Kevins Best Corned Beef Food

KEVIN'S BEST CORNED BEEF

Steps:

• Use a 14 to 20 qt. pan.
• Coarsely chop enough onions and carrots to make 1 cup each.
• In pan, place onions and carrots, corned beef with any liquid from meat, vinegar, stout, mustard seed, coriander, peppercorns, dill, allspice, and bay leaves.
• Add water to barely cover beef.
• Cover pan and bring to a boil over high heat.
• Simmer till meat is tender when pierced, 2 1/2 to 3 hours.
• Meanwhile, cut remaining onions into wedges.
• Cut remaining carrots into 2 inch lengths, halve them lengthwise if large.
• Cut cabbage in half through cores, then into wedges.
• Scrub potatoes.
• Add onions, carrots and potatoes to tender corned beef, place cabbage on top.
• Cover and return to simmering over high heat; reduce heat and simmer till cabbage is tender when pierced, 15 to 20 minutes.
• With slotted spoon, scoop out vegetables onto warm serving dishes.
• Using tongs and a slotted spoon, remove beef to a cutting board.
• Cut off fat.
• Slice meat across grain, place on warm platters.
• Serve meat and vegetables with mustards.

CORNED BEEF

Steps:

• Place the water into a large 6 to 8 quart stockpot along with salt, sugar, saltpeter, cinnamon stick, mustard seeds, peppercorns, cloves, allspice, juniper berries, bay leaves and ginger. Cook over high heat until the salt and sugar have dissolved. Remove from the heat and add the ice. Stir until the ice has melted. If necessary, place the brine into the refrigerator until it reaches a temperature of 45 degrees F. Once it has cooled, place the brisket in a 2-gallon zip top bag and add the brine. Seal and lay flat inside a container, cover and place in the refrigerator for 10 days. Check daily to make sure the beef is completely submerged and stir the brine.
• After 10 days, remove from the brine and rinse well under cool water. Place the brisket into a pot just large enough to hold the meat, add the onion, carrot and celery and cover with water by 1-inch. Set over high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover and gently simmer for 2 1/2 to 3 hours or until the meat is fork tender. Remove from the pot and thinly slice across the grain.

BEST CORNED BEEF 'N' CABBAGE

Steps:

• In a 6-qt. pressure cooker, combine water and contents of corned beef seasoning packet; add beef. Close cover securely; place pressure regulator on vent pipe. Bring cooker to full pressure over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-high and cook for 45 minutes. (Pressure regulator should maintain a slow steady rocking motion; adjust heat if needed.), Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, combine the cabbage, potatoes and broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Add carrots and onion. Cover and simmer 20-25 minutes longer or until vegetables are tender; drain., Remove pressure cooker from the heat; allow pressure to drop on its own. Remove beef to a serving platter. Discard cooking liquid. Serve beef with cabbage, potatoes, carrots and onion.

GUINESS BAKED CORN BEEF BRISKET

Steps:

• TIPS in Kevin's own words: Please read first. Process begins the night before the actual baking. Please plan accordingly.
• Here is a recipe that has the proper spice mixture. You will need to soak the corned beef! Between 2 and 4 hours and change the water every 30 minutes. The reason you never hear people talk about this is because it is usually boiled.which takes the salt out. But roasting is a whole different technique. I would leave it UNFOILED for the first couple of hours. This will create a nice bark -- the outside area that will be intensely flavored. Then you can foil and finish cooking.
• Cook it to an internal temperature over 185º. Unless you have a meat slicer and can slice VERY thin, cooking it to 150º will result in a VERY tough piece of meat. The connective tissue needs to breakdown and that takes much time and occurs around 170+º. To test for doneness, use a meat thermometer or simply poke the meat -- use a fork and twist it -- it should offer no resistance.OK, that's about it! Enjoy!
• BEGIN DIRECTIONS:.
• Soak corned brisket for 2-4 hours, changing water every 30 minutes.
• Grind peppercorns and coriander seeds. Add remaining ingredients.
• Remove brisket from water, pat dry and Rub spice mixture on the corned beef brisket.
• Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and let sit overnight in the refrigerator.
• Preheat oven to 250-275°.
• Slow cook brisket uncovered for the first 2 hours. (At this point I add approximately 4 oz of beer) , then cover with foil. You will be slow baking for an additional 1 1/2 hours per pound until done.
• Internal meat temperature needs to be near 185º or above when done. It is important to use a thermometer for this part. If it is above this temperature, now worries. Just recover and keep warm until ready to eat.
• Allow meat to rest before slicing. Be sure to cut against the grain of the meat.
• My personal note: I personally like to use an electric knife for slicing. Slice and thin or thick as you like.
• In the photo: I served with boiled yukon gold potatoes (or baby reds), cabbage and carrots, the dump on the melted parsley butter (melt butter and add chopped parsley).
• Enjoy!