St. Patrick’s Day Special: Corned Beef and Cabbage Recipe

I lived in Florida for most of my life, but my father grew up in Massachusetts. A few things he brought South with him were the terms ‘Wicked’ and ‘Pissah,’ a salty Boston attitude, and the traditional New England boiled dinner, better known to me as Corned Beef and Cabbage.

About once a month during the winter, Dad would want us to get together as a family and have Corned Beef and Cabbage.  Needless to say, this was not a very appetizing thought to a 7-year-old.  I don’t think my mother (a chef) was thrilled with the this boiled tradition as it was, so she and I got to work in the kitchen re-vamping the recipe. What we came up with is a more sophisticated, but simpler, take on a historically water-logged meal.

Begin by following the directions on the corned beef package before moving the salty brisket into the oven, where it gets a sweet coat of grainy mustard and smoky brown sugar.  By adding the sugar-coating and placing it in a hot oven, it allows the meat to dry out a little and gain a crust, which contrasts perfectly with the tender interior.  Also, strain the liquid into a new pot to separate the concentrated, flavored broth from the pickling spices and mushy vegetables. Finally, savoy cabbage replaces the common green cabbage for both flavor and texture, as it holds up better in the stock.

Ingredients

-1 Corned Beef Brisket, 4-6 lbs
-3 Tbsp Pickling Spice (your corned beef may already come with this in the package)
-4 Tbsp Whole Grain Mustard
-1/4- 1/2 cup brown sugar (depending on size of brisket)
-2 cups chicken stock
-Water to cover
-3 medium onions, cut into quarters (2 onions to cook with brisket and 1 onion to cook with cabbage)
-3 stalks celery
-4 cloves garlic
-3 cups baby carrots (1 cup to cook with brisket and 2 cups to cook with cabbage)
-6-8 red potatoes, unpeeled and cut in quarters
-1 medium savoy cabbage (or regular cabbage), cut into 8 large pieces, with the root end intact to prevent leaves from separating upon cooking.

Directions

1. Place 2 onions and 1 cup each of carrots, celery, and garlic in a slow cooker or large stew pot, along with the brisket and juices from brisket package. Add pickling spice, chicken stock, and water to barely cover the brisket.
2. If using a slow-cooker, cook on low for six hours or high for four hours.  If cooking on stove-top, bring to a boil, skim off foam from the top, and then lower heat to simmer for three hours, or until meat is tender.
3. Once brisket is cooked to tender, remove and place on a baking sheet or broiler pan. Preheat oven to 375° .
4. Spread whole grain mustard on top of brisket to coat, then sprinkle evenly with brown sugar. Place in oven for 15-20 minutes, or until brown sugar melts and creates a golden crust on top of brisket.
5. While brisket is in the oven, take the remaining liquid from slow-cooker/stew pot and pour over a strainer into another large pot to remove pickling spice and vegetables.
6. Place the remaining onion and carrots into the strained liquid and add the potatoes. Add more water if needed to cook the vegetables.
7. Boil for 8-10 minutes then, add cabbage. Cook 5 more minutes, or until cabbage is tender but not mushy.
8. Remove brisket from oven and let sit for 5 minutes.
9. Cut brisket against the grain and place on a large serving platter. Place vegetables around the brisket and drizzle some of the stock on top of the vegetables.
10. Enjoy!

I hope you like my take on corned beef and cabbage.  This meal can be enjoyed anytime, but it is especially great on St. Patrick’s Day. For those of you who do end up trying this recipe, let me know how it stacks up to your version of a New England boiled dinner!