Happy Saint Patrick’s Day.  No Irish feast is complete without this dish.  As the product of Irish ancestors, the smell of this dish in my kitchen makes my heart glad.  It smells like a proper Irish home I suppose and it puts a smile on my face.  There is some debate over the authenticity of this dish depending on which blogs you read.  All I can tell you is that my VERY Irish, Gaelic speaking, Great-Grandmother made it.  Seems authentic to me!

If you have the time, you can purchase a brisket and “corn” it yourself.  You can also purchase a corned beef brisket which this recipe uses.

INGREDIENTS:
2 Pound Corned Beef Brisket
1 Spice Packet
1 Clove of Garlic
2 Bay Leaves
6 White Potatoes, Quartered
6 large Carrots, Peeled and Sliced
1 Head of Cabbage
2 Leeks
1 Yellow Onion
1 Bunch Chopped Fresh Parsley
1 Tablespoon Brown Sugar
3 Tablespoon Coarse Ground Mustard
1 Harp Beer
1/4 Cup beef stock
Course Ground  Pepper
3 Tablespoons of Oil

INSTRUCTIONS:
Corned beef can be incredibly salty especially when you bake it.  Remove some of the salt by covering the beef in a large pan with water and bringing to a boil. Remove from the water.

Sear beef on all sides in a hot pan and oil.  Color equals flavor so get a good carmelization.

Mix the brown sugar, mustard, enough beer to create a paste and spice packet.  Coat the corned beef on all sides and rest for 10 minutes.

Deglaze the pan with 1/4 Cup of Harp Beer and reserve.

Create a rack of vegetables in the dutch oven using a small amount of the garlic, leek, onion and carrot.  These will help to flavor the meat and keep it from “boiling” in the liquid.  You will add the bulk of the vegetables at the end.

Add the meat to a roasting pan fat side up. Pour the deglazed pan drippings over the beef and top with the rest of the beer mixture.  Add beef stock.  Cover and bake in a 300 degree oven one hour per pound, basting periodically.

In the last 20 minutes add the bulk of the vegetables and allow to cook until tender.

TIPS:
Pan braise the cabbage for extra color before adding to the pan if desired.
Put pan drippings into a sauce pan, add 1/4 of beer and 2 Tablespoons of cornstartch. Reduce for a gravy

SERVE: remove and slice, top with parsley.

YIELDS: 6-8 portions

NOTE: Not Nightshade Free.  Turnip Root makes a nice potato substitute