Slow Cooker Corned Beef
Nothing says St Patrick’s Day like corned beef. Celebrate with this simple but flavorful slow cooker, beer braised, corned beef recipe. Put it in the crock pot and forget about it! What is corned beef Corned beef is a beef brisket that has been marinated in water, salt (which preserves and seasons the meat), and spices. Common spices for corned beef include: fennel, cracked bay leaf, allspice, coriander, mustard seed, pepper, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and dill seeds. You can create your own marinade and seasoning blend, but this time of year a pre-packaged corned beef brisket in a vacuum sealed bag is easy to find at your local grocery store. HOW MUCH TO BUY Because corned beef shrinks a significant amount during the cooking process, you will want to plan on 3/4 of a pound per person. Artzy Foodie Tip: Buy a 3 pound corned beef to serve 4 people. Beer braising in the slow cooker 1. Put the corned beef, along with the liquid in the package, in the slow cooker fat side up and add 2 bottles of your favorite beer. I used my son’s home brew, which is pretty darn tasty! During the cooking process, the alcohol will evaporate but the beer will add an extra layer of flavor. 2. Add enough water to almost cover the corned beef and turn it on low. Twelve hours later, your corned beef should be ready. Use a meat thermometer to check for doneness. It should read 160 degrees or higher. 3. When the corned beef is done, remove it from the slow cooker, cover with aluminum foil and allow it to rest for 10-15 minutes. Artzy Foodie Tip: Use the high setting on your slow cooker to cut the cooking time in half. Slicing the corned beef After the corned beef has rested, it is time to slice. You will want to use a sharp knife and you will want to cut against the grain of the beef. Artzy Foodie Tip: Check out this post at Hey Grill, Hey for a great demonstration of how to properly slice a brisket. Cooked low and slow, you are guaranteed a moist corned beef that is so tender it will practically fall apart. HOW TO STORE LEFTOVER CORNED BEEF Store your leftover corned beef in the refrigerator in an air tight container for about a week. To keep it moist, add some of the cooking liquid to the storage container. To freeze your leftover corned beef, use a freezer safe zip lock bag and remove as much air from the bag as possible. It will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. For recipes to use up your leftover corned beef, you might like: Corned Beef Hash with Baked Eggs Toasted Reuben Sandwich Subscribe to Artzy Foodie to get all the latest tasty goodness straight to your inbox! And, be sure to stay in touch on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for all of the latest updates! A slow cooked, beer braised corned beef for your St Patrick’s Day celebration!