Braised and Glazed Corned Beef With Roasted Root Vegetables

 

Not that a classic New England Boiled Dinner isn’t great …..it is.  But so is this twist on the traditional that adds flavor, texture and interest. The leftovers also make what is probably the Best Corned Beef Hash you’ve ever had! After the braising (boiling) of the corned beef brisket, a sweet and savory glaze of lemon and ginger marmalades is put on the meat and caramalized briefly in the oven. The vegetables (except for the cabbage) are roasted in the oven, and sprinkled with fresh thyme. There is nothing bland or boring about this corned beef dinner!

Corned beef comes in two varieties: gray and pink. The difference?  The gray is saltier, does not contain nitrates/nitrites and should be soaked in water for an hour or so, with one change of water. Rinse and cook as you do the pink, which is what is readily available in my area and the one I used here. Both types typically come in both point and flat cuts. The point cut has more fat and therefore more tender, but the flat often has a thin layer of fat along one side which adds a lot of flavor and when cooked properly is very, very tender.

 

A boiled dinner is easy to make:

Place your corned beef (soaked and rinsed if the grey type) in a large soup kettle.

 Cover with water, add a tablespoon of pickling spices, lots of freshly ground black pepper, a bay leaf and simmer for about an hour per pound, or until fork tender.

Peel your root vegetables – traditionally potatoes, onions, carrots and turnips –  cut in half or large chunks and either add to the pot during the last 45 minutes of cooking, or as I did, toss with oil, salt and pepper and roast in a non-stick baking or roasting pan in a 350 degree oven until tender (about 40 minutes).

 Shake the pan occasionally to ensure nothing sticks, and sprinkle with fresh or dried thyme when they come out of the oven. If you leave the root end intact on the onions, they will not fall apart when cooked. Make extra roasted vegetables so you’ll have some for the hash to use up any leftover corned beef you have!

 

I prefer Nappa cabbage to regular green cabbage because it has a milder flavor, and I just quarter a small head, leaving a bit of core on to hold things together and add to the braising beef pot for the last 1/2 hour of cooking.

Leave the cabbage in the hot water while glazing the corned beef, and then drain and add to the serving platter with the roasted vegetables.

Recipe for Lemon-Ginger Corned Beef Glaze:

 Mix equal amounts of ginger preserves and lemon marmalade, cover your cooked and well-drained corned beef brisket generously with the mixture and put in the 350 degree oven for 10-15 minutes. An extra step – but so worth it -  I just can’t bring myself to make corned beef any other way!

 Accompaniments for serving your corned beef dinner: 

Stong mustard, horseradish sauce and if it’s St. Patricks Day - how about a pint of Guiness! 

For another idea for what to do with leftover corned beef, try:  Little Reuben Pies!