Corn beef dinner or boiled dinner as some call it, was something we always looked forwards to growing up. My mom never swayed from the basics and reliably there was always a good rye bread and plenty of butter. What was missing however was having company over to share it with. We just never seemed to do that. To me St. Patrick's day Dinner should really be a bit of a bash. Fun, family and really good simple food.

In my first marriage I never made corn beef. When I think about it now I wonder why. OR perhaps my making of it was so not memorable, as I just can't imagine that I wouldn't make it. Him being Polish should really not hinder an annual making of corn beef. Yet I just don't really recall making it.  Isn't that funny? 

In my second marriage I discovered that you could get a clean, nitrate free cut of brisket. I was delighted! I also wanted to perfect homemade corn beef hash, something I get a hankering for sometimes, and so I started making it.  I would soon discover that my kids just adore it and I can think of only a few times that any was left over to actually make hash or sandwiches even! 

A tradition begins!!

I have heard of cooking the brisket in beer, I've never done that. I'm curious, but love it so much the way I have finally perfected it that I prefer not to mess with a good thing. I can thank my ex's mothers cookbook for the recipe - the joy of american cooking

I purchased almost 7 lbs this year of brisket, the fact that it shrinks, that there is some fat on it and that 5 of us devour it, shouldn't surprise me that most of it disappeared. 

Place meat in large Dutch Oven. Add one sweet onion, 2 large carrots, 2 stalks of celery, fresh parsley, 10 whole peppercorns, 2 cloves of Garlic, 10 whole cloves and 2 bay leaves. Cover all with water and as my friend dear Pat Martin says ... boil the bejeasus out of it. Mine simmered fiercely for about 3 hours. 

I boil yukon golds with the skin on, and steam carrots seperately for eating. I love to boil green cabbage in the water that the meat comes from. I usually remove the meat, put on a platter and keep it warm in the oven. Cabbage wedges added to the boil take about 10 minutes.
 
We did have some rye bread and butter and of course some Guiness. I like a bit of mustard and a bit of vinegar and cracked black pepper over all.  I think next year I'll try and make Soda Bread .



bit of green shamrock flickr image credit

Karen Hanrahan ~ Wellness Educator/Nutritional Consultant/Blog Author
708.482.0678 ~ Websites: Nutrition Weight Loss, and Green Clean as seen on Oprah

Member of BNI - West Suburban BNI: "Chapter Mentor"
Member, Board Member and Programming Chair of West Suburban Women Entrepreneurs