Corned beef and St. Patrick’s Day go together like gold and leprechauns. Store bought corned beef is readily available in most grocery stores during this time of year – and usually on sale. Instead of just boiling the meat to death, this Examiner has experimented with a different method of preparing and cooking store bought corned beef with delicious results.
“Corned” beef means that the meat, typically a brisket, was cured in a salt solution. The salt solution can be in the form of either wet or dry brine. Homemade corned beef is a thing of beauty, but can take up to 7 days of curing and, for most, is just not convenient. The caveat to store bought corned beef is the amount of salt used and the overall texture. All of these drawbacks can be easily fixed.
To fix the sometimes overwhelming saltiness of a store bought corned beef – soak it! Up to 3 days prior to cooking, cover the beef with cold water and let soak, changing the water every 3 hours. The water whisks away all of the extra salt, leaving a perfectly seasoned corned beef.
Is the texture of corned beef too mushy for you? Instead of boiling it, try reverse braising the beef. First the corned beef is partially emerged in a mixture of beer and beef broth and cooked low and slow until tender. Next, the liquid is drained and reserved for boiling the vegetables. Lastly, the beef is browned in the oven until the outside is crisp and golden.
This Examiner promises this will be some of the best corned beef you’ve ever tasted.
Reversed Braised Store Bought Corned Beef
- 1 corned beef, 3-5lbs
- 1 bottle beer (we prefer stout)
- 3 cups beef broth
To begin, soak the corned beef in cold water, making sure to change the water every 3 hours. This can be done 24 hours or up to 3 days in advance. The longer it soaks, the less salty it will be.
On cooking day, preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Place the corned beef in a roasting pan and cover with beer and beef broth; tightly cover with aluminum foil. Slowly braise the beef until fork tender or the internal temperature reaches a minimum of 185 degrees – about 6 hours.
Drain the liquid and reserve for boiling vegetables. Return the corned beef to the oven uncovered and let crisp for another 1-2 hours.
Remove from the oven and let rest at least 30 minutes before slicing across the grain.
Inspired by Chowhound
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