The best way to prepare Corned Beef this St. Patrick's Day
ST.PATRICK’S DAY:
Every year without fail, my dad always made sure there was a delicious and juicy corned beef dinner on the table every St. Patrick’s Day. Forget the beveragino’s, leprechauns, or wearing green so you don’t get pinched (which is a wild concept if you ask me) - my golden pot at the end of the rainbow is my dad’s corned beef. As some of you know, dad has pulmonary fibrosis and is terminal. We most definitely got our passion for food from him and Dad loves nothing more than to share his love for food and great grocery store deals with all of you!
Last Sunday dad’s biggest concern was making sure that we passed along his corned beef pointers for St. Patrick’s Day to YOU! Here’s the text I received from him….
And so this leads into my Dad’s Fool Proof guide on how to find, make, and eat the BEST corned beef.
WHAT IS CORNED BEEF?
Corned beef is typically made from beef brisket that is cured in salt brine, with some pickling spices. Brisket takes some TLC (tender loving care) as it’s usually a tough piece of meat. When brined properly, and cooked low & slow while covered in broth/water or beer, the brisket becomes tender and very flavorful.
Corned beef has a slightly salty, slightly sour taste, and it should still look pink after cooking.
Corned beef is typically made from beef brisket that is cured in salt brine, with some pickling spices. Brisket takes some TLC (tender loving care) as it’s usually a tough piece of meat. When brined properly, and cooked low & slow while covered in broth/water or beer, the brisket becomes tender and very flavorful.
Corned beef has a slightly salty, slightly sour taste, and it should still look pink after cooking.
WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A POINT & FLAT CUT CORNED BEEF?
Point Cut- is rounder with a pointy end. It’s more fatty and marbled which tends to be extremely flavorful, the most tender and the juiciest cut! When we find points, we buy extra and freeze them, as they are harder to find.Flat Cut- is also called a round cut- it’s more lean and has a fat cap. This is what’s used for most Corned Beef recipes, as it’s less expensive and way easier to find. When cooked properly they have great flavor!
Point Cut- is rounder with a pointy end. It’s more fatty and marbled which tends to be extremely flavorful, the most tender and the juiciest cut! When we find points, we buy extra and freeze them, as they are harder to find.Flat Cut- is also called a round cut- it’s more lean and has a fat cap. This is what’s used for most Corned Beef recipes, as it’s less expensive and way easier to find. When cooked properly they have great flavor!
Shopping Deals: Dad wanted us to let you know that - The point cut corned beef should be on sale the week of St. Patty's day. Last year it was about $1.89 a pound on sale in both Giant and Safeway, in his neck of the woods. Dad says he also usually gets excellent, affordable corned beef at Aldi.
Preparing:
Top 3 ways to make corned beef for St.Patrick's Day:
Top 3 ways to make corned beef for St.Patrick's Day:
Corned Beef in an Instapot: I strive for the easiest and simplest recipes - I promise you your corned beef will come out so tender and so juicy with the Instant Pot!
Corned Beef in a Crockpot: Start this in the morning so your St. Patrick's Day dinner will be ready when you get home!!
Corned Beef on the Stovetop: If you prefer to make a Corned beef dinner the traditional way, follow my dad’s fool proof recipe, on making the BEST stovetop corned beef!
DAD'S SECRET CORNED BEEF SANDWICH: This is not a traditional corned beef sandwich HOWEVER it is definitely a family favorite!!
DAD’S IMPORTANT TIPS & TRICKS
- After cooking, remove corned beef and trim any major fat from meat and then refrigerate for at least 3 hours before slicing. This prevents the meat from shredding.
- Dad suggests the best way to eat corned beef is inside lightly toasted rye bread, with Thousand Island dressing, his homemade Coleslaw [ link recipe] and brown mustard for dipping.
- Buy a few extra corned beef after St. Patrick’s day! They are usually on an excellent sale and freeze well.
- Rinse your corned beef thoroughly before cooking it. Rinsing the meat several times under cool water will remove any excess salt.
- If you have extra, repurpose it and make our Reuben Dip!
We wish you all a Happy St. Patrick’s Day and hope that with these tips and tricks you will have the BEST corned beef of your life!! If you do happen to give one of the recipes a try please let us know we would LOVE to show dad what you thought
