Corned Beef and Cabbage

Serves 6 to 8

I really love corned beef and cabbage, so I usually make this recipe on St. Patrick's Day, although it can be made any time of the year. It is a traditional Irish-American dish. In Ireland, they make a similar dish with bacon instead of beef. There are several different types of corned beef that you can purchase. The most common is corned brisket, my favorite, which comes in regular and low-sodium versions. You will also find corned eye round of beef, which is lower in fat. Alternately, you can corn your own beef. I have included several examples in the similar and related recipes. Horseradish sauce is the perfect accompaniment to corned beef. Leftovers make wonderful sandwiches or soup. Corned beef takes some time to cook, but very little hands-on time, making this a very easy recipe for a family meal or entertaining.

Ingredients

• One corned beef brisket, 3 to 4 pounds
• Water to cover
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 bottle dark beer (optional)
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2-cup chopped fresh parsley
• 8 black peppercorns
• 1 teaspoon mustard seed
• 6 whole cloves
• 4 large carrots, peeled and cut into large pieces
• 4 medium potatoes, scrubbed and quartered
• 4 large parsnips, peeled and cut into large pieces
• 1 medium head cabbage, about 2 pounds, cut into small wedges
• Freshly ground pepper
• Horseradish sauce (optional garnish, see similar and related recipes)

Place beef in a large Dutch oven and cover with water. Add onion, optional beer, thyme and parsley. Bring to a boil over high heat. Meanwhile, place bay leaf, peppercorns, mustard seed and cloves into herb ball or piece of tied cheesecloth. Add to pot; reduce heat to simmer. Cover and cook for about 3-1/2 hours or until meat is very tender (takes about 1 hour per pound of meat). Add carrots, potatoes, parsnips and cabbage. Simmer for 20-30 minutes until vegetables are tender. Remove the meat and cut into slices. Place in the center of a large platter. Remove the vegetables with a slotted spoon and arrange around the beef. Pass the horseradish sauce and, if desired, some of the broth.

Notes: If the brisket is too long to fit in your pot, cut it in half and layer it in.