How to Cook Corned Beef
A long, slow simmer is the key to this Irish favorite.
Corned beef is a salt-cured cut of beef brisket, which is a
tougher cut of beef requiring long, slow cooking in liquid to tenderize. A
staple for St. Patrick’s Day, this easy-to-follow guide will make corned beef
so tender you’ll want to make it year-round.
1 Soak the Corned Beef
Place the beef in your pot, cover with cold water and let soak at room temperature for 15 to 30 minutes. Soaking helps draw out some of the salt from the curing process.
2 Add Cooking Liquid
Pour out the water used to soak the beef. Sprinkle spices from the spice packet that comes with the corned beef into the pot. If you don’t have a packet or you simply want to amp up the spice, toss in a bit of pickling spice.
3 Skim Foam
Bring the pot to a boil. Use a slotted spoon to skim off any foam that forms on the top.
4 Simmer the Beef
Cover, reduce the heat and gently simmer for 3 hours until the corned beef is fork-tender.
5 Prepare the Vegetables
Corned beef’s classic veggie partner is cabbage. When the 3-hour slow-simmer time is almost up, cut one small to medium-sized head of cabbage into large wedges.
6 Add Vegetables
Place prepared vegetables in the pot with the corned beef. Increase heat to return the pot to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat, cover and continue to simmer gently for about 30 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
7 Slice and Serve
Remove corned beef to a cutting board and trim off the fat. Cut the meat into slices, placing slices on a serving platter. To make the meat more tender, slice corned beef across the grain (with the knife running perpendicular to the lines of the meat).Use a slotted spoon to remove vegetables from the pot, letting excess water drain. Place vegetables on the serving platter alongside the meat.
Find more St. Patrick’s Day favorites here »
Plus: Get the full recipe for this corned beef »
Also, Don't Miss:
• How to Make Meatloaf »
• How to Cook a Ham »
• All Our How-Tos »