Winter roasts are our favorite, but we don’t like spending a lot of time in the kitchen. With Woolworths’ new Easy Roasts, all the laborious butchering, seasoning, and marinating is done for you; just follow the simple steps for a fuss-free, filling main dish. Choose from traditional dishes with a twist like beef chakalaka bredie or a succulent, tender rib-eye roast of pork marinated in butter and flavorful with three peppers. Serve with hearty sides like creamy mashed potatoes or a variety of roast vegetables, flatbreads, and fresh greens.
Serving suggestion: Serve the crispy fennel-and-apple slaw alongside the pork rib-eye roast. Buttery rotis, roasted brinjal, red onion, mango atchar, and dollops of yoghurt should be served alongside the beef chakalaka bredie.
What is Corned Beef?
The renowned corned beef is actually a beef brisket, a tough meat cut, especially from the cow’s breast. When cooked properly for a few hours, it becomes tasty and tender. By brining the meat and curing it with salt “corns,” the meat is preserved.
Before World War 1, when fresh meat was rationed, this technique was employed. With numerous variations, it remained a well-liked kitchen staple all over the world. It can be consumed without any vegetables or with carrots and cabbage.
Recipe Ingredients and Substitutions
Contrary to popular belief, this corned beef and cabbage recipe doesn’t actually require as many difficult-to-find ingredients. For this beef recipe, the majority of the ingredients are actually pantry staples or are conveniently available at your local grocery store.
Here’s what you’ll be needing for this recipe.
- Corned Beef with spice packet
- Onion and Garlic
- Fresh Thyme
- Crushed Bay leaves
- Peppercorns
- Allspice Berries
- Mustard Seeds
- Beef Broth
- Beer
- Cabbage, Potatoes, and Carrots
A spice packet may not always be included in the package, but fear not—you can make your own by combining the following:
- Coriander
- Peppercorns
- Mustard Seeds
- Bay Leaves
- Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
To release all the flavors, simply toast them in a cast-iron pan for two to three minutes, until fragrant. They can be kept in an airtight container and made available whenever you need them.
Additionally, a couple teaspoons of pickling spice will work as a shortcut. You can also use apple cider or apple juice.
There are three ways to prepare corned beef: boil, slow cook, and bake.
The most common and easy way is boiling it. Simply place the brisket in a covered pot with water inside. Let it boil for at least 2 hours. In addition to tenderizing the meat, it also eliminates too much salt. It becomes more flavorful due to the lengthy cooking time.
The same is true for slow cooking, but it requires less work because you don’t have to keep an eye on it. On high, it will take around four hours, and on low, eight hours.
You must still boil the corned beef brisket while it bakes to remove the curing salt, then discard the water. To ensure that all the salt is removed, repeat the process. Bake the beef for two hours with the fat side facing up in a foil-covered pan. Bake it for an additional 30 minutes unwrapped to get a wonderful brown crispy crust.
Tips to Make the Beef Tender
- Brisket is a tough cut of meat. Always, low and slow yields the best results.
- Fill that pot with enough water. A tried-and-true method for obtaining a tender, juicy piece of meat is to simmer corned beef on the stovetop with enough liquid to cover the meat.
- Don’t forget the beer, which contains tannins and acids that tenderize the meat.
- Allow it to rest for a few minutes before slicing, as you would with most meats, so that the juices can be absorbed back into the meat.
- Remember, slice the meat across the grain. The muscle fibers shorten as a result, making chewing easier.
Storage and Make-ahead Instructions
Yes, you can prepare this beef dish in advance. Just don’t add the vegetables yet. We don’t want our veggies mushy and gooey, right?.
Simply store the cooked corned beef in an airtight container that is dry and clean, or tightly wrap it in cling film, and keep it in the refrigerator for 3–4 days or the freezer for 1–2 months.
Reheating. When it’s time to serve, remove it from the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature for 30 to 60 minutes. Put the cooked beef in a pot with a lid and cover it with water or water mixed with light beef stock. After bringing it to a boil, add the vegetables, and cook them until tender.
Alternately, you could bake it in the oven until the meat reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit or higher. Vegetables can be prepared separately while the beef is still cooking in the oven.
Serve this delicious beef dish with any of the following to create a heartier spread.
More Recipes for St. Patrick’s Day
Remove the corned beef from its packaging, then thoroughly rinse it with cool water to get rid of any excess salt. In a sizable Dutch oven or other oven-safe pot, put the corned beef. Then, if using, sprinkle with the spice packet’s contents. Add the following: bay leaves, peppercorns, allspice berries, mustard seeds, onion, garlic, thyme, garlic, and Add more water so the beef is completely submerged before adding the beer and broth. Place the pot on the stove on medium heat. After bringing to a boil, cover the pan and lower the heat to a simmer Let it cook for about 2 1/2 -3 hours.
While your meat is cooking, wash and chop your potatoes into the appropriate sized chunks. Peel and slice the carrots in large chunks. Cut the cabbage in wedges if using a small cabbage; otherwise, cut it into large chunks. Set aside.
Add the carrots and potatoes to the pot when the brisket is ready, making sure they are completely submerged in the liquid. Remove the corned beef if preferred, then add the potatoes and carrots. When the food is tender, bring the pot to a boil, then reduce the heat and cook it for 13 to 15 minutes on medium-high. Do not overcook. Place the corned beef carefully on a large platter or plate after removing it from the Dutch oven.
The potatoes and carrots are added to a hot skillet with butter and sauteed for 3 to 5 minutes, or until just starting to turn brown. Place them on the platter. Add the onions, garlic, and butter or oil to the same skillet. Add the cabbage and thoroughly mix. Cook over medium heat, flavoring the cabbage with the beef’s liquid as necessary, and watch out for burns. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove and place next to the corned beef. Serve the beef with cabbage, potatoes, and carrots after slicing it thinly against the grain. If desired, serve with a horseradish sauce.
Best Corned Beef and Cabbage
- ▢ 1 (3-4 pound) corned beef with spice packet
- ▢ 1 medium onion, sliced
- ▢ 3 crushed garlic cloves
- ▢ 2 sprigs of fresh thyme
- ▢ 2-3 crushed bay leaves
- ▢ 1 tablespoon peppercorns
- ▢ 2 tablespoons allspice berries
- ▢ 1 tablespoon mustard seeds
- ▢ 5-6 cups beef broth
- ▢ 1 can (12 -ounce) beer
- ▢ 2 pounds small red potatoes
- ▢ 1 ½ pounds carrots
- ▢ 1 large head green cabbage, cut into 8 wedges
- Remove the corned beef from its packaging, then thoroughly rinse it with cool water to get rid of any excess salt.
- In a sizable Dutch oven or other oven-safe pot, put the corned beef. Then, if using, sprinkle with the spice packet’s contents.
- Add the following: bay leaves, peppercorns, allspice berries, mustard seeds, onion, garlic, thyme, garlic, and
- Add more water so the beef is completely submerged before adding the broth and beer.
- Place the pot on the stove on medium heat. After bringing to a boil, cover the pan and lower the heat to a simmer Let it cook for about 2 1/2 -3 hours.
- While your meat is cooking, wash and chop your potatoes into the appropriate sized chunks. Peel and slice the carrots in large chunks.
- Cut the cabbage in wedges if using a small cabbage; otherwise, cut it into large chunks. Set aside.
- Add the carrots and potatoes to the pot when the brisket is ready, making sure they are completely submerged in the liquid. Remove the corned beef if preferred, then add the potatoes and carrots.
- When the food is tender, bring the pot to a boil, then reduce the heat and cook it for 13 to 15 minutes on medium-high. Do not overcook.
- Place the corned beef carefully on a large platter or plate after removing it from the Dutch oven.
- The potatoes and carrots are added to a hot skillet with butter and sauteed for 3 to 5 minutes, or until just starting to turn brown. Place them on the platter.
- Add the onions, garlic, and butter or oil to the same skillet. Add the cabbage and thoroughly mix. Cook over medium heat, flavoring the cabbage with the beef’s liquid as necessary, and watch out for burns.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove and place next to the corned beef. Serve the beef with cabbage, potatoes, and carrots after slicing it thinly against the grain. If desired, serve with a horseradish sauce.
- Add the potatoes and carrots to the pot when the corned beef is ready, covering it completely with liquid. If you need more room, you can take the corned beef out before adding the potatoes and carrots.
- When the pot reaches a boil, lower the heat to medium-high and cook the potatoes for 13 to 15 minutes, or until they are tender.
- Carefully take the potatoes, carrots, and corned beef out of the Dutch oven and arrange them on a big platter.
- Instead of frying the cabbage, add it to the liquid and stir until it is completely covered. Bring to a boil, then cook for an additional 5 to 10 minutes until tender.
- Remove and serve the potatoes and carrots with the corned beef.
- Serve the meat thinly sliced and against the grain with the boiled potatoes, carrots, and cabbage on a large platter.
- Garnish with parsley.
- If your corned beef doesn’t come with a spice packet, don’t worry. To make one at home, toast 2 tablespoons of coriander, 2 tablespoons of peppercorns, and
- Only the nutritional facts for a pound of corned beef are provided.
- Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only. Please be aware that it is only a general estimate and not a promise. Ingredients can vary greatly based on the products used.