Corned Beef Brisket

Top of the morning to ya.

As a young child, I wished that I was Irish because my mom always made St. Patricks Day so fun for us. I tried to continue the fun with my kids, green four leaf clover pancakes, making sure everyone was wearing their green, destructive visits from the lepercons who left their gold scattered amongst the mess, making lepercon traps that of course never worked, but our families favorite is probable a dinner of corned beef and cabbage. This is one of the easiest things to cook and made even easier with the use of a good slow cooker. Whether you use a large pot on the stove or a slow cooker, the meal is put together in the morning and simmers all day to fill your home with the yummy smell of comfort food. To make the meal perfect add your favorite Irish Soda Bread and it never hurts to serve with a fun green drink of some kind. One important thing to remember is that you can never have too much corned beef. Leftover corn beef makes wonderful sandwiches and corn beef hash.

• 1 corned beef brisket - already in seasoning. (Why make more work for yourself?). Costco has good prices or you can find them at any grocery store meat department. They come prepackaged in a brim with a seasoning packet or with the seasonings in the brim, either will work fine. You want one that isn't too fatty and is nice and big.
• 1 red potato per person - washed and cut in half, unless they are small and then just leave them whole.
• 1 small to medium green cabbage - washed and quarted.
• 1 medium carrot per person - washed, pealed and cut in half.

Cut open the beef packaging at one end and pour the liquid into a large slow cooker. Trim the extra fat off of the meat and place meat in the slow cooker; open and add seasoning packet if needed. Fill the meat packaging with water and pour into the slow cooker. Add red potatoes, cabbage and carrots to slow cooker and enough water, if needed, to just cover the meat and vegetables. Cook on high for 5 to 6 hours. Meat should be very tender when done. Remover meat to platter and cut across the grain of the meat in about half inch strips.Remove vegetables from liquid and toss with butter; add to platter and serve. Liquid can be discarded.

*If you want to make sure that your meat is plenty tender in time for you to eat with out having to worry about getting up too early in the morning, you can add the meat and liquid to the slow cooker and cook on low over night. In the morning add the vegetables and cook for 5 to 6 more hours on low or med, being careful not to over cook the potatoes and carrots or they will be mushy.

*If you choose to cook on the stove, follow the same instructions using a large stock pot. Do not start the night before and be careful to not leave the pot unattended in case it decides to boil over. They do have a mind of their own. Cook the meat at a low simmer for at least 6 hours. Vegetables can be added the last hour.