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The only way to make great corned beef and cabbage is with a slow cooker. Forget the stove top. The first time I had it made this way was in a friend's home in Trim, County Meath. I thought I'd died and gone to Irish heaven. I remember the laughter and Irish wit, the aromas, the political arguing, the drinking, the peat fire aglow in the fireplace. So every St. Patrick's Day since I have made it this way and raise a glass of Guinness to my dear Irish friends. Beannacht Lá Fhéile Pádraig!
So you want to make the best corned beef and cabbage dinner ever this St. Patrick's Day. Just follow these simple rules. Only use brisket, savoy cabbage, and a slow cooker. Those are the three most important things to remember. Forget what your mother said about the round cut being better. It is tougher and not as flavorful even for Reubens the next day. The brisket is tastier, moister, and has better texture than the round cut. But you must purchase a good cut of brisket and only the flat cut, never the point cut as the point cut is often all fat. Don't skimp here or you will end up with more fat than meat. Trust me on this point. Select a nice, lean piece of brisket with as little fat as possible. You don't need excessive fat for flavor since the meat is fatty enough. There should not be excessive fat marbled through it. Always use savoy cabbage. Is the other really cabbage or just wax?
If you want your vegetables as if you made them on the stovetop--firmer and not much loss of color--only put two inches of water in the crockpot. This way the vegetables will steam while the meat is cooking. If you like your potatoes, carrots, and onions softer with less color, put more water into the crockpot almost covering the vegetables.
Another hint for really busy cooks: my daughter actually starts her crockpot on low with a couple of inches of water the night before--as early as 4 PM sometimes. The next the morning, she puts the cabbage wedges on top pouring some of the liquid over it. This way if she wants the meal for lunch, it is ready and still wonderful for dinner that evening, and the vegetables are still firm with no loss of color.
St. Patrick's Day Parade, Dublin 1985. The Dublin parade is a much smaller version of the NY parade.
Yours truly in front of a store window on Grafton Street after the St. Patrick's Day Parade in Dublin. It looks like I bought a copy of Poland by Leon Uris that day. I remember I loved the wedding dress thinking I might make a copy of it if I ever remarried. A Christmas wedding with the material a soft white velvet would be beautiful still. Aaah, I dream.
Irish Corned Beef and Cabbage Dinner
Ingredients:
Large, lean flat cut of brisket
Savoy cabbage, 1 head cut into several pieces
Potatoes, 6 or 7 large white
Carrots, 5 or 6 large washed well since you are not peeling
White onions, 2 large or several boiling onions
1 tsp. of onion powder
1 tsp. of garlic powder
1 bay leaf, torn
Salt and pepper to taste
Cold water
Directions:
In a large crock pot, place the brisket first, followed by the potatoes peeled and cut into quarters, the carrots, unpeeled and cut into thirds, and the onions, peeled and quartered. Salt and pepper to taste. If the brisket you purchased had a flavor packet, be sure to include that. You may add the garlic and onion powder and bay leaf. I always tear a bay leaf in one or two spots to add surface flavoring. Add water to just below the top vegetables. Cook on high for 3 hours. Cook on low for 6 hours. If you can fit the cabbage into the top of the crock pot, do so for the last 2 hours. If you cannot, put the cut pieces of cabbage into a large frying pan and cover with a few ladles of the juice from the crock pot during the last half hour of cooking so everything is done at the same time.
If you will be out all day, prepare everything the night before, put into the crock pot first thing in the morning, and cook on slow all day--at least 9 hours. And what smells when you walk into the door! And it is all ready for a sumptuous feast. The vegetables will be flavored with the meat and the brisket will be tender and moist. I always make another brisket in a second crock pot and put the cabbage in that. My family likes corned beef, and we love Reubens the next day and a reuben casserole [recipe on this blog]. One brisket never seems to be enough. I always strain the juice and serve as a simple "gravy" to moisten the meat and veggies even more. And add butter to everything for more flavor if you are not watching cholesterol and fat. With the corned beef and cabbage, I serve Irish brown bread--not the soda bread--an Irish salad, and for dessert, Irish coffee and Creme de menthe parfaits. The kids always have green milk or shamrock shakes. I hope you enjoy this Irish version of the American version of the authentic Irish classic meal--and not only on St. Parick's Day. [The original Irish version was boiling Irish bacon and cabbage. Irish Americans substituted the corned beef.]
