Monday’s Bread Bowl: Corned Beef-N-Cabbage

Do an Irish jig with this cut of beef
St. Paddy’s Day arrives this week. The Mixed Stew likes to do things differently in preparing and cooking corned beef brisket. We don’t stick with just the usual boiling method. We suggest boiling the whole brisket for 1 hour in a stock pot and then transferring it to an open baking pan in the oven for a tasty finish. The corned beef ends up tender without falling to mush. Consequently, it’s a corned beef roast that can be sliced and enjoyed without being too tough. Try drizzling honey or brown sugar on top of the roast during the last 15-20 minutes of cooking in the oven. The sweetness combines with the saltiness of the cured beef for a tantalizing contrast. Our recipe follows:

What you will need:

1 large stock pot with lid
1 large spoon with a long handle
5-6 cups water
1 (4-5lb) cured corned beef brisket
1 cabbage head, cut into 4 wedges
3-4 medium-sized potatoes, peeled and quartered
3 tablespoons honey (or 2 tablespoons brown sugar)
1 baking dish with wire rack
Non-stick cooking spray
Pinch of black pepper

Cooking and Directions:

Corned Beef Brisket

Place whole corned beef brisket in stock pot. Pour in water. Add any seasonings that came with the brisket or else add your own blend of whole black pepper, bay leaf and oregano. The roast should be submerged in water. Cover with lid and place on the stove at high heat. Bring to a rolling boil. Lower heat to just a constant boil and let it cook for 1 hour. Walk away from pot. After the beef has been boiling for about 45 minutes, set oven at 350 degrees for preheating. Coat baking dish with cooking spray so it's easier to clean. Remove brisket from stock pot and position (with the fat on top) on prepared wire rack on baking dish. Turn off stove, but DO NOT DISCARD water in stock pot (See Cabbage and Potatoes below). Next, place uncovered pan with roast in oven. The brisket should bake for 35-45 minutes. About 15-20 minutes into baking time, pour honey or sprinkle brown sugar on top of roast. A nice sweet and caramelized crust should form on the roast during the remainder of its cooking time.

Cabbage and Potatoes

Place potatoes in pot of water that was used to boil corned beef. Cover with lid and turn stove back on for potatoes to cook. Bring to a constant boil for 15 minutes. Then, add wedges of cabbage to the pot and cook for another 10 minutes or until potatoes are cooked. Serve with corned beef.