While we don’t have an Irish heritage, our mom’s mom was born on St. Patrick’s Day and, since traditions that focus on feeding the masses do run in our blood, we grew up celebrating our Grandma’s birthday with our mom’s corned beef and cabbage.
And, while our mom’s cooking was phenomenal when it came to Italian dishes, her take on traditional Irish fare was, well, the worst…
We dreaded this meal. There is just no other way to say it.
That said, we don’t have a family recipe to share on the blog in honor of everyone’s favorite Spring holiday, St. Patrick’s Day. So, we thought it prudent to share a recipe from an expert.
The traditional Irish recipe we are sharing on the blog comes from one of our favorite home chefs.
Her name is Kelly and she shares the meals from her nest on her blog, The Hungry Bluebird.
We felt connected to Kelly when we stumbled upon her Instagram feed because her cooking is made to comfort and that is what we love most about her meals.
She also happens to be a mom to three girls and she wanted to create a space where her daughters can go to find their mom’s recipes.
We love that!
Lauren, Kelly and I have since moved on from weird internet friends to normal friends because it also just so happens, Kelly is from the next town over. It really is a small world.
Anyway, please enjoy a recipe from a home cook who knows a thing or two about making scrumptious food worth sharing for the sake of creating moments that matter.
*Attention local readers. If you are near Western Springs, Kelly suggests purchasing your corned beef from Casey’s Market in Western Springs.
Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
* * * * * *
Originally published at https://thehungrybluebird.com/recipes/corned-beef-and-cabbage/ on March 13, 2016
Corned Beef & Cabbage
Ingredients
For the corned beef:
- 1 fresh, packaged 4- to 5-lb. corned beef brisket, flat cut
- seasoning packet, comes with corned beef
- 1 onion, unpeeled, cut in half
- 2 carrots, washed, cut in half
- 2 celery ribs, cut in half
- 6 sprigs flat-leaf parsley
Vegetables
- 1 head green cabbage, cored, cut into 6-8 wedges (leave a bit of core, it will hold up better when boiled)
- 12 small new potatoes, cut in half
- 4-6 carrots, peeled, cut into 2-inch pieces
- 4 parsnips, peeled, cut into 2-inch chunks
- 4 leeks, white and light green part, cleaned and well rinsed
- 1 red onion, peeled, cut into wedges
- Kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper
- 4 tbsp chopped parsley
Horseradish sauce
- 3/4 C. heavy cream
- 1/2 C. good-quality mayonnaise
- 1/2 C. horseradish, drained (not cream-style)
- 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
- Pinch of sugar
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- In a very large pot, place corned beef and sprinkle seasoning packet over the top. Add the halved onion, carrots, celery and parsley. Cover with plenty of cold water and bring to a boil. Skim off any scummy foam as it appears, reduce heat to a simmer and cover. Simmer for 2½ to 3 hours until very tender, flipping brisket occasionally and skimming foam as necessary. When done, remove to a cutting board and cover with foil to keep warm. While corned beef is cooking, prep your vegetables and make horseradish sauce.
- Strain the cooking broth and return to the pot. Add the vegetables -- cabbage wedges, potatoes, carrots, parsnips, leeks and red onion wedges -- and some salt and pepper, and a tablespoon or two of chopped parsley. Bring to a boil, then turn down to a simmer, cover and cook until all veggies are tender. About 20 to 30 minutes, you just have to check a few.
- To serve, slice corned beef and arrange in center of large platter. Surround with vegetables, preferably grouped together by type, it's more pleasing to the eye and easier for guests to choose what they want. Ladle some cooking broth over meat and vegetables. Sprinkle with remaining chopped parsley and serve with horseradish cream sauce on the side.
- To make horseradish cream sauce: Whip heavy cream until soft peaks form. In a separate bowl, combine mayo, horseradish and mustard. With a spatula, fold in the whipped cream until combined. Add a pinch of sugar and salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to serving bowl and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Notes
- Buy a flat cut of corned beef brisket, just check the label for that cut. Or if you’re in Chicago, people travel near and far for the corned beef briskets at Casey’s Meat Market in the near west suburbs. The best corned beef I ever made I got at Casey’s.
- Cook the corned beef at a steady simmer, not a rolling boil. If using the Instant Pot, let the pressure release naturally. This helps ensure tender beef.
- Place the finished corned beef in a shallow dish, cover with some of the broth and tent with foil while you cook the vegetables in the broth. This will keep it from drying out.
- Cabbage and potatoes are a must, but definitely add some more good stuff, too. I like carrots, parsnips, leeks and red onion wedges.
- When ready to serve, slice the corned beef and place in the center of a large platter and then surround with the vegetables by group, it’s more pleasing to the eye and easier for people to take what they want when they’re arranged together and not all over the place. Ladle some broth all over everything. And don’t forget the horseradish cream sauce! How to make that sauce is included in the recipe links.
Leave a Reply