Crock Pot Corned Beef
Someone on this board recently alluded to cooking a corned beef in a crock pot. Does anyone have specific tips, how much, if any, liquid, how long, when to add the traditional trio of potaoes, cabbage and carrots? I usually braise/bake mine with a thin coat of dijon mustard, in chicken stock with onion and sliced lemon, (for a great broth to cook lima beans in later) but would like a painless process I can leave while I am at work. Thanks!
Chilton
Mar 16, 2006 01:14PM
I've done it. I just tossed the corned beef (point cut, so it had lots of fat...) into the crock pot with some onions but with no liquid. When I came downstairs the next morning, it was half full of its own natural juices.
All in all, it was fine, but I like the results from cooking corned beef in a smoker alot better....
Permalink | Reply
I just did one last night. It came out very tender, but was a point cut anyways. I put the beef in, covered with water, and added about 2T of penzeys corned beef spices. Set on high for 2 hrs, then low for 2 hrs. Thee was no room for vegetables, but I have a small crockpot. I also braised a couple round cuts last night, they would probably work out better in the crockpot. I will be glazing these ones that I've made ahead and braising more tomorrow.
Permalink | Reply
I use flat cut, and just put it in with water to cover, whatever spices came with it plus a few peeled cloves of garlic. Give it 6 to 8 hours on low - overnight is good, lovely smells to wake up to! - and then I put it into a glass loaf pan with a lid of heavy foil and a brick on top and some canned goods on that, and put it in the fridge for another 6 - 8. Take it out, scrape the jelly off, smear good strong mustard over the top and put it in a hot oven for half an hour. Whoopee!
Any veges I do on the side; if I'm gonna get all sentimental about it I'll cook the potatoes, cabbage and carrots on the stovetop in the corned-beef cooking water, though I prefer them done separately.
Permalink | Reply
Will,
Please explain "glass loaf pan." Do you cut it into thirds and stack them to make it fit? Or did you mean 13x9 Pyrex? Curious minds want to know.
Permalink | Reply
and why the brick and the canned goods?
more curious minds.....
Permalink | Reply
1. I buy slabs of corned beef that will fit into the loaf pan after they have been cooked in the crockpot. A piece of about 7"x 11" will fit into my 5"x 9" pan after 8 hours in the pot.
2. The brick and canned goods are there to press the meat, to compress the fibrous matter into a more compacted, sliceable form. It also retains juice and fat better through its final roasting. You see this technique used widely in the production of other kinds of charcuterie, especially patés and terrines. It's fun - just ask Jane Grigson.
Permalink | Reply
I've used bricks too. I don't use the loaf pan, just wrap the braised brisket loosely in foil, set on a rimmed sheet and put a foil covered brick on top in the oven while I get everything else ready. It works best if you're using a flat cut, not a point cut. The meat does slice better afterwards.
Permalink | Reply
Sorry for being a pest, but this "after the cooking" procedure has me intrigued.
Do you cook more than one slab (flat cut)? When you put the cold corned beef in the loaf pan, do you add cooking water or anything? You spread with mustard only? And you cook in a slow oven or a hot oven? Does it form a coating or a crust?
Thanks so much. I'll be trying your method with my family on Sunday.
Permalink | Reply
No, a pest is someone who DOESN'T ask for necessary information then blames me when he screws the recipe up!
I only cook one slab because I have an old, small Crockpot, and a chunk of the size I mentioned is all that'll fit. What I didn't mention is that I sometimes do corned beef round instead - not as delicious as brisket for a hot entrée, but wonderful sliced thin on a buffet.
The loaf pan is just to contain the meat while it's being pressed. The pressing also squeezes some juices out, so no, there's no point in adding any liquid. Yes, I usually use just mustard, but sometimes I whisk in up to an equal amount of olive oil if the meat is a bit dry. It doesn't really form a crust - it mostly adds a bit of flavor while helping to keep the meat from drying out. And since I'm basically just reheating it, our good old all-purpose 350º is about right.
OTOH, there's absolutely nothing wrong with serving it as it comes out of the crockpot!
Permalink | Reply
I do a can of beef broth (low sodium), a bottle/can of guinness, the spices it comes with, some bay leaves, maybe a few cloves of garlic, and sometimes some pearl onions, on low, all day.
Permalink | Reply