Description
Ina Garten’s classic corned beef and cabbage recipe offers a hearty Irish-American comfort meal perfect for St. Patrick’s Day celebrations. Home cooks can prepare this traditional dish with simple ingredients and straightforward cooking techniques.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 lbs (1.36 kg) corned beef brisket, uncooked, rinsed
- 16 cups cold water
- 1 lb (0.45 kg) new potatoes, halved
- 2 medium carrots, unpeeled, cut into thirds
- 2 celery stalks, cut into thirds
- 1 large onion, peeled, quartered
- 1 medium green cabbage, cut into 8 wedges
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 tsps whole black peppercorns
- 2 tsps mustard seeds
- 10 whole juniper berries
- 8 whole allspice berries
- 4 whole cloves
- ½ cup sour cream
- 4 tbsps prepared horseradish
- 2 tsps Dijon mustard
- ¼ tsp Worcestershire sauce
- kosher salt
- freshly ground pepper
Instructions
- Meat Preparation: In a large 6-quart pot, layer corned beef with carrots, celery, onion, bay leaves, peppercorns, mustard seeds, juniper berries, allspice, and cloves. Completely submerge the meat in cold water.
- Braising Process: Bring liquid to a robust boil, then immediately reduce heat to low, creating a gentle simmer to prevent meat from toughening. Cover and braise for 3 hours until fork-tender.
- Vegetable Integration: Remove aromatic vegetables and whole spices with a slotted spoon. Introduce halved new potatoes into the remaining broth, return to medium heat, and boil for 10 minutes until slightly softened.
- Final Cooking Stage: Add cabbage wedges to the pot, continuing to boil for an additional 10 minutes to ensure vegetables are cooked yet maintain a slight crispness.
- Plating and Presentation: Transfer corned beef to a cutting board, slice against the grain into 1/4-inch pieces. Arrange potatoes and cabbage on a serving platter, positioning beef alongside and drizzling with cooking liquid.
- Horseradish Cream Accompaniment: Whisk together sour cream, prepared horseradish, Dijon mustard, and Worcestershire sauce. Season with kosher salt and black pepper until well combined.
- Serving: Present the dish immediately, complemented by the zesty horseradish cream as a vibrant condiment.
Notes
- Meat Selection Matters: Choose a high-quality, well-marbled corned beef brisket for maximum tenderness and flavor.
- Slow Cooking Technique: Maintain a low, gentle simmer to prevent the meat from becoming tough and dry.
- Spice Symphony: The blend of bay leaves, peppercorns, and juniper berries creates a complex, aromatic flavor profile.
- Slice Smart: Always cut the corned beef against the grain to ensure each piece is tender and easy to chew.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 hours
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: Irish
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 370
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 850 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 25 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 27 g
- Cholesterol: 80 mg