Do you plan to serve a delicious dinner of corned beef for St. Patrick’s Day? Will you chose a dish of corned beef and cabbage, a plate of reuben sandwiches, or a boiled dinner for your St. Patrick’s day meal? Keep reading to find classic corned beef recipes and new favorites that your family will love!
What is corned beef?
Corned beef is a salt-cured cut of beef brisket. The use of the word ‘corned’ is deceptive, since there is no corn in corned beef. While there is no definite answer, ‘corned’ probably refers to the corn-kernel-sized pieces of salt originally used to cure the beef brisket.
Curing Your Own Corned Beef:
Curing your own corned beef is a simple process, it just takes time. Most recipes call for a combination of corned beef brisket, water, pickling spices, salt, and brown sugar. The first step to curing your beef is to combine the brine ingredients and boil them until the brown sugar has completely dissolved.
To quickly cool down your brine, replace some of the water called for in your brine recipe with ice. After the brine is cool, pour it into a zip top plastic bag with your brisket. Seal the bag and place it in the refrigerator for about 7-10 days, or according to your recipe. Once the curing process is complete, your corned beef is ready to cook.
Making Corned Beef and Cabbage:
Preparing corned beef for a dish of corned beef and cabbage is similar to cooking a pot roast. Simply place the brisket in a Dutch oven or other heavy-bottomed pan. To bring the brisket to a simmer quickly, use warm water to barely cover it in the Dutch oven. Add seasonings and aromatic vegetables, such as chopped onion and smashed garlic cloves.
Place a lid on the Dutch oven and bring the cooking liquid to a boil and then reduce it to a simmer. Cooking time will depend on the size of the brisket. A 3 pound corned beef brisket will need to simmer for approximately 3 hours or until tender.
To prepare the cabbage, remove the corned beef from the cooking liquid once it is fully cooked. Bring the cooking liquid to a boil and add the amount of cabbage wedges your recipe calls for. Boil for 20 minutes. Remove the cabbage from the cooking liquid. At this point, you could use the remaining cooking liquid to make a pan gravy for your corned beef and cabbage. Serve your corned beef and cabbage with a recipe of colcannon.
Reuben Sandwich Tips:
A reuben sandwich is the perfect vehicle for tender slices of corned beef. Use corned beef that you have prepared or take advantage of corned beef sliced paper-thin from your favorite deli.
To prepare a mouthwatering Reuben, start with thick slices of rye or pumpernickel bread. Slather each slice with prepared Thousand Island salad dressing on one side and butter on the other. On each slice of bread, place a layer of swiss cheese on top of the dressing and then a generous layer of sauerkraut.
To keep your sandwich from getting soggy, ring out the excess liquid from your sauerkraut. Simply place the sauerkraut in a paper towel, hold it over the sink, and give it a squeeze until no more liquid runs out.
To finish filling your sandwich, add another layer of Swiss cheese over the sauerkraut and a heap of thinly sliced corned beef to one of the sandwich. Place the sandwich on a sheet tray and put it under a preheated broiler until the cheese has melted. Watch it carefully for burning.
Once the cheese is melted, remove the Reuben from the oven and place the sides of the sandwich together. Grill it on the stovetop in a preheated frying pan until the bread is toasted. Remove your Reuben from the pan and enjoy with a crisp dill pickle and thickly cut potato chips.
Boiled Dinner Tips:
Making a delicious boiled dinner is similar to preparing a roast. Simply place your corned beef brisket into a Dutch oven or other heavy-bottomed pot and add warm water until it is just covered. Season the cooking liquid with garlic, onion, bay leaves, salt, and pepper.
Bring the cooking liquid to a boil and reduce it to a simmer. Cook the corned beef brisket until it is tender, checking the level of cooking liquid hourly. Once the corned beef is fully cooked, remove it from the cooking liquid and add prepared root vegetables, such as carrots, potatoes, and turnips that have been peeled and cut into appropriately-sized pieces.
Cook vegetables in the corned beef cooking liquid until they are tender, approximately 15-20 minutes. Use the remaining cooking liquid to make a quick pan gravy and serve it with your boiled dinner.
Corned Beef Recipes:
[Cure Your Own Corned Beef](recipe/v/corned-beef-hash-15664
Classic Corned Beef:
Crockpot Corned Beef and Cabbage
Another Corned Beef and Cabbage
Corned Beef and Cabbage with Horseradish Sauce
Corned Beef Brisket with Vegetables and Horseradish Sauce
Corned Beef with Colcannon Potatoes
A Fresh Take on Corned Beef:
Barbecued Corned Beef and Cheese Bread
Corned Beef and Cabbage and Stir Fry
Corned Beef Brisket with Stir-Fried Cabbage
Corned Beef with Onions and Greens
Reuben Quiche in Rye Bread Crust
Corned Beef Hash:
Corned Beef Sandwiches:
Soup with Corned Beef:
Colcannon and Corned Beef Soup
Boiled Dinner:
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