I’m only like 1/16th Irish (the rest is Italian with some Cherokee thrown in there for good measure) but I love making corned beef for Saint Patrick’s Day. It seems like a festive thing to do and my family really enjoys it. For years and years I boiled my corned beef along with potatoes, carrots and cabbage— you know, the traditional way. I’ve added different blends of spices, mustard and even beer to the cooking water to give it a little something extra, but always stuck with the boiling method. It was a fail proof cooking method, but I’m never satisfied with leaving well enough alone, especially when it comes to cooking. I’m always on a quest to improve and expand upon old recipes so, a few years ago, I decided to try something different and bake that bad boy instead.
At first I was a little apprehensive because I wasn’t exactly sure what it would turn out like but I was excited about trying a new cooking method. I had read many recipes for baked corned beef so I decided to give it go using a wet rub concoction that I put together on a whim. Note: I often cook this way—tossing things together haphazardly and crossing my fingers that they will turn out delicious or at least edible. I base some of it on my cooking experience and knowledge but cooking is my method of relaxation so I try to keep it loose and enjoy the experimentation of it all. After all, if you aren’t having fun in the kitchen, you definitely won’t want to be there. I actually think this hodgepodge method of cooking comes from my Grandfather who was a cook in the Marines. But I digress….and anyway, back to the beef…
Baking corned beef turned out to be super simple and my “experiment” was a smashing success. Since then, I never boiled a corned beef again. Yup! It’s that good. The baking method produces a super tender piece of meat and the brown sugar/mustard glaze adds a subtle sweet/tangy flavor that pairs nicely with the saltiness of the meat. I pair this with cabbage, some Irish Soda Bread and some Shamrock Shortbread Cookies and we have ourselves one heck of an Irish feast.
Brown Sugar Baked Corned Beef
Serves 4
Ingredients:
3 lbs corned beef, rinsed and patted dry
1/3 cup dijon or country-style grainy mustard
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
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1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar, red wine vinegar or plain water
Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together mustard, brown sugar, pepper and vinegar.Mixture will resemble a thick paste. Remove 2 tablespoons of the mxiture and set aside (you will use this later).
3. Place corned beef onto a large sheet of heavy duty aluminum foil. Rub entire corned beef with brown sugar mixture. Make sure corned beef is fat side up before wrapping the entire corned beef up very tightly in aluminum foil.
4. Lay foil wrapped corned beef onto a rimmed baking sheet or shallow roasting pan and bake for 2 hours. Remove corned beef from oven and remove the foil wrapping. Set oven to broiler setting and spread reserved brown sugar mixture over the fat side. Broil for 1- 2 minutes or until the top is a little brown and bubbly but not burnt. Allow meat to rest for 5 minutes before placing on a cutting board. VERY IMPORTANT!: Be sure to slice meat against the grain of the meat or else it will be tough and inedible.
Christina Stanley-Salerno is a mama, recipe developer, food stylist, photographer and blogger atTakeBackYourTable.com. She loves cooking for and with her family. Life is hectic, but Christina is passionate about mealtime because she believes that family meals are the glue that holds everyone together. Creating simple, quick and healthy meals is her specialty and her trick to keeping the family meal a reality, even on busy weeknights.
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03.08.12 @ 4:44 pm
I hope the meat is more done than these pictures look. I’m not into rare meat.
03.09.12 @ 10:05 am
The meat is pink and will not be brown as in a steak. That’s just the color of corned beef.
The recipe sounds delicious and I will be trying it this Saint Patty’s Day.
Thanks!
03.09.12 @ 10:12 am
When reading the ingrediants I don’t see any Vinager. I notice when mixing everything together it says to also stir in vinager????
03.09.12 @ 10:29 am
Corned beef is always red.
03.09.12 @ 11:01 am
SUE - That Corned Beef is done. If you are not familiar with Corned Beef the meat when done is a pinkish red color - that is not rare
03.09.12 @ 12:30 pm
The meat is not rare - corned beef has a reddish color to it. I have used a similar recipe for years and I think it sounds great! Am going to make for St. Patrick’s Day!
03.09.12 @ 12:56 pm
Meat is not rare. That’s the color of it when it is cooked, so try it, you’ll like it!
03.09.12 @ 1:06 pm
Corned beef is a beef brisket that has been corned! (spiced and preserved) ! It is always pink due to the process. I always simmer . (traditional way) but i will also make one this way to try, sounds delicious!
03.09.12 @ 2:25 pm
Sue, corned beef is cured ( something like a ham) and therefore reason for the reddish color….
03.09.12 @ 3:09 pm
Corned Beef is red anyway to begin with.
03.09.12 @ 5:38 pm
I wish they would not put advertisement in the middle of the recipe!
03.09.12 @ 7:24 pm
Corned beef is usually pink even when cooked for many hours….not ever rare.
03.10.12 @ 10:14 am
She talks about “vinager”; how much???? Red or White vinager?? What will it taste like if there is no vinager OR too much vinager?
03.10.12 @ 10:41 am
Do you have to leave the fat on? We do not like eating fat, nor is it healty for you. I know you need some to make it tender, but it sure looks like it would taste better if the glaze was on the meat when you eat it.
03.10.12 @ 2:21 pm
Tee: The recipe states vinegar and it is listed below the advertisement in the middle.
03.12.12 @ 4:17 pm
The vinegar is listed as the last ingredient (apple cider vinegar). It falls below the advertisement. Sorry it’s designed so weird.
Yes! Corned BEef is always red!
@Susan- we do leave the fat on and allow it to get a bit crispy under the broiler but you can easily trim the fat before cooking. Do whatever you and your family like.
Enjoy!!!
03.12.12 @ 4:50 pm
You mentioned that you serve your braised cabbage with the corned beef. Can we get that recipe too? It all sounds wonderful!
03.15.12 @ 2:05 pm
Hi Karen- Sure!!
Click on the words “Braised Cabbage” in the post, it will bring you straight to the Cabbage Recipe. Enjoy!!
03.16.12 @ 1:39 pm
Do you used the pickeling spices included with the corned beef?
03.16.12 @ 1:40 pm
This was so simple and delicious. The meat was done perfectly and was very tender. I will definitely make again!
03.17.12 @ 12:58 pm
I too have always cooked corned beef in a vat with beer and later added the cabbage and other vegetables. But, this time I’m doing it in the baked manner as described. My guess is that it will turn out exactly as per the photo as long as the recipe is followed per se. The cabbage and other vegetables can be steamed separately in a steamer. However, I’m going a little slower than Rachael and doing it at 325 degrees for 3 - 3 1/2 hours (with the fat definitely left on) and foil wrapped twice to prevent leakage. Other than that, it’s Hello some nice green St. Ptrick’s Day margaritas with chips, homemade salsa, and guacamole whilst the corned beef is in the oven doing its thing. Yummmmm.
03.17.12 @ 1:02 pm
Ohhhhh, I almost forgot: When the corned beef goes into the oven , that’s when I begin to char 15 jalapenos to go along with those chips and salsa and guacamole. And, a few of those charred jalapenos will go into the next batch of homemade salsa, with give the salsa an awesome flavor. Yummmmmm.