Corned Beef and Cabbage

This year for St. Patrick's Day, I roasted the corned beef using a recipe from a local chef, Brendan McGill, who has three restaurants here in Seattle and it was the best I've ever made.  The only change to the recipe was to add carrots to the dish because I always love carrots with my corned beef and cabbage.

I made Irish soda bread on Friday with barely enough leftover for Saturday's St. Patrick's Day dinner because we couldn't stop eating it (especially warm right out of the oven!)  It's also killer as toast for breakfast slathered with butter.   My sister and her husband came over for dinner so we put on Irish music, I set a festive table and we let the celebration begin.   

I even bought some Irish cheeses for our appetizers from our local grocery store. Go Irish.

Brendan McGill's recipe was in the Sunday paper last weekend and he emphasized that you could purchase one of his corned beef and cabbage "kits" at two of his restaurants to make your own Irish dinner. The "kits" included the corned beef, red potatoes, organic cabbage, a Guinness beer for the braise, a spice packet and a jar of whey-fermented mustard; enough to feed four to six people...for $100.  Really?  It's so easy to just go to the store and buy everything and make it which is what I did. Of course, $100 is a lot cheaper than four people going out to a restaurant for an Irish dinner on St. Patrick's Day but nothing beats the comforts of home.  

When you like to cook and spend time in the kitchen, party it up, and act goofy, well, nothing beats sharing a special meal with loved ones.   How do you like my hat?  

Usually, I just throw the corned beef and everything else in the crockpot but I will be making this recipe from now on.  It's requires a little more effort but not that much more effort.   It was worth it and everyone agreed that it passed the taste test.  

Serves 4-6

3 pounds all-natural corned beef

5 pounds red potatoes,whole

2 heads organic cabbage

2 cans of Guinness beer or a total of 24 ounces

pickling spices 

1.  Pull your corned beef from the brine - give it a pat dry and let it sit out for 20 minutes or so to come up to room temperature. 

2.  Set oven to 350 degrees and place a Dutch oven, cast-iron or steel pot (something with a nice thick bottom) in to preheat with it.  Once the oven is ready, carefully remove the pot and place on a medium-high burner.  Add a drop of oil to coat the bottom and then carefully lay the brisket down in it.  Sear on both sides to a nice dark brown.

3.  Pour Guinness straight over the brisket - this will immediately come to a boil. 

4.  Add the pickling spice and bring up to a boil, then turn down to a simmer.  

5.  Put a lid on the pot and place back in the oven.  Baste every hour. 

6.  After three hours start checking for fork-tenderness.  You want it to be mostly falling apart.  Just as soon as the beef seems to pull apart reluctantly, add your potatoes.  Slice the cabbage into large wedges, peel and slice carrots and arrange with the corned beef and potatoes, at least partially submerged.  Remove the lid and continue to simmer for another half-hour or so, until vegetables are tender and the meat can be forked apart. 

7.  Season to taste with salt and pepper. 

Spread a thick layer of Irish butter on soda bread, gather your friends, and dig into the pot.  Let the whiskey and Guinness flow freely and enjoy the the special day.  You might like little shots of Bailey's Irish Cream for dessert like we did.