The only way to make great corned beef and cabbage is with a slow cooker. Forget the stove top. The first time I had it made this way was in a friend's home in Trim, County Meath. I thought I'd died and gone to Irish heaven. I remember the laughter and Irish wit, the aromas, the political arguing, the drinking, the peat fire aglow in the fireplace. So every St. Patrick's Day since I have made it this way and raise a glass of Guinness to my dear Irish friends. Beannacht Lá Fhéile Pádraig!
So you want to make the best corned beef and cabbage dinner ever this St. Patrick's Day. Just follow these simple rules. Only use brisket, savoy cabbage, and a slow cooker. Those are the three most important things to remember. Forget what your mother said about the round cut being better. It is tougher and not as flavorful even for Reubens the next day. The brisket is tastier, moister, and has better texture than the round cut. But you must purchase a good cut of brisket and only the flat cut, never the point cut as the point cut is often all fat. Don't skimp here or you will end up with more fat than meat. Trust me on this point. Select a nice, lean piece of brisket with as little fat as possible. You don't need excessive fat for flavor since the meat is fatty enough. There should not be excessive fat marbled through it. Always use savoy cabbage. Is the other really cabbage or just wax?
If you want your vegetables as if you made them on the stovetop--firmer and not much loss of color--only put two inches of water in the crockpot. This way the vegetables will steam while the meat is cooking. If you like your potatoes, carrots, and onions softer with less color, put more water into the crockpot almost covering the vegetables.
Another hint for really busy cooks: my daughter actually starts her crockpot on low with a couple of inches of water the night before--as early as 4 PM sometimes. The next the morning, she puts the cabbage wedges on top pouring some of the liquid over it. This way if she wants the meal for lunch, it is ready and still wonderful for dinner that evening, and the vegetables are still firm with no loss of color.
St. Patrick's Day Parade, Dublin 1985. The Dublin parade is a much smaller version of the NY parade.
Yours truly in front of a store window on Grafton Street after the St. Patrick's Day Parade in Dublin. It looks like I bought a copy of Poland by Leon Uris that day. I remember I loved the wedding dress thinking I might make a copy of it if I ever remarried. A Christmas wedding with the material a soft white velvet would be beautiful still. Aaah, I dream.
Irish Corned Beef and Cabbage Dinner
Ingredients:
Large, lean flat cut of brisket
Savoy cabbage, 1 head cut into several pieces
Potatoes, 6 or 7 large white
Carrots, 5 or 6 large washed well since you are not peeling
White onions, 2 large or several boiling onions
1 tsp. of onion powder
1 tsp. of garlic powder
1 bay leaf, torn
Salt and pepper to taste
Cold water
Directions:
In a large crock pot, place the brisket first, followed by the potatoes peeled and cut into quarters, the carrots, unpeeled and cut into thirds, and the onions, peeled and quartered. Salt and pepper to taste. If the brisket you purchased had a flavor packet, be sure to include that. You may add the garlic and onion powder and bay leaf. I always tear a bay leaf in one or two spots to add surface flavoring. Add water to just below the top vegetables. Cook on high for 3 hours. Cook on low for 6 hours. If you can fit the cabbage into the top of the crock pot, do so for the last 2 hours. If you cannot, put the cut pieces of cabbage into a large frying pan and cover with a few ladles of the juice from the crock pot during the last half hour of cooking so everything is done at the same time.
If you will be out all day, prepare everything the night before, put into the crock pot first thing in the morning, and cook on slow all day--at least 9 hours. And what smells when you walk into the door! And it is all ready for a sumptuous feast. The vegetables will be flavored with the meat and the brisket will be tender and moist. I always make another brisket in a second crock pot and put the cabbage in that. My family likes corned beef, and we love Reubens the next day and a reuben casserole [recipe on this blog]. One brisket never seems to be enough. I always strain the juice and serve as a simple "gravy" to moisten the meat and veggies even more. And add butter to everything for more flavor if you are not watching cholesterol and fat. With the corned beef and cabbage, I serve Irish brown bread--not the soda bread--an Irish salad, and for dessert, Irish coffee and Creme de menthe parfaits. The kids always have green milk or shamrock shakes. I hope you enjoy this Irish version of the American version of the authentic Irish classic meal--and not only on St. Parick's Day. [The original Irish version was boiling Irish bacon and cabbage. Irish Americans substituted the corned beef.]
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