There’s a first for everything.
This is the first time that I made corned beef and cabbage! With all the fixins’ of course. I absolutely love corned beef and cabbage but rarely do I enjoy it. Maybe once a year if Vin and I get over to his Grandma’s St. Patrick’s Day weekend. She makes a killer St. Patty’s meal which inspired me to make it this year.
I eat corned beef on reubens though…all the time.
Because I’m a working girl and take care of this little blog here, I don’t have 3 hours in the evening to make a meal. I could do this on the weekend, but our weekends are busy sooooooo I decided to slow cook the corned beef so I could go to work, come home, prepare the fixins’ and eat!
It worked like a charm. Love slow cookin’.
Somebody couldn’t wait to try a roasted carrot. Caught him in the action and saved the little guy. Don’t worry.
One thing to note. Because I cooked the corn beef in a slow cooker, it fell apart pretty easily…not so great for slicing. You would most likely need to let it cool completely, possibly chill in the refrigerator to be able to slice it. Don’t forget to slice it against the grain! If you have the time, go for it. Otherwise, there are other ways to cook corned beef in the oven or even boiling/simmering on the stove that keep it firmer. Cooking time for these methods is about 2 1/2 to 3 hours.
So the fixins’. Because corned beef has so much salt and flavor in it already, the side dishes don’t really need a ton of spices to add flavor. I seasoned everything with salt, pepper, and a little butter and that’s it people!
My favorite was the cabbage. I told Vin if we ate cabbage every night we would probably lost weight.
I said that before I added 4 tablespoons of buuuutta to it…
Happy St. Corned Beef Day!
- 3-5 pound corned beef (mine was 3.5lbs)
- Baby red potatoes (or large ones, quartered)
- 1 cabbage, cut into large chunks
- Carrots, peeled and cut into 2 inch pieces
- 1 white onion, quartered
- Olive oil
- Salt
- Pepper
- 6 tablespoons butter
- Water
- Mustard for dipping
- Add corned beef with spices (if it comes with a packet) and onions to a slow cooker. Add enough water to just cover the corned beef. Cook on low for 8 hours. Remove and let sit for 15 minutes.
- To make potatoes, bring a pot of water to a boil. Add potatoes and boil for 15-20 minutes or until fork tender. Season with salt, pepper, and a little butter, about 2 tablespoons if desired.
- To make carrots, preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and add carrots, drizzle with a few tablespoons of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for about 15-20 minutes or until fork tender.
- To make cabbage, add 2 inches of water to a large pot and bring to a boil. Add cabbage and boil covered for about 8-10 minutes, gently stirring cabbage once. Drain cabbage, add it back to the pot. Add 4 tablespoons butter, a little salt and pepper, and gently stir.
- To serve, slice corned beef against the grain or it should all just fall apart into chunks and serve with the fixins' and mustard
Jim
Not yet! Can’t wait, though!! Jim
Cookin Canuck
Slow cookers are definitely the way to go on the weekdays. What a great way to celebrate St. Paddy’s Day!
Jessica Erin
Thanks Dara!