Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Hopefully, you are reading this because you are about to make a corned beef to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day! Most recipes for corned beef will tell you to boil it or cook it in a crockpot — and my mom did that — but it is way better slow-roasted in the oven. Here’s what you need to know:
Buy Flat Cut
Corned Beef comes two ways: ‘flat cut’ or ‘point cut.’ I prefer ‘flat cut.’ It has less fat, and corned beef is a pretty fatty piece of meat to begin with! Also — and this is probably pretty controversial — I trim a lot of the fat off before cooking. Also, buy the largest corned beef you can because it shrinks A LOT during cooking!
Prepare the Pan
You need a roasting pan. A normal 9×13 is too shallow and a disposable foil pan is not sturdy enough. Something 3 inches deep or more will work. It needs a metal rack inside to raise the meat up. You can buy a super cheap one at Walmart for $15 or less. I only use mine once a year for this recipe – LOL.
Line the pan with foil to make clean-up easier. Place the rack inside the pan and add water. I fill it up to just below the rack. The corned beef is going to steam while it cooks – this is called a water bath.
Prepare the Corned Beef
When you are ready to cook, take the meat out of the bag and rinse it under cold water really well. It has a salty goo on it (relax – it’s not gross) and you need to rinse all that extra salt off. I toss the seasoning packet.
One side of the meat has a fat ‘cap’ that I like to trim. Some people like to eat that fat and there’s nothing wrong with it. It’s just never been my thing. I don’t trim it completely off, but if you can remove some, that works 🙂
Place the meat on the metal rack fat side up and prep the glaze.
Glaze
- 1/4 cup mustard (plain ole yellow)
- 3/4 cup brown sugar (dark or light, whatever you have)
Spread one-third of the glaze on the top and sides of the corned beef. Bake in oven at 275 degrees for 3-4 hours. Remove and spread an additional third of the glaze on top and return to oven for another 3 hours.
After 6-7 hours, the meat should be ready. It should be barely holding its shape. If it seems tough, let it cook for another hour. This is a low and slow process. I’ve cooked corned beef for 5 hours; I’ve cooked it for 8 hours. It just depends. When it is just about to fall apart, it’s ready. The water bath prevents it from burning. Add more water if you need to.
When you feel it has cooked long enough, take it out of the oven and scrape the last bit of fat off the top — or not. Then, put the last third of the glaze on top and broil the meat for a minute or two until the glaze is nice and bubbly. Let sit on the counter to rest for 15 minutes or more.
If you can, cook the corned beef the day before you need it. It somehow tastes better when it has a night to chill out in the fridge.
Cutting the Corned Beef
Corned beef needs to be cut across the grain to avoid being chewy. Luckily, it is really easy to see the grain with corned beef. Turn the meat so the grain is running left to right and make thin slices.
The Reuben
Now, you can serve corned beef sliced with a side of new potatoes and roasted cabbage, but — who are we kidding — you are here for the reubens!! You can make reubens several different ways. Here are a few options:
- Bread – rye, pumpernickel, marble rye (our favorite), or even plain wheat bread
- Cheese – swiss is my go-to but I’ve seen it with Muenster
- Cabbage – Coleslaw or Sauerkraut – both are equally delicious
- Dressing – I typically use 1000 Island dressing but you can do Russian dressing too. It has a sweeter vibe. I wouldn’t pair coleslaw with Russian though – too much sweetness. I’ve also seen a corned beef sandwich made with mustard.
- Prep Method – I prefer grilled, but you can just do it on regular bread
- Meat – You can make a Reuben with turkey, which is a ‘Rachel’ — but you’re here for the corned beef, right?!
I typically put swiss cheese on both pieces of bread and grill until the cheese is melt-y and then assemble off the grill. It’s messy but oh so good! xo
Mom’s Coleslaw Recipe
- 1/2 cup mayo
- 1 TB dijon mustard
- 1 TB apple cider vinegar
- 1 TB maple syrup (the good stuff)
- 1 bag of cabbage or coleslaw mix (you can also cut up a whole head of cabbage)
- cracked pepper and sea salt
Mix all well with a whisk and taste. If it’s too mustard-y, add more maple syrup. Add shredded cabbage or coleslaw mix. I usually put the lid on a tupperware container and shake. I typically add in about 3/4 bag of coleslaw mix and then add the rest later.
What To Do With Leftover Corned Beef
If — and that’s a big if — you have any leftovers, the best thing to do with them is to make corned beef hash.
There are two key things to remember about corned beef hash. One, it can be any combination of ingredients. Whatever you’ve got, throw in. And, two, leave it alone. Don’t stir it around. Let it get a good crisp in the pan.
- Diced, pre-cooked potatoes (nuke them or boil them first – it goes faster)
- Chopped up, leftover corned beef
- Diced onions
- Diced green peppers
- Salt and pepper
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
Sautee any veggies over medium-low heat in melted butter. Once they start to soften, put everything else in the pan. Serve when it’s warmed through and crispy. Corned beef hash is best topped with a fried egg and some toast. Maybe some hot sauce.