This post first appeared on Yellow Bliss Road where I am a contributor.
Corned Beef and Cabbage is a fool-proof recipe that anyone can make! This simple recipe is sure to become a St. Patrick’s Day tradition at your house!
You guys!!! St. Patrick’s Day is just over a week away and I’m so freaking excited. This year, we’re waylaying our regular venture to the local pub for the day and having a party at our house instead! The boys have mixed feelings about it, but I make have bribed them with a dessert of their choice. I’ll be blending up a Grasshopper or two and cooking all kinds of yummy food like Colcannon, Guinness Gingerbread, Irish Potato Bites, and this traditional corned beef and cabbage recipe! It’s going to be a party for the books, let me tell ya!
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Something to know about corned beef, there are two different cuts you can find at the store – the “flat” and the “point”. The “flat” is leaner and has a more consistent thickness. The “point” is the thicker end of the brisket, is generally fattier, and has more marbling. I grabbed a flat for my corned beef. While there is a thick fat cap, you could always trim that down or take it off completely for cooking. I like the extra flavor it imparts to the pot.
Why is it called Corned Beef?
“Corned” comes from the treatment of the meat with large-grained rock salt – also called “corns” of salt. Corned beef is a salt-cured brisket. There are two cuts – the flat and the point. The point tends to have more fat, but either will work great for this recipe.
Is Corned Beef really Irish?
Corned beef is technically Irish. It’s associated with St. Patrick’s Day here in the states and comes from the Irish-American culture. Corned beef was originally used as a substitute for bacon by immigrants in the late 19th century.
How to Make Corned Beef and Cabbage
- Place corned beef in a large pot and fill with water. Add spice packet that came with beef and bay leaves.
- Bring to a boil and then simmer for 2 hours.
- Add potato and carrots and simmer for 30 minutes
- Add cabbage and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Remove everything from the pot. Slice the corned beef and plate on a serving platter with veggies.
This recipe is crazy easy, you just need to give it some time to let the brisket do its thing.
When to add cabbage to corned beef
- You really don’t want to overcook the cabbage. Since the potatoes and carrots need a bit longer to boil, wait until the last 15 minutes of cooking to add your cabbage to the pot.
A note about the cooking liquid. You can absolutely use water only and this recipe will still come out great. I like to boost things a bit though, so I pour in a bottle of beer. Usually an amber ale or a lager…whatever we have on hand at home. You could also use low-sodium beef broth in place of or in addition to the beer. If you using both, do 12 ounces each and then fill the pot with water. I really like the extra depth of flavor it creates.
My favorite things about this corned beef and cabbage recipe is that it’s practically a fool-proof recipe. The hardest part is chopping up the veggies and slicing the brisket when it’s done cooking. Otherwise, it’s a set and (almost) forget meal. All the flavors marry together for a crazy good meal.
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Corned Beef and Cabbage
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 to 4 pounds corned beef (flat cut with spice packet)
- 12 ounces beer (amber ale or lager)
- 2 bay leaves
- 6 red potatoes chopped into large pieces
- 6 carrots peeled and chopped into large pieces
- 1 head green cabbage cut into wedges
Instructions
- Remove corned beef brisket from the package and set aside spice packet. Place corned beef in a 6-quart dutch oven. Add beer and enough water to cover the corned beef completely. Sprinkle spice packet over top and add bay leaves.
- Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 2 hours. (I flipped my corned beef about halfway through.)
- Add potatoes and carrots to the pot, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes.
- Add cabbage, cover pot, and simmer for another 15 minutes.
- Remove corned beef to a cutting board to rest for 10 minutes. Remove vegetables from pot and transfer to a serving platter or bowl. Discard bay leaves.
- Slice corned beef and plate with vegetables or on its own. Spoon a little of the cooking liquid over the top of the corned beef. Serve immediately.
Notes
- If you prefer the pointed cut corned beef, it will work for this recipe too.
- You can substitute low-sodium beef broth for the beer or use all water.
- I used large carrots, but if the ones at the store are medium-sized grab 9 = 1.5 carrots per serving.
- Please note the nutrition for this recipe includes all the ingredients, including the cooking liquid and spices.
Nutrition
All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods and portion sizes per household.
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