St. Patrick’s Day: My Special Corned Beef Recipe

Thirty-one years ago I began hosting an annual St Patrick’s Day dinner party and it has been a family tradition ever since! My late husband’s 30th birthday happened to fall on the day and what started as a birthday celebration has continued on every year since. On the first week of March, I buy a brisket and begin a ten-day brining process to create a traditional corned beef dinner. AND today I am sharing my go-to recipe and tables-cape with you!

Layers of white and green foliage are paired with gold cutlery and a clover for a touch of sparkle.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 Quarts Water

• 1 Cup Kosher Salt

• 1/2 Cup Brown Sugar

• 2 Tablespoons Saltpeter

• 1 Cinnamon Stick

• 1 Teaspoon Mustard Seeds

• 1 Teaspoon Black Peppercorns

• 8 Whole Cloves

• 8 Whole Allspice Berries

• 12 Whole Juniper Berries

• 2 Bay Leaves, crumbled

• 1/2 Teaspoon Ground Ginger

• 2 Pounds Ice

• 1 (4 to 5 pound) beef brisket, trimmed

• 1 Small Onion, quartered

• 1 Large Carrot, coarsely chopped

• 1 Stalk Celery, coarsely chopped

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Place the water into a large 6 to 8 quart stockpot along with salt, sugar, saltpeter, cinnamon stick, mustard seeds, peppercorns, cloves, allspice, juniper berries, bay leaves and ginger. Cook over high heat until the salt and sugar have dissolved. Remove from the heat and add the ice. Stir until the ice has melted. If necessary, place the brine into the refrigerator until it reaches a temperature of 45 degrees Fahrenheit. Once it has cooled, place the brisket in a 2-gallon zip top bag and add the brine. Seal and lay flat inside a container, cover and place in the refrigerator for 10 days. Check daily to make sure the beef is completely submerged and stir the brine. 

2. After 10 days, remove from the brine and rinse well under cool water. Place the brisket into a pot just large enough to hold the meat, add the onion, carrot, and celery and cover with water by 1-inch. Set over high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and gently simmer for 2 1/2 to 3 hours or until the meat is fork-tender. Remove from the pot and thinly slice across the grain.

3. *Optional step: After boiling place the meat on the smoker on low (200 degrees) for 2 hours.

4. Preheat oven 350. Then mix the following in a bowl until well combined and cover the brisket.

• 1 Cup Dark Orange Marmalade

• 4 Tablespoons dijon-styled mustard

• 4 Tablespoons Brown Sugar

5. When meat is fully cooked, remove from pot and drain.

6. Place meat in an ovenproof dish and pour marmalade mixture over, coating thoroughly.

7. Bake for 30 minutes or more until the glaze is crisp and brown.

8. Enjoy!

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

xx,

Anne