Dutch Oven Guinness Corned Beef Recipe - Tammilee Tips (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to the best corned beef? ›

Simmering corned beef on the stovetop is a tried-and-true method that results in very tender beef. One of the keys to simmering corned beef correctly is the amount of water in the pot. When there's not ample liquid to cover the meat, your dreams of tender corned beef may be replaced by a tough, chewy result.

Information. Corned beef is made from one of several less tender cuts of beef like the brisket, rump, or round. Therefore, it requires long, moist cooking. Corned beef is safe once the internal temperature has reached at least 145 °F, with a three minute rest time, but cooking it longer will make it fork-tender.

Cooking corned beef with Guinness not only has the classic taste of corned beef flavor but also the savory flavors of Guinness beer. But don't worry, the beer flavor isn't strong after cooking all day and what's left behind blends perfectly with the beef.

You need its connective tissue to break down so you can have tender results. Some like to braise their corned beef in an all-water liquid, with various spices and salt; others add beer to the mix to further tenderize the meat.

High heat is not a friend to brisket. When cooked at a boil for too long, corned beef is likely to turn out tough and chewy, rather than soft and tender. Do this instead: Regardless of the cooking method, corned beef is best cooked over low heat.

Always Rinse Corned Beef Before Cooking It

Regardless of whether you cure the meat yourself or buy a ready-to-cook corned beef, chances are there's excess salt lingering on the surface and tucked into folds on the outer part of the meat.

Corned beef is typically made from beef brisket – a relatively inexpensive cut of beef – cured in salt brine, with some pickling spices: bay leaf, peppercorns, mustard seed, juniper berries, coriander seeds, and whole cloves. Corned beef gets its characteristic sweet and tart taste from the brine.

The USDA recommends simmering corned beef on the stovetop for 1 hour per pound of meat. If you're cooking yours in the oven, plan for 3 to 3 1/2 hours for a 2 1/2- to 3-pound cut.

The original Guinness is a type of ale known as stout. It's made from a grist (grain) that includes a large amount of roasted barley, which gives it its intense burnt flavor and very dark color.

But with good reason. Until 1975 when it was banned by the USDA, potassium nitrate (saltpeter) was used to preserve meats and keep their red color. But it's not exactly a health product — saltpeter is an active ingredient in gunpowder, and considered poisonous.

Why do people put vinegar on corned beef? ›

Adding several tablespoons of apple cider vinegar to the water when cooking corned beef will prevent shrinking and tenderize it. To prevent corned beef from turning stringy and dry after cooking, let it cool in the cooking liquid until it is warm rather than hot, then remove and slice for serving.

Easy Substitutions

Use beef broth, chicken broth, mushroom stock, apple juice, apple cider, root beer, or co*ke instead of dark beer. With all of these ingredients, you want to be sure to replace the beer measure for measure to keep the liquid volume the same in your recipe.

The most common method for cooking corned beef and cabbage is boiling. Put the meat in a large pot, cover it with water or beef broth, add a seasoning packet and boil before lowering the heat to a simmer. Cook for 2 to 3 hours or until the meat is tender and cooked to your liking.

The flavor profile often includes bay leaf, black peppercorn, mustard seed, dried red pepper and coriander. If that blend sounds familiar, it's because it's same list of spices that are packaged as pickling spice. Not surprising, since corned beef and pickles are commonly made in the same place: a deli.

To make the corned beef, open the sealed package right over the slow cooker, because you want to include the brine in the cooking liquid. Don't discard the brine.

The corned beef seasoning adds so much flavor to this traditional recipe, and a low, slow cook in beef broth makes this corned beef brisket juicy, tender and melt-in-your-mouth delicious!