It was my friends’ homemade corned beef that made my husband – a vegetarian for years – eat meat again. That brined brisket was so tender, so succulent, that he broke down and had a taste. Then he had a plate of it. Clearly, this was something I needed to be able to make myself.
So I did, and homemade corned beef is now a St. Pat’s tradition in my family.
For the rest of Dee Ryan’s feature story “Reubenesque,” originally published in March, 2011, click here. Find Dee’s recipe for Corned Beef and Cabbage below, and be warned, this recipe can take you between two and four days to make, so you better get started!
Corned Beef and Cabbage Adapted by Dee Ryan from a recipe by Renee Schram
2 quarts water
½ cup white vinegar
6 peppercorns (black or whatever blend you have in the pantry)
1 cup kosher salt
4 cloves minced garlic
4 Tbsp. sugar
1 bay leaf
4 Tbsp. pickling spice, divided
1 2- to 3-lb. brisket
¼ head cabbage
• Combine water, vinegar, peppercorns, salt, garlic, sugar, bay leaf and 2 tablespoons pickling spice in a sauce pot. Bring to a boil and let cool.
• Place the brisket in a large Dutch oven, a large pot with a lid or a re-sealable plastic bag, and add the cooled brine mixture. Make sure all of the meat is covered with the brine.
• Cover and refrigerate for 2 to 4 days, turning occasionally.
• Rinse the brisket thoroughly, place in a Dutch oven or other large pot with a lid and add enough water to cover about 2/3 of the meat, and the remaining 2 tablespoons pickling spice.
• Bring to a boil, and skim off any foam. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, for 3 to 4 hours, skimming off foam as necessary.
• During the last 30 minutes of cooking, you can add carrots and potatoes to the pot, if you’d like. After you remove all the meat and vegetables from the liquid, throw in a quartered head of cabbage for about 3 to 5 minutes.
This article appears in March 2013.