New England–Style Home-Corned Beef and Cabbage
(from wetherstorms’s recipe box)
Serves 8 with leftovers
Leave a bit of fat attached to the brisket for better texture and flavor. A similar size point-cut brisket can be used in this recipe. The meat is cooked fully when it is tender, the muscle fibers have loosened visibly, and a skewer slides in with minimal resistance. Serve this dish with horseradish, either plain or mixed with whipped cream or sour cream, or with grainy mustard.
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:
The best corned beef recipe was made with beef we cured ourselves. For our home-corned beef recipe, we selected point-cut brisket. We added the vegetables in two batches, based on their cooking times, for the perfect combination of flavors and textures.
Source: America's Test Kitchen Season 13: Irish Comfort Classics (from RecipeThing user Bethany)
Categories: Meat
Ingredients
- CORNED BEEF
- 1/2 cup kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon cracked black peppercorns
- 1 tablespoon dried thyme
- 2 1/4 teaspoons ground allspice
- 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
- 2 bay leaves, crumbled
- 1 (4- to 5-pound) beef brisket, flat cut, trimmed
- VEGETABLES
- 1 1/2 pounds carrots, peeled and halved crosswise, thick end halved lengthwise
- 1 1/2 pounds small red potatoes
- 1 rutabaga (1 pound), peeled and halved crosswise; each half cut into 6 chunks
- 1 small head green cabbage (2 pounds), uncored, cut into 8 wedges
Directions
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FOR THE CORNED BEEF: Combine salt, peppercorns, thyme, allspice, paprika, and bay leaves in bowl.
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Using metal skewer, poke about 30 holes on eachside of brisket. Rub each side evenly with salt mixture. Place brisket in 2-gallon zipper-lock bag, forcing out as much air as possible. Place in 13 by 9-inch baking dish, cover with second, similar-size pan, and weight with 2 bricks or heavy cans of similar weight. Refrigerate 5 to 7 days, turning once a day.
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Rinse brisket and pat it dry. Place brisket in Dutch oven and cover brisket with water by 1 inch. Bring to boil over high heat, skimming any scum that rises to surface. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until skewer inserted in thickest part of brisket slides in and out with ease, 2 to 3 hours.
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Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 200 degrees. Transfer meat to large platter, ladle 1 cup cooking liquid over meat, cover with aluminum foil and place in oven to keep warm.
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FOR THE VEGETABLES: Add carrots, potatoes, and rutabaga to Dutch oven and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until vegetables begin to soften, about 7 minutes.
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Add cabbage, increase heat to high and return to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until all vegetables are tender, 13 to 18 minutes. 7. Meanwhile, remove meat from oven, transfer to carving board, and slice against grain into 1/4-inch slices. Return meat to platter. Transfer vegetables to meat platter, moisten with additional broth, and serve.