Classic Corned Beef

March 10, 2022

sliced corned beef on a plate with veggies

Everyone needs to have a recipe for Classic Corned Beef in their recipe collection for St. Patrick’s Day or any day!

sliced corned beef on a plate with veggies

This corned beef recipe is simple enough to make for a weeknight dinner.  And it’s actually our very favorite corned beef recipe to make for St. Patrick’s Day. Serve with mustard, pickles, garlic parsley potatoes, roasted carrots and good Irish soda bread!

Ingredients needed (amounts are in the recipe below):

  • corned beef
  • whole bay leaf
  • one whole head of garlic
  • whole cloves
  • whole peppercorns
  • whole allspice berries
  • onion

four photos showing how to make classic corned beef in a pot

How to make Classic Corned Beef:

The full, printable recipe is at the end of this post. You will need a large, heavy pot for this recipe.

Place the corned beef in your pot. Cover it with water. Add all of the remaining ingredients. Bring the water to a boil. Skim off any foam that rises to the surface.

Lower the heat to a simmer. Cook, turning every 30 minutes for about 2 hours.

Start checking the tenderness of the corned beef with a sharp knife. Pierce the meat every 15 minutes, until the knife is inserted fairly easily. Drain the corned beef.

If you’d like, you can place the corned beef into a 300 degree oven for a few minutes to dry out the exterior.

Classic Corned Beef sliced on a cutting board

Slice your classic corned beef across the grain, and serve!

Classic Corned Beef cut into slices on a cutting board

This classic corned beef turns out so tender and wonderful. It’s totally delicious to eat on its own, but I love it dunked in a little bit of gourmet mustard.

classic corned beef on a platter with potatoes, carrots and brussels sprouts

This is such an easy recipe, and it’s yummy too. For a variation, add 1 bottle of Harp or Guinness to the pot to add just a little extra flavor. You can also use the spice packet that comes with the corned beef instead of the spices in the recipe. If you’d prefer to cook it in the slow cooker, let it cook for 4 hours on low.

Corned Beef served on a plate with side dishes

Corned beef doesn’t need much in the way of side dishes. But it’s most delicious served with simply boiled potatoes and carrots. And maybe serