On St. Patricks Day plenty of us will get our Irish on. And that means cooking and chowing down on plenty of corned beef.
There will be sandwiches made with mounds of thinly sliced corned beef and plates heaped with corned beef served with cabbage and other vegetables.
March 17 is most likely the only time of year many home cooks serve corned beef. With that in mind, weve put together a refresher course on this unusual variety of beef.
Always Rinse Corned Beef Before Cooking It Regardless of whether you cure the meat yourself or buy a ready-to-cook corned beef, chances are there’s excess salt lingering on the surface and tucked into folds on the outer part of the meat.
What’s the best way to cook corned beef?
Braise/oven method: A corned beef braise is best. Remove the brisket from the package, rinse if you like and pat dry. Place it in a baking dish with a small amount of water or beer. Brush the top with some Dijon or a grainy-style mustard if you like. Sprinkle the top with the spice packet if one is provided. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees, about 2½ to 3 hours or until tender. Remove foil and bake 10 minutes more.
Stovetop: Rinse the brisket, place in a stockpot (or any large pot) and add water to cover. You can also add some beer. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for about 2½ to 3 hours or until meat is fork-tender.
Slow cooker: Corned beef cooks well in a slow cooker or Instant Pot. In a slow cooker, add the brisket, enough water to cover it and the spices from the spice packet or your own spices. Cook on low for 9 to 11 hours or high about 4½ hours. For cooking in an Instant Pot, follow the manufacturers instructions.
How do you slice it?
Its important to always slice the corned beef against the grain. This can be a little tricky because the grain can run different ways on the same cut. For dinner portions, slice brisket into quarter¼-inch-thick slices. For sandwiches, slice as thin as possible when the meat is cold. Reheat as needed.
Do you Rinse corned beef before cooking?
FAQ
What happens if you don t rinse corned beef before cooking?
What is the red liquid in corned beef package?
What is the secret to tender corned beef?
What do you do with the liquid in the corned beef package?