Slow Cooker Corned Beef & Cabbage

Slow Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage

(serve 8)

(Irish-American)

                                                                         prep time:    10 minutes

                                                                         cook time:    6 hours

                                                                         total time:     6 hours 10 minutes

Ingredient 

corned beef:

1 3 to 4 pound corned beef with seasoning packet
vegetables:
1 medium head of cabbage, cut into 4 to 6 wedges
2 to 3 large potatoes cut into wedges
2 large onions, peeled and quartered
8 ounces baby carrots
½ cup butter, cut into small cubes

condiments:

commercial horseradish sauce
prepared horseradish (to add to the usually bland commercial sauce to spice it up)

Preparation

the corned beef:

1.  Place the corned beef, fat side down, in the bowl of you slow cooker.

2.  Remove the seasoning from the seasoning packet and place them in your mortar and, using the pestle, slightly crush them.  Don’t completely grind them up you just want them crushed to release their essential oils.

3.  Sprinkle the crushed seasoning on the corned beef in the bowl.  Cover the beef and seasoning with cold water, place the cover on the crock pot and turn it to high.

4.  Cook the corned beef on high for the first hour, then continue cooking for 10-12 hours on low or 5-6 hours on high.

the vegetables:

Preheat the oven to 375° F.

Arrange the cabbage wedges on the bottom of a baking dish and arrange the other vegetables over the wedges.  Distribute the butter cubes over the vegetables and  sprinkle with Kosher or sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.  Bake until the potato wedges and carrots are tender and cooked through, about 30 minutes.

service:

Arrange the cooked vegetables on a service platter.  Shred or slice the corn beef and arrange it on the platter.  Serve accompanied by the horseradish sauce and the prepared horseradish for those that like the sauce spicier.

Guinness Braised Short Ribs with Noodles

Serves 8

(American)

                                                                               prep time:  20 minutes

                                                                               cook time:  5 to 7 hours

                                                                               total time:   5 to 7 hours 20 minutes

Ingredients

4 pounds bon-in short ribs
Kosher or sea salt, to taste
freshly grated black pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, roughly chopped
2 cups beef broth
1 ½ cup (1 bottle) Guinness Extra Stout
2 tablespoons brown sugar
½ teaspoon dried thyme
16 ounces baby carrots
2 tablespoons of tomato paste
1 tablespoon spicy brown mustard
4 tablespoons corn starch

1 pound egg noodles, prepared according to package instructions

Preparation

brown the ribs:

1.  Blot the ribs dry with paper towels.  Sprinkle the ribs liberally with salt and black pepper on both sides.

2.  Heat the oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat.  Brown the ribs on all sides, in batches if necessary, about 8 to 10 minutes.  When thoroughly browned remove the ribs to you waiting slow cooker.

prepare the braising liquid:

Add the chopped onions and sauté for about 2 minutes stirring often.   Add the broth, 1 cup of the beer, the sugar and the thyme to the onions in the skillet and bring to a boil.  When the liquid comes to a boil pour it and the onions over the beef ribs in the slow cooker, cover and turn the slow cooker on to high.  Cook on High for 5 hours or on Low for 7 hours.

bring it all together:

1.  In a 1 cup measuring cup whisk together the remaining ½ cup of beer, ¼ teaspoon each of salt and black pepper and the tomato paste, brown mustard and corn starch.

2.  After the ribs have cooked for 3 ½ hours (for high) or 5 ½ hours (for low) add the baby carrots to the slow cooker, recover and continue cooking for the remaining 1 ½ hours.

finish the braise:

After the appropriate cook time is completed stir in the thickening mixture in the measuring to the slow cooker, replace the cover and cook 15 minutes more or until the sauce is thickened.  If the sauce does not thicken make a slurry of 1 tablespoon corn starch and 1 tablespoon cold water and stir it  into the sauce and cook another 15 minutes or until the sauce thickens.

service:

Serve over buttered egg noodles.