Corned Beef and Cabbage

St. Patrick's Day is upon us. That means corned beef and cabbage season around this house. I have to share that we LOVE corned beef and cabbage any time of the year. My goodness, a good corned beef is easy to make. My kids love the vegetables as much as the corned beef. And believe it or not, they like the cabbage. So good.  Try this easy recipe for a great dinner with the kids.

The fun thing about cooking is you can share the history of food with your children. It get's them engaged in the process. For example, kids might ask, "Dad, why do they call it Corned Beef is there is no corn." We actually looked it up and discovered:  Originally the word “corn” came from the Germanic word “kurnam,” meaning “small seed.” In the 17th century, salted beef started taking on the name “corned beef” in some parts of England because of the large “kernels” of rock salt used to preserve it.  (Google search - it's there when you need it) 

Getting started: First, I make my corn beef in the slow cooker. Let me explain why. Corned beef is traditionally done in the oven. I find it to be a bit tough when cooked in the oven. Others do a boiled version which I find is great. However, the best way to make corn beef is in a slow cooker. A slow cooker takes advantage of cooking all day, which makes the corned beef very tender. I will explain why that is important as we proceed.

Ingredients

Corned Beef - Flat or Point Cut
Cabbage
Flavor Packet
Baby Carrots (1 bag)
Red Potatoes (small if you find them)
Celery
1 bottle of beer (Stout is amazing, however any beer will due)

Add the corned beef to the crockpot, along with one bottle of beer and the flavor packet. Slow cook on low for 4 hours. Next, add the vegetables and slow cook for another 90mins on low. For the next 30-45 mins, place the cabbage on top of the corned beef and veggies and cook on high. Check to ensure that the cabbage is tender.

Cabbage Option #2 - Add the cabbage and veggies together with the cabbage on top after 4 hours. The cabbage will be much more tender and will absorb more of the flavors within the brine.

This is a very simple recipe. We serve the meal with the brine at the bottom. Everything is served together. We use yellow mustard for the corned beef and the vegetables for additional flavor.