Tips for slow cooking corned beef brisket
Corned beef brisket is best known as the dinner du jour for St. Patrick's Day, but the meal doesn't have to be reserved solely for the Irish holiday. When prepared in a slow cooker, the meat is fall-apart tender and easy to prepare with a person's favorite vegetables when they have some extra time.
Although it takes several hours and the preparation is fairly minimal, there are several considerations to keep in mind when slow cooking corned beef. Here are some tips to help you to create the perfect corned beef brisket in the slow cooker.
Choosing the right cut of meat
Many people often make the mistake of choosing beef brisket instead of corned beef. It's important to note the two are not the same. Fresh beef brisket is similar to roast beef, while corned beef has been brine-cured with salt and spices.
Corned beef brisket vs. corned beef round
Corned beef is available in two cuts. The front cut corned beef brisket has a generous amount of fat, which will melt away in the slow cooker providing extra flavor. We love the American Wagyu Black Grade corned beef brisket from Snake River Farms. The rear cut corned beef round offers a much leaner piece of meat.
Flat cut corned beef vs. point cut corned beef
Flat cut corned beef is the longer piece of meat protected by a thick layer of fat. This cut is ideal for making sandwiches with the leftovers as the lean beef can be cut uniformly. Point cut corned beef is a fattier cut that offers a lot of flavor from its marbling.
Red corned beef vs. gray corned beef
While there is no difference in cook times, red corned beef is the more popular choice for its color. The red meat is brined and then cured with sodium nitrate to give the meat its bright color. Gray corned beef is brined with salt, but without the other spices leaving the beef with its natural color. The choice of which one to slow cook is entirely up to you.
How much corned beef per person
Corned beef is well known for shrinking substantially when boiling on the stovetop and when it comes to slow cooking in a crock pot, there is no difference. Crock pot corned beef brisket will shrink roughly a third in size in a slow cooker. When determining how much corned beef to buy, plan on up to a pound per person, especially if you want to save some to make leftover sandwiches.
Choosing the best slow cooker to cook corned beef brisket
A three to four-pound corned beef brisket, which is large enough to feed four, should be cooked in a six-quart programmable Crock-Pot. Set the programmable timer and let the slow cooker do the rest of the work.
Rinse the corned beef before slow cooking
It’s important to note that corned beef should always be rinsed before adding to the slow cooker. Rinsing the corned beef under cool water for a few minutes will remove any excess salt. Don’t worry about washing away the flavor because the meat has already been cured.
Set your slow cooker to low
The slow and simmering process for corned beef should never be rushed because the brisket cut is naturally tough. Corned beef brisket should always be slow cooked on low for the best results. If cooked on high, the meat will end up tough and chewy. When cooked at a lower temperature, the brisket will be moist and tender. Cooking corned beef brisket low and slow for several hours allows the meat to break down and become very tender. With a little patience, the end result will be worth the long wait.
Adding ingredients to the slow cooker
When it comes to adding your vegetables and meat to the slow cooker, order is important. A medium-size yellow onion cut into large wedges, two to three fresh carrots and celery stalks cut into three-inch pieces along with four to six red potatoes should be added to the crock pot first.
Place the corned beef fat side up on top of the vegetables and season with the spice packet that is included with the meat. You can also add a bay leaf and any of your other favorite spices (like fresh thyme and garlic). Fill the slow cooker with water until the corned beef is almost entirely submerged.
At this time, you can also pour in a can of your favorite beer (or Irish favorite Guinness) that will give the corned beef more flavor when it is done cooking. Set the timer for 9-10 hours. At the last hour of cooking, add in some fresh cabbage cut into four wedges. If you include the cabbage with the other vegetables and slow cook for a longer time, it will become mushy. Adding it at the end will yield a fork-tender result.
Overcooking corned beef brisket in the slow cooker
While it may seem like you can’t overcook corned beef, you certainly can. An overcooked corned beef brisket will lose its flavor if left in the slow cooker too long and the vegetables will become soggy. Be sure to set the timer on the slow cooker with the desired cook time to avoid any potential dinner disasters.
How to slice corned beef
Think of corned beef brisket as steak when it comes to slicing. Take a sharp chef's knife and slice the corned beef against the grain of the meat's muscle fibers just like you would with steak. When cutting against the grain, the meat will be easier to chew. If you cut with the grain, you will end up with tougher slices. A smooth cut with a sharp knife will provide uniformly sliced pieces of corned beef that will make a beautiful presentation when serving.
Kellie Speed is a writer for BestReviews. BestReviews is a product review company with a singular mission: to help simplify your purchasing decisions and save you time and money.
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March 13, 2021 at 07:52PM
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How to cook corned beef brisket in a slow cooker - Chicago Tribune
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