Corned Beef and Cabbage

Corned beef brisket: Look in the meat section of your local grocery store for ready-to-cook corned beef. It is typically sold in vacuum-sealed packages. For this corned beef and cabbage recipe, you’ll want to use the “flat” cut, which is typically rectangular in shape, even in thickness and relatively leaner than the “point” cut, which is more marbled, thicker and smaller in size. Make sure to save the spice packet!
Carrots and potatoes: These vegetables add heartiness to this dish. The best types of potatoes to use in this recipe are waxy varieties like red or Yukon Golds.
Cabbage: Find a nice fresh head of green cabbage for this recipe. Cut it into even wedges so it cooks uniformly.
Horseradish sauce: For extra flavor, an optional horseradish sauce adds extra zing to the corned beef. An additional mustard sauce amplifies the flavor even more. Freshly peeled horseradish is the best for the sauce. Prepared horseradish is already mixed with vinegar and spices.

Directions

Step 1: Cook the corned beef

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Place the brisket, the contents of seasoning packet, brown sugar and bay leaves in a large Dutch oven or stockpot, and cover with water. Bring everything to a boil. Reduce the heat, and let it simmer, covered, for two hours.

Step 2: Add the potatoes and carrots

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Add potatoes and carrots to the Dutch oven, and return everything to a boil. Reduce the heat, and simmer, covered, just until the beef and vegetables are tender, 30 to 40 minutes.

Test Kitchen Tip: If the pot is full, remove potatoes and carrots before adding the cabbage, then reheat before serving.

Step 3: Add the cabbage

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Add the cabbage to the Dutch oven, and return to a boil. Reduce the heat, and simmer, covered, until the cabbage is tender, about 15 minutes. Remove the vegetables and corned beef, and keep warm.

Editor’s Tip: For optimal flavor and juiciness, let the corned beef rest for at least 30 minutes before slicing. To do so, set the corned beef on a cutting board, and lightly tent with foil.

Step 4: Make the horseradish sauce (optional)

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If desired, for the horseradish sauce, strain and reserve 1-1/2 cups of the cooking juices. Skim the fat from the reserved juices, and discard the rest. In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat, and stir in the flour until smooth. Gradually whisk in 1 cup reserved juices. Stir in the sugar, vinegar and horseradish, and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Cook and stir until thickened. If desired, thin with additional juices, and season to taste with additional sugar, vinegar or horseradish.