Once a year, come mid-March, we Americans enjoy the best excuse ever to make corned beef : St. Patrick’s Day!
Shamrocks, leprechauns and pints of green beer are just a few examples of what Americans consider synonymous with St. Patrick’s Day. Outside the realm of the Reuben sandwich and the occasional hash, most people think of corned beef as a dish for St. Patrick’s day. But that needn’t be so! Amazing corned beef has a place on your table all year long, and we have the time and temperature tips to be sure your corned beef is as flavor-packed, tender, and juicy as it can be.
Never mind that the dish isn’t really eaten in Ireland, or at least not with the enthusiasm for it that you’ll find here. We’ll celebrate the day the way we like, and raise a toast with a pint of Guinness as well.
Homemade corned beef is crazy easy to make. It’s essentially brisket that’s given a makeover by letting it linger in a brine solution of spices and then slowly braised until falling apart tender.
Homemade corned beef sorta defines Saint Patrick’s Day. And if you’ve heard of it but not experienced it, or perhaps experienced it but still aren’t exactly certain what corned beef is, it’s essentially brisket that’s lingered in a brine solution of spices for a few days. It becomes a little salty and a little redolent of spices and, as it turns out, it may be good for you. See, its brine solution is essentially a pickling liquid. And you’ve certainly heard the buzz in recent years about how healthful pickled things are, yes? Ergo, the only logical thing to do is pickle and consume copious quantities of corned beef. Right?! At least once a year when we’re all Irish.
Ingredients:
1. 1.75 - 2 lbs. corned beef brisket
2. 2-3 Tbsp brown sugar
3. 3-4 Tbsp Grey Poupon dijon mustard
Directions:
1. Remove the corned beef brisket out of the package and discard the spice pack that comes with it.
2. Place corned beef brisket in a pot of water and bring it to boil. As soon as it starts to boil, take the corned beef brisket out. This will remove some of the excess salt in the meat.
3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
4. Place the brisket, fat layer up, in the middle of aluminum foil big enough to cover the whole corned beef brisket.
5. Rub the entire brisket with Dijon mustard. Then, generously and evenly sprinkle brown sugar over the top and gently pet it on. Pat some onto the sides as well.
6. Bring the aluminum foil together and close it, covering the brisket loosely, leaving a little space between the brisket and the foil. Place the covered brisket into a rimmed roasting pan.
7. Bake it for 2 hours. Open the foil and turn on the broiler on low, if you have an option for low or high broiler setting. (If not, move the brisket to a lower rack.) Let the top caramelize for a few minutes but watch it so it doesn't burn.
8. UPDATE: the 2 hours recommendation time is for the 1.75-2 lbs. sized corned beef brisket. If you have a larger piece of meat, you will need to cook it longer. Give it about 45-60 minutes per pound. Lean towards the 60 minutes per pound time.
9. Take out and let it rest for a few minutes on the cutting board.
10. Make sure to slice the meat against the grain! Luckily, with the corned beef brisket, it's very easy to see the grain.
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