Corned beef isn’t exactly a custom that changes much from year to year; it typically tastes the same. We’ve still managed to have fun with it over the years, making corned beef brisket from scratch to reduce the salt content and smoking corned beef to give it a pastrami-like flavor, so of course we don’t usually complain. Cooking the corned beef in a tightly sealed roasting pan with water ensures the moisture gets trapped inside the brisket, resulting in one of the best corned beefs we’ve ever tried. So why not try making a baked corned beef instead of a boiled one?
What is corned beef?
The simplest definition of corned beef is a piece of beef brisket that has been preserved in rock salt (or “corn”) and typically other ingredients that you probably don’t want to know about, like delectable nitrates and nitrites.
I don’t love nitrates and nitrites either, but once a year is okay. well I make an exception.
Because corned beef is delicious.
Now that you are aware of what corned beef is, let’s discuss how it is made. Check out this video to see how it’s done if you prefer:
How to cook corned beef in the oven:
- Rinse the corned beef off with water and pat dry
- Rub your preferred mustard (I prefer dijon) on the corned beef.
- Sprinkle the corned beef’s top (fat side up) with the magic seasoning that was included in the package.
- To prevent the moisture released during cooking from overflowing, wrap tightly in foil and place on an ovenproof pan with high sides.
- BAKE!
How long to cook corned beef in the oven?
If your corned beef isn’t a “perfect”, even weight, round up to the quarter pound for times. Bake it for one hour per pound, and if your corned beef isn’t a “perfect”, even weight, round up to the half pound for times. For instance, a 2. Corned beef weighing 65 pounds ought to cook similarly to a 2 75 lb corned beef: 2 hours and 45 minutes.
Heres some common times to spare you any math:
- 1 lb corned beef : bake 1 hour
- 2 lb corned beef: bake 2 hours
- 2.25 lb corned beef: bake 2 hours 15 minutes
- 2.5 lb corned beef: bake 2 hours 30 minutes
- 2.75 lb corned beef: bake 2 hours 45 minutes
- 3 lb corned beef: bake 3 hours
- 3.5 lb corned beef: bake 3 hours 30 minutes
- … you get the idea!
Don’t forget that the corned beef needs to REST after being removed from the oven before being cut into; otherwise, it will become dry.
I love to have oven baked corned beef and cabbage!
So prepare some sautéed cabbage to accompany your corned beef. Its a great vegetable side dish for St Patricks Day!.
Baked Corned Beef in the Oven
- 1 package corned beef seasoning packet included
- ¼ cup dijon mustard
- 1 sheet foil heavy duty preferred
- Place a sizable piece of aluminum foil in a high-sided ovenproof dish like a Pyrex dish and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Remove the corned beef from the package. Set the spice packet aside. Throw out any other packaging. The corned beef should be thoroughly rinsed, dried, and placed on the foil in the serving dish with the fatty side facing up.
- Top, bottoms, and sides of the corned beef should be covered in 1/4 cup of mustard.
- Sprinkle the seasoning over the corned beef that has been rubbed with mustard after opening the seasoning packet. The meat should only be seasoned on the top, not the entire surface.
- Wrap the corned beef tightly in the foil that it is sitting on. Put a pan in the oven with the corned beef wrapped in foil. Bake for 1 hour per pound of corned beef.
- Open the foil after removing the beef from the oven after it has finished cooking. Broil the corned beef for five minutes, or until the top starts to crisp, as an optional step. The corned beef should rest for 10 minutes after all preparation, whether it was broiling or not, before being moved to a cutting board. Serve the meat thinly sliced against the grain with sautéed cabbage.
Nutrition Facts Baked Corned Beef in the Oven Amount Per Serving (3 oz)