Corned Beef & Cabbage

This process takes roughly 3-4 hours, so if you’re looking for a quick meal this might not be for you… but I assure you it’s well worth the cooking time!

Ingredients

4 ½ - 6 Pound corned beef brisket

1 Teaspoon black pepper corns

1 Teaspoon mustard seeds

3 Dried bay leaves

2 Teaspoons mustard powder

1 Medium head white cabbage, thickly chopped

1 Pound carrots, peeled and cut into ½ inch thick slices

1 Large sweet onion, thickly sliced

3-4 Sprigs fresh thyme

3-4 Sprigs fresh parsley

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Remove brisket from packaging, do not rinse.  Place in a large stockpot or Dutch oven.  Add enough water to cover the brisket plus and additional inch.  Add pepper corns, bay leaves, mustard seed and powder.  Tie the thyme and parsley into a bunch with butcher’s twine and add to the pot.  Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to low and simmer for approximately 2- 2 ½ hours.  Be sure to continuously skim off any residue that floats to the top of the pot.  At this point the meat should be easily pulled apart with a fork.  To the pot add the vegetables, and cook for an additional ½ - 1 hour.  Remember to cut the vegetables into large pieces since you will be cooking them for a considerable amount of time, and they will dissolve. 

Remove the meat from the pot and allow to cool slightly on a cutting board before slicing it.  You should always cut beef, lamb, and pork against the grain, which will give the meat a tenderer cut.    Remove the bay leaves and the herb bundle.  With a slotted spoon remove the vegetables from the pot and add to the serving dish that you have place the corned beef in.  Pour some of the pan juices over the meat and vegetables and serve.  Some people like to eat corned beef with a lot of pan juice like a soup, so don’t throw the left over juice just in case.