Good Eats - Yes...It's Corned Beef time of the year!

Once a year...
Corned Beef and Cabbage Dinner
(ok, maybe 3 times a year. we do stock up if there is a good sale)

It's not often the every member of the household scream, "YEAH!" to dinner.  But in our house corned beef has that effect.

Extremely easy, but you can still pretend you "slaved over the stove" for that ultra delicious dinner.

I am including two (2) different recipe.  The really really really easy one pot dinner over the stove and the "a little bit" more work oven baked version with Guinness!

I do like my corned beef a bit firmer so I included a cooking time range.  And the "Horseradish Cream" is a Must at our house. Every time, I have to laugh and ask if Nerdy Hubby wants a little beef with his plateful of  cream.

No-Fail Corned Beef & Cabbage Dinner

Ingredient:

3-4 pounds corned beef brisket with spice packet

12 small red potatoes

6 carrots, peeled and cut into 3-inch pieces

1 large head cabbage, cut into small wedges

Direction:

1.  Place corned beef in large pot or Dutch oven and cover with water. Add the spice packet that came with the corned beef. Cover pot and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Simmer approximately 30-40 minutes per pound or until tender.

2.  Add whole potatoes and carrots, and cook until the vegetables are almost tender. Add cabbage and cook for 8-10 minutes. Remove meat and let rest 15 minutes.

3.  Place vegetables in a bowl and cover. Add as much broth (cooking liquid reserved in the Dutch oven or large pot) as you want. Slice meat across the grain.

Flat Cut is leaner; Point Cut is more flavorful due to the fat;
 Don't overcook the poor cabbage, it should not be gray;
Never forget the Horseradish Cream

Oven Baked Corned Beef in Guinness

For the Corned Beef
2 bottles Guinness beer (or other dark beer)
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
3-4 pound corned beef brisket, rinsed well and patted dry
1 tablespoon pickling spice (or the spice packet that came with the corned beef)
1/2 onion
1 entire head of garlic, halved

Water, enough to be an inch of liquid in the pan

For the Vegetables
1 head cabbage, cut into 6 sections
6 carrots, cut into chunks
12 red potatoes, cut into chunks

directions:

1. Preheat oven to 300F.

2. Put all the ingredients except the vegetables into a Dutch oven or a oven proof large pot, if needed, add enough water to cover the beef.

3. Bring to a simmering boil on the stovetop, be careful not to let the beer boil over.

4. Once it begins simmering, cover the pot and place in oven to roast for 3-4 hours, flipping meat once during halfway point, add more liquid if necessary.

5. Check for desired tenderness (I like my corned beef a bit firmer). Then remove from liquid and cover with foil to keep it warm.

6. Drain the liquid into a pot to remove the onion, garlic, and spices. Bring to a simmering boil.

7. Cook the potatoes and carrots in the simmering liquid for 15 minutes then add the cabbage and cook for another 10 minutes. Check for doneness.

8. Plate the vegetables and serve with sliced up corned beef. Pour some liquid over the plate. 

Examples of Dutch oven and oven proof pans;
Some people do this in an Electric Roaster Oven

Horseradish Cream

1 tablespoon of prepared horseradish (or to your taste)

1 cup of sour cream (or you can replace 1/2 cup of sour cream with Greek style yogurt)

1/2 teaspoon of salt

a dash of pepper

Combine everything and refrigerate for at least an hour. Taste and re-season if necessary.