St. Patty’s day is tomorrow! Are you celebrating? Did you forget to start curing your corned beef 10 days ago? If so, I’ve got just the thing for you!
This year I got my corned beef from Trader Joe’s. Technically, I bought 2. Why do ask? Well, I bought one last Thursday, and on my way home, made a pit stop for some sick supplies at Whole Foods. An hour passed and the corned beef was still sitting in my trunk in 80 degree weather. (My father right now is yelling at his computer screen asking where my cooler bag was. You win dad…you win.) Because it’s uncured, you’re supposed to keep it under 40 degrees at all times. So, in an irrational panic, I bought another in fear of the slow and painful death the internet promised would become me. I may definitely have a problem. I blame this on being under the weather. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it!
Moving right along, the 2nd corned beef I made last night was delicious. I will definitely be getting my corned beef from Trader Joe’s from now on. We had a little fun with the cabbage part of our meal. You see, I have a go to cabbage recipe that’s to die for from my Mom. It always gets hoots and hollers from the feasting crowd. However, there’s also an Alton Brown recipe in the next episode of Good Eats that I wanted to try.
Naturally, we had a cabbage-off.
Both were good, but the winner was, (insert drumroll sound here) my Mom’s. Sorry Alton, if I never had my Mom’s, it would’ve been good. But, any recipe that starts in bacon fat wins.
Here’s how I made our Corned Beef and Cabbage (off) feast!
Grab your corned beef. Mine was 2 1/2 lbs.
Place it in a Dutch oven or large stock pot.
Cover with water, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 3 1/2-4 hours. That’s it!
About an hour and a half before your corned beef will be done, start the cabbage. My Mom’s cabbage starts with bacon. I halved the recipe since I was making 2 different kinds. Throw the bacon in the pot. Forget that you were supposed to cut it in to small pieces, pull it back out, cut in to small pieces and throw back in the pot. Don’t worry, no one was looking.
Add in thinly sliced onions, cinnamon and salt. Cover and cook until onions have softened, about 7 minutes.
Next, add in a head of shredded cabbage. Cook for another 7 minutes until the cabbage starts to wilt.
Now you’re ready to add in the chicken broth, red wine vinegar, apples, sugar and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for about an hour, until most of the liquid has absorbed and cabbage is tender.
If you’re doing a cabbage-off like me, start your next batch. Alton’s starts off with heating canola oil over medium-high heat in a large pot. Add in the apples and cook until slightly browned, about 5 minutes.
Next add in apple juice, caraway seeds, salt, pepper and cabbage. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and let simmer for about 20 minutes.
Pour yourself an Irish Beer! This step isn’t mandatory but highly encouraged 😉
Next, I whipped up a quick horseradish cream sauce. Just put sour cream, prepared horseradish, chives and chopped up dill pickles into a bowl and mix together. Easy Peasy!
Take out your glorious roast and slice it up.
Plate up a couple of slices with some cabbage and a dollop of horseradish cream. You could also get a couple of pieces of rye bread, smear with Thousand Island dressing and make a sandwich with the corned beef as well. Yum!
Wishing you all a very Happy St. Patrick’s Day! 
- 2-4 Pound Corned Beef Roast
- Water to cover
- Place Corned Beef in a Dutch oven or large stock pot.
- Pour in just enough water to completely cover the roast.
- Bring water to a boil, reduce heat to simmer and cook for 3½ to 4 hours until roast is cooked though and tender.
- 4 Strips of bacon
- 2 Onions, thinly sliced (I use a madonline)
- ½ Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
- 2 Bay leaves
- 4 Teaspoons Salt
- 2 Heads of Red Cabbage, shredded
- 1 Apple (I use Granny Smith) chopped into bite size pieces
- 2 Cups Chicken Broth (Low Sodium)
- ½ Cup Red Wine Vinegar
- 2 Tablespoons Sugar
- ½ Teaspoon Freshly ground black pepper
- Chop up 4 pieces of bacon into thin slices.
- Cook bacon in a Dutch oven or large stock pot until crispy.
- Add in onion, cinnamon, bay leaves and half the salt. Cover and cook over medium heat until onions have softened, stirring occasionally, about 7 minutes.
- Next add in shredded cabbage. Cook for another 7 minutes until the cabbage starts to wilt.
- Add in chicken broth, red wine vinegar, apples, the rest of the salt, sugar and black pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for about an hour.
- Uncover and cook on high for 5 minutes to let sauce thicken up.
- Serve right away.
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, and cubed
- 1 pint unfiltered apple juice
- ¼ -teaspoon caraway seeds
- 1½ teaspoons kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- ½ head of red cabbage, shredded
- Heat canola oil over medium-high heat in a large pot.
- Add in the apples and cook until slightly browned, about 5 minutes.
- Turn heat to high and add in apple juice, caraway seeds, salt, pepper and cabbage. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and let simmer for about 20 minutes.
- 1 Cup Sour Cream
- 6 Tablespoons Prepared Horseradish
- 1 Tablespoon Chives
- 1 Tablespoon of Finely Diced Dill Pickle
- Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Mix until smooth.
I love everything from cake to kale. Life is all about balance. I like to live, laugh and love to the fullest! Our time is too short not to enjoy ourselves.
Mmmm, looks delicious! Interesting too, I always have had white cabbage with corned beef, not red.
Thanks! It’s funny cause I’ve always had red cabbage 🙂
Your Mom’s cabbage recipe sounds good, have to agree with you on the bacon thing. I love corned beef and cabbage. Happy St patricks Day!!
It’s really the best cabbage recipe I’ve tried! Happy St. Patrick’s Day to you too 🙂
I never think of red cabbage cooked like this. What a breath of fresh air!
I don’t know why, but I always do red cabbage 🙂
Hi Sarah, what time is dinner? I’ll be there, oh, I’ll be there (I think there is an oldie song to that “Jackson Five). Love either red or white/green cabbage, either recipe sounds delicious and either corn beef’s will work. Well…did you save some for me?
I’ve got a spot saved for you anytime 🙂
Lucky you to have a Trader Joe’s in you area, Thanks for sharing you mothers wonderful cabbage recipe and the corned beef with us.
I am lucky, I just love Trader Joe’s! Mom’s know what they’re doing, don’t they 🙂
Gooodness me! Corned Beef – now there´s something I don´t see everyday, literally. I can´t remember the last time I made a meal out of corned beef, if ever! But I am loving this ALOT. And Cabbage is my favourite! You put it well, and it looks delicious too. I am so hungry, I am thinking about my spaghetti cabonara in our work fridge
Sigh
Have a lovely day Sarah
x
Dana
You must make at least one meal out of corned beef 🙂 Spaghetti Cabornara for lunch, yummy!
There’s nothing like corn beef and cabbage. I haven’t had cabbage in such a long time. You got me hungry Sarah lol.
Kay of Pure & Complex
http://www.purecomplex.com
You’re right, there’s nothing like it! I’m excited to go eat leftovers 🙂
I don’t eat meat, but boy oh boy does that beer look mighty fine right about now.
:] // ▲ itsCarmen.com ▲
Thank you!
Any recipe that starts with Bacon fat definitely wins.
I’m imagining this on a Rueben.
Mmmmm….
Fun fact about the preservation of corned beef though. I didn’t know that!
Bacon fat for the win! I made a Reuben with the leftovers, delish!