Corned beef and cabbage is one of the most popular Irish dishes, often served at the dinner table on St. Patrick’s Day. However, it does not have to be St. Patrick’s Day in order for you to make this delicious and hearty meal for you and your family. If you love the taste of the beefy flavor mixed with cabbage, you can make it from home in little to no time at all. You may think that baking a corn beef and cabbage is a lot of work but it is actually quite simple. In less than 3 hours, you and your entire family can be enjoying a traditional Irish meal. Preparation for the corned beef will only take you about 10 minutes in total while the meal will need to simmer for quite a bit. Of course, you will need some specific ingredients to make this meal.
What Ingredients Do I Need to Make Corned Beef Brisket?
- 2-3 pounds of corned beef brisket
- 8-10 small white or red potatoes
- ½ a 16 oz package of baby carrots
- 1 cabbage head, wedged
All of these ingredients can easily be found and purchased in your local grocery store. The potatoes, carrots, and the cabbage head can all be found in the produce section while the corned beef brisket will be in the meat section. Once you have your ingredients from the store, you will be ready to get started with baking the corn beef brisket.
Making and Baking Your Corned Beef and Cabbage
The first thing you will need to do is place the corned beef brisket into a large pot. You should try to find the largest pot that you have to ensure that the beef fits. Once it is placed into the pot, fill the pot with water so that the corned beef is completely covered. You can add a little bit of spice, which usually will come with the corned beef when your purchase it. After you do this, you can put a lid on the pot, leave it on medium heat and wait for it to come to a boil. When it begins to boil, lower the heat and allow it to simmer in the pan. The brisket needs to simmer for about an hour and you can check on it from time to time to make sure it is tender.
After an hour has passed, you can add the potatoes and the carrots. The potatoes can be added into the mix without having to be peeled or diced, which makes it very simple. Allow the vegetables to cook with the corned beef until they become nearly tender. You will have to check every few minutes or so. When they begin to get tender, it is time for you to add the cabbage and allow the ingredients to mix together in the pot for about 15 minutes. When the 15 minutes have passed, it is time to take the corned beef brisket out of the pan. You must be careful when you do this because you would not want to be burned. Remove the meat and place it in a separate empty pot, allowing it to rest for several minutes. On average, the meat should rest for about 20 minutes.
You can take the carrots, potatoes, and the cabbage and place them in a separate bowl with a bit of the liquid from the pan. The liquid will be very flavorful because the meat was soaking in there for so long. Cover the vegetables until you are ready to serve them. In the meantime, you can prepare the meat, slicing it into pieces to serve to your family or friends. Add the meat to a plate with a side of cabbage, carrot, and potatoes for a wholesome and hearty meal that everyone will love. If you follow these directions, your corn beef and cabbage will turn out perfect.
