So Saint Paddy’s Day Rolls Around
…and we were dreamin’ “corned beef”. (YUM!) Lemme show you what we did. But you have to start …[cue: mystery music]…two days before.
First, get yourself a flat corned beef brisket that fits the mouths you’ll be feedin’. (Having lost our Resident Raptor Ebola, we have thankfully downsized el slabbo de beefo.) Open package, discard spice pack, rinse thoroughly and settle in a pot big enough to cover it completely with ice cold water. Stick in fridge. Fuggedaboudit until 24 or so hours later.
After a day, drain and refill to cover by a good 4 inches or so. Add 2-3 tablespoons fresh pickling spices. Bring to a boil, cover leaving it cracked for steam to escape and then drop temp to a simmer. Bubble away for about the next two hours. (Check to make sure the water level stays above the beef. Add some as needed.) Turn burner off, uncover and let the heat bleed off for a while. Re-cover and pop in the fridge. Fuggedaboudit until 24 or so hours later.
Well, glory be! It’s Saint Paddy’s Day and time to fix the supper. Preheat the oven to 375°.
I had major dad schmoosh a schmear of garlic, parsely, thyme and some salt, while I peeled and cut some parsnips.
Then I added some olive oil to loosen it up and schmeared said parsnips…
…who then wound up on a greased cookie sheet on a bottom oven rack.
Pull our beefy friend from his cold storage. (He’ll look something unappetizing like this…
…but trust me. This is gonna work.) Spoon out the fat and DISCARD. (HAH!) Pick the corned beef up with a fork, let him drain, then set him on a rack in a prepared pan. Turn your attention to yet another schmear we need to make.
I’m a big…well, okay…WE’RE big fans of a little heat brightening your day, so we add some garlic chili paste to our honey mustard schmear. I use about 2-1 honey to mustard and let your acid reflux be your guide to the chili paste addition. (Horseradish would also be wonderful.) Combine thoroughly and paste the beef liberally with most of it. (Reserve some for basting whilst he roasts.)
I set him on a middle rack above the parsnips, being an earth friendly multitasker, as well as outfitted him with a constant read thermometer. You don’t have to ‘cook’ him. You want to get the glaze caramelized and the internal temp about 130° or so. (Keep an eye on the parsnips when you go in to baste the beef. If they’re browning too quickly, you can always pull them out for a spell and finish them off as the beef internal gets higher.)
Once he’s popped in the oven and on his way, I got a couple honkin’ big red potatoes cleaned up and halved. They went in the cleaned stock pot el beefo had been in. Cover with about 3 inches of water and start boiling. When they’re within 10 minutes of being done, being an earth friendly multi-tasker, I had half a head of cabbage cleaned and cut into wedges ready to drop in a collander. That fit into the top of the stock pot, the lid nestled right down above the cabbage and voila! A bitchin’ steamer and less pots to clean afterwards.
It’s all coming together nicely. El beefo is looking done…
…and lusciously juicy.
A wee bit o’ white wine vinegar for the cabbage, pat o’ butter for the spudly, salt sprinkle for the parsnips, beverage glasses are charged and “The Quiet Man” is waiting on the DVD.
Last one to the couch is an Orangeman!
Fun, Swill Food and Grog | tree hugging sister | 
March 18, 2010 5:36 pm
Subscribe
Believe me, this was some great chow. Took a lot of will power not to finish off the rest of the beef. I do have the makings for one killer rueben.
I had Domino’s pizza and vodka on the rocks… 🙁
Mmmmmmmm……
Yum!
But I have to admit you nearly lost me at “discard the fat.”
(That ‘HAH!’ was directed at YOU…)
Yes, so I figured.
Cut me bad, it did.