rectangular shape with even thickness for even greater leanness and less point cut edges.
Most brands of corned beef come with a seasoning packet containing fragrant herbs and spices like peppercorns, whole allspice, bay leaves and pickling spice. If yours doesn't, add two or three tablespoons of pickling spice along with several peppercorns and one bay leaf for extra fragrance!
Pour just under 1 inch of water around the corned beef in your slow cooker and cover. Cook on HIGH for 2-4 hours or until the brisket is tender and falling apart. After the meat has cooked through, carefully add cabbage pieces. Cover and let this simmer for another 15-20 minutes or so, until cabbage becomes tender but not soggy.
Prep
Corned Beef and Cabbage is an iconic dish associated with St. Patrick's Day that can often be found served with mustard sauce. This classic Irish meal features tender corned beef simmered with carrots and potatoes in an aromatic broth made with large grains of rock salt (hence its name "corned") before brining and slow cooking to fork-tender perfection - perfect for any day of the week! Corned beef and cabbage is simple to prepare at home and great way to celebrate any special occasion such as St Patrick's Day or St Patrick himself!
Brisket is an economically priced cut of beef that becomes ultra tender when brined and slow cooked. While corning may take some time and effort, its worth your while! Once your tasty dinner has been enjoyed, leftovers can be used in various ways such as sandwiches on rye with cabbage wedges or even making reuben casserole!
Place corned beef, thyme, coriander and bay leaves in a Dutch oven; cover by 1" (10-12 cups of cold water) to create an inch-deep liquid layer. Bring to a simmer over medium high heat; lower to low and simmer partially covered for three hours with occasional skimming of foam to achieve fork-tender meat. Transfer from heat; slice across grain into 1/2-inch-thick slices before returning the pot to stove; simmer cabbage as well as any additional vegetables (carrots or new potatoes) alongside for 15-30 minutes more before adding cabbage (and more water as needed) so as not to create too salty of an end result.
Cook
Brisket is salt-cured and then slowly cooked, giving it a flavor profile that combines salty spices, sweet fruit, and savory notes into its exquisite bite.
Cabbage should be added after the beef has finished cooking, to allow its flavors to combine with those of the rich meat. Some cooks like to stir some mustard or horseradish sauce into the cooking liquid at the end for added flavor enhancement.
This crock pot corned beef and cabbage recipe is easy to prepare. Simply sautee the ingredients before placing them into a slow cooker filled with ale, the same beer used to cook your brisket. Allow the ingredients to slow cook together so the beef and cabbage can caramelize in their liquid bath.
This dish makes an impressive and hearty meal suitable for any celebration, not only St. Patrick's Day. When the corned beef is done, slice across the grain before serving with vegetables and broth - any leftovers can even be reheated in the oven to ensure it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F for optimal results!
Serve
Corned Beef and Cabbage is an irresistibly comforting meal to enjoy year-round, pairing the juicy flavor of corned beef brisket with earthy cabbage to produce an irresistibly flavorful dish that won't break the bank.
Corned beef can often be found pre-brined and ready for cooking in the meat department of your grocery store, and usually comes complete with its own spice packet. If this is unavailable to you, add a few tablespoons of pickling spices such as whole allspice berries, peppercorns and mustard seeds as well as bay leaves to the slow cooker along with your corned beef for optimal results.
While green cabbage is typically associated with corned beef and cabbage meals, why not experiment with swapping it out for Napa or purple cabbage, or even baby bok choy if desired. You could also switch up the potato variety using Yukon goldskin, redskin or russet varieties or any combination thereof and switch up your vinegar source with any alternative instead of malt vinegar, should desired.
Corned Beef and Cabbage can be enjoyed as is, or used to create corned beef sandwiches. Leftovers will keep well in the refrigerator, and can be quickly heated back up on the stovetop or in the oven to become warm and crispy again. To freeze leftovers for later reheating purposes place all ingredients into airtight zipper-top freezer bags labeled with their date for storage until ready for reheating.
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