Corned Beef and Cabbage

What's Irish and stays out all winter?  Paddy O'Furniture!  HAHAHAHA!

It's my favorite St. Patrick's Day joke!  No kidding!  I tell it to SOMEONE every single year.

I have heard about our Irish side of the family all of my life, but I remember few "Irish" meals growing up.  The exception is corned beef and cabbage.  I really love a good corned beef and cabbage.  Sadly, most that I find have little flavor because I believe that too many cooks boil it all in too much water.  My mother made hers in a CrockPot.  It was "hit and miss" on flavor.  This is how I make Corned Beef and Cabbage.  I feel that the flavor always comes through.

With a name like "O'Donnell", it had to be good!

First, find a good corned beef that has a small layer of fat along the top.  (I like the point cut over the brisket because I think it holds moisture better.)  I find that 3 pounds is about right for a few nights of healthy-sized meals.  Remove the corned beef and rinse.  Place it in a Dutch oven with the fat side up.  Rinse the bag out with a half-cup to cup of water and pour it over the Corned beef. 

Corned Beef rinsed and water added.  Oh, what is that little packet?

Many dump the spice packet in with the water.  I like to wrap mine in a cheesecloth "bag" so I don't bite in to the spices during dinner.  It's easy to make. 

Spices from the Corned Beef package.

Cut a piece of cheesecloth, wrap the spices in it and tie off with string.  Then drop the packet in the water next to Corned Beef.

Almost like a teabag of spices.

Cover the Dutch oven and bake at 250 degrees Fahrenheit.  (I generally estimate the time to fully cooked as an hour per pound for it to be fork-tender.)

Now it is time for choices.  You could par-boil your carrots, potatoes and lightly steam your cabbage so that they are nearly cooked before you add them to the liquid while your Corned Beef rests prior to serving.  OR you can add them all in about 60 to 90 minutes prior to the Corned Beef being cooked and save a step.  (60 minutes if you cut it small, 90 minutes for bigger veggie pieces.) 

Potatoes and Carrots on the bottom.  Top with Corned Beef, and Cabbage Wedges on Top.

For this 3 pound Corned Beef, I added about 1.5 pounds of baby potatoes, a pound of baby carrots, and 1/2 head of cabbage cut into six pieces.  Cover and continue to bake until the beef is fork tender.

Now it may be that the veggies are not quite done to your liking at this point.  If they need to cook more, pull the Corned Beef so it can rest, discard the spice packet, and put the Dutch oven on the stove top, and then simmer until done.  (If overdone, make note of the time you put them in and adjust the next time you make it.)

To serve, plate it and pour a bit of the cooking liquid over the top. 

Ready for Dinner!

When your leftovers get down to nearly nothing, dice whatever is left over and create an Irish "bubble and squeak."  (To make this, dice a small onion and saute in a chunk of butter.  Add everything leftover after dicing it up.  Think of it like a twist on Corned Beef hash.)

Delicious and hearty.  May the luck of the Irish follow you until you land in heaven days before the devil knows you are gone!