Wednesday, March 12, 2008

Works for Me Wednesday...

Hello and happy Wednesday to all. For this week's Works for Me Wednesday, hosted by Rocks in My Dryer, I offer you the Best Corned Beef Recipe. When I was little, I hated Corned Beef. It turns out that I hate New England Boiled Dinners. This Corned Beef? Love it. My husband's family has been making this corned beef for St. Patrick's Day parties for years. We guestimate about a half-pound of meat per person. We had 40-50 people this year and cooked 25 lbs. of meat. There were no leftovers.

Helen's Corned Beef Recipe (I say Helen's because it was in my mother-in-law's recipe box. My apologies to any friends or family that may have provided this recipe to her decades ago.)

Helen's Corned Beef Recipe:

4 lb. brisket, flank or plate

Brine:
4 qts. hot water
1 1/2 lbs. salt (3C.)
1/2 lb. sugar (1C.)

Rub meat with salt. Put meat in enameled pot, stone jar or tupperware. Add Brine. Cool. Weight meat so it is submerged in liquid and cover. Meat corned in 48 hours. Wash under running water. Boil about 3 1/2 hours.

Enjoy!

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Mmmmmm - cow! I may have to try this out. I admit, I am not Irish. In my mind I have an association with corn beef and Irish/St. Patty's Day. Strange? However, I have been known to make corn beer twice in my short life. I will have to try your brine action.

How is it STILL snowing?!?! I'm going to get that weather man. We're supposed to get one inch today. It's been snowing ALL day - enough already. Uncle!!

Unknown said...

I have been intrigued by all the mentions of corned beef in relation to St Patricks Day. I have lived in Ireland all my life and never eaten it, or known anyone who has! The only corned beef available to buy here is tinned corned beef - ughhh! Your sounds much more appealing, wish I could try some :)

vicvic said...

Wow - so simple! Who knew? I'll have to try that out!

Anonymous said...

That stuff you made was goooood. I coulda ate a lot more.


('Course, I woulda felt bad later, but them's the breaks!) :)

Anonymous said...

Hi Gettysburg Mom...

Your recipe has caught my attention....we love corned beef! But I'm a little confused. Do you make the brine with the 3 cups salt/1 cup sugar or do you rub the 3 cups of salt into the meat? Also, do you ever put any pickling spices into the brine? ((For making killer Rueben's and poboys, I love it when the meat has that spicy taste you get when you boil it with the tiny little spice packet.))

I live in the south, and a lot of folks around here boil their corned beef with Zatarains crab boil bags....it's good, but it gets hot. I like the more traditional spices.

You said that you don't care for the New England boiled dinners....but have you ever slow baked your corned beef. You put the whole brisket into tin foil in a 200* oven for 6 hours, then, you take it out and add your cabbage wedges, potatoes, and carrots, and sprinkle it with black pepper. Wrap it up real tight again, and bake at 250* for about an hour. You don't add any liquid to it. It is delicious! We have put it in a smoked and done it like this too.

Thanks-
DJ

Gettysburg Mom said...

Hello DJ- Good Question- you rub a fair amount of salt into the meat ( i usually make my husband do this, because i have issues massaging meat. that's what it looks like- like your're giving the brisket a little salt rub); then add the brine with the 3 c. of salt. i never, ever claimed this was a low salt entree. there were no directions to add spices, so we don't. you could (of course) season to taste with whatever spices make you happy. salt makes rich happy. your recipe sounds yummy too. i don't like the gelatinous pink style of corned beef. well, i also don't like cabbage, but that's a whole other issue. It's kinda late, so if I haven't answered your question clearly, let me know...

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