I cook corned beef regularly -- three-four times a year. It's always available at our local Sam's Club, and it has a long shelf-life too, meaning the expiration date is often a month or more out on the calendar. I always buy two and I always cook two. After discarding the seasoning packets, I cook them my way, slowly in the crockpot, in a tomato mixture laced with aromatic allspice, cinnamon and cloves. When done, I cover the tops with brown sugar and bake them in a 350° oven for 20-25 minutes until the sugar crust is bubbly and caramelizing. It is amazing.
My brown-sugar-crusted corned beef sandwiches served on my homemade bread machine caraway-seeded rye bread have, literally, been described by many as "the best corned beef sandwich you'll ever eat". That said, I typically don't serve them Rueben-style (with the 'kraut). We two prefer to eat ours made grilled-cheese-style with a big scoop of Russian- or Thousand Islands-dressed potato salad or cole slaw to the side. What's not to love.
What does "corned" mean & what is a corned beef brisket?
A bit about corned beef: Corned beef is beef brisket that has been brine-cured in a solution of salt and water typically used for pickling or preserving food. Brisket is the cut of beef taken from the breast section under the first five ribs. It is sold without the bone and divided into two sections. The flat-cut has minimal fat and is more expensive than the more flavorful point-cut.
Brisket requires long, slow cooking and is best when braised. The term "corned" comes from the English use of the verb "corn", meaning: a process in which small particles, such as grains of salt have been added to liquid. Two types of corned beef are available and depend upon the butcher and/or the region. Old-fashioned corned beef is grayish-pink in color and very salty. New-style, the kind that is vacuum-sealed that most of us purchase, has less salt and is a bright rosy red.
Try my ~ Cheesy Corned-Beef on Rye Rueben Casserole too~:
Along w/my ~ Lazy Lady's Homemade Corned Beef Hash ~:
And, ~ My New-England-Style Corned Beef & Cabbage ~:
"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti
(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2022)
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