Speckle Park Cook Book Glossary

Irish

Corned Beef and Cabbage

Complexity
involved
Serves
6
Prep
20 min
Cook
3 hr 30 min
Technique
Simmer
Cut
Brisket
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Ingredients

  • 1.8 kg (4 lb) corned beef brisket, with its spice packet
  • 1 onion, quartered
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 tsp black peppercorns
  • 600 g (1⅓ lb) small waxy potatoes, halved
  • 4 carrots, cut into 5 cm (2 in) chunks
  • 1 small green cabbage, cut into 6 wedges through the core
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 2 tbsp chopped parsley
  • Grainy mustard, to serve

Steps

  1. Rinse the corned beef under cold water. If it is very salty (check the label), soak it in cold water for 1 hour.
  2. Put the beef in a large pot with the onion, bay, peppercorns and the spice packet. Cover with cold water by 5 cm (2 in).
  3. Bring to a boil over high heat, skimming off the grey foam. Lower the heat until the water barely bubbles, cover, and simmer for 2½ hours.
  4. Add the potatoes and carrots and cook, covered, for 20 minutes more, until a knife slides into a potato.
  5. Lay the cabbage wedges on top, cover, and cook 15 minutes, until the cabbage is tender but still green and holding its shape.
  6. Test the beef with a fork: it should feel tender with a little resistance. If not, lift out the vegetables and keep simmering the meat 20 to 30 minutes more.
  7. Rest the beef on a board for 15 minutes, covered loosely with foil. Slice thickly against the grain.
  8. Drain the vegetables, toss them with the butter and parsley, and serve with the beef, a splash of cooking liquid, and mustard.

Notes

  • Boil gently: hard boiling toughens corned beef; keep it at a lazy bubble.
  • Leftovers: make hash with diced potato and beef, fried until crisp, or a Reuben sandwich.
  • Flavour: swap some water for a bottle of stout for a deeper broth.
  • Slow cooker: no browning needed. Cover with water and cook on low 8–10 hr or high 5–6 hr, adding potatoes and carrots for the last 3 hr on low and the cabbage for the last 45 min.
  • Freezer: slice cooled beef, cover with a splash of cooking liquid and freeze up to 3 months; thaw overnight and reheat to steaming hot.
  • Twist: for a non-traditional glazed finish, brush the cooked beef with grainy mustard and brown sugar and broil 5 minutes.