Try Corned Beef at Home

Find out just how simple and economical it is to make.

We know that many of our readers enjoy corned beef, but we're also pretty sure most have never really considered making it themselves. Take it from us-now's the time to discover just how easy it is to prepare in your own kitchen. Carolyn's Corned Beef and Cabbage, a signature dish of St. Patrick's Day, garnered rave reviews from our Foods staff. Corned Beef With Marmalade-Mustard Glaze offers a fresh new taste that will be well received at your next dinner party.

To sum it up, in the category of home-cooked favorites, corned beef might be the next comeback kid. -KATE NICHOLSON

Carolyn's Corned Beef and Cabbage

MAKES 6 TO 8 SERVINGS

PREP: 15 MIN.; COOK: 3 HR., 15 MIN.

Katherine Flournoy adds carrots and red potatoes to her late mother-in-law's recipe.

1 (3- to 3'/2-Ib.) package corned beef brisket with spice packet

1 large head cabbage (about 2 ½ lb.), coarsely chopped

Creamy Lemon Horseradish Sauce

1. Place corned beef, fat side up, and contents of spice packet in a large Dutch oven; cover with water, and bring to a boil over mediumhigh heat. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 2 hours and 45 minutes or until fork-tender.

2. Skim and remove fat from surface; add cabbage, and return to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat, and simmer 15 more minutes or just until cabbage is tender. Serve with Creamy Lemon Horseradish Sauce.

Corned Beef, Cabbage, Potatoes, and Carrots: Simmer corned beef as directed in Step 1. Skim fat, and add 1 lb. small red potatoes, halved, and 8 oz. baby carrots. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes. Add 1 lb. cabbage, coarsely chopped, and simmer 15 more minutes or until vegetables are tender. Prep: 20 min.; Cook: 3 hr., 30 min.

KATHERINE FLOURNOY

BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA

Creamy Lemon Horseradish Sauce:

MAKES ABOUT 1 ½ CUPS

PREP: 5 MIN.

1 (8-oz.) container sour cream

6 Tbsp. mayonnaise

3 Tbsp. prepared horseradish

1 tsp. grated lemon rind

1 tsp. fresh lemon juice

1. Stir together sour cream and remaining ingredients until blended. Chill until ready to serve. Sauce can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 1 month.

Corned Beef With Marmalade-Mustard Glaze

MAKES 6 TO 8 SERVINGS

PREP: 5 MIN., BAKE: 35 MIN.

This is a great make-ahead dish. Follow the package directions to cook the corned beef the day before, and refrigerate. Use our glaze for even more flavor, and just pop it in the oven.

1. Stir together ½ cup orange marmalade and 2 Tbsp. stone-ground mustard. Brush 1 (3- to 3 ½-lb.) corned beef brisket, fully cooked, with half of marmalade mixture, and place in a lightly greased jelly-roll pan. Bake at 425° for 30 to 35 minutes or until golden brown, basting with remaining half of marmalade mixture every 10 minutes. Serve corned beef with cooked cabbage.

Cook's Notes

* Corned beef is just a beef brisket that has been brined in salt water. Years ago, the meat was dry-cured in pellets of salt about the size of corn kernels, thus the origin of its name.

* Look for corned beef in the meat section of your supermarket, usually in close proximity to the familiar brisket. At last check, it sold for $4.19 per Ib., only about 20 cents more than brisket. Because it's a boneless cut, corned beef offers good value.

* Corned beef comes with a spice packet, giving it distinct flavor and making prep time a breeze. To really get its signature tenderness and flavor, expect about a three-hour cook time. If you have a hankering for corned beef and are short on time, you can always pick up some at your favorite deli.

Copyright Southern Progress Corporation Mar 2007
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