Corned Beef

My grandmother made awesome corned beef. I never learned how she did it. But have developed my own method over time. So here is what I do currently. I believe my grandmother's method was very close to this one for Traditional Boiled Dinner.

Rinse beef brisket, add to dutch oven, add spice packet. Covered with water and 1/4 c apple juice (optional). Bring to a boil then baked in 325 degree oven for a couple of hours, at least 2 or 3 maybe as long as 4. When completely tender, remove from pot and immediately scrape off layer of fat (it comes off very easily when piping hot). Set aside. Add small round red potatoes (can also use yukon gold or even russets), carrots and onions and simmer on stove-top for about 25 minutes until mostly tender. Add chunks of green cabbage and simmer with lid on for about 15 minutes longer. Slice corned beef and return to the pan to heat through. Serve with the pan juices.

I have seen restaurants which serve the potatoes completely separate, usually in parsley butter. Sometime I might try cooking the potatoes as I do here, but draining them and tossing them with parsley butter and serving on the side.

Leftover corned beef can be shredded in a salad shooter and mixed in with shredded potatoes and fried to make home made corned beef hash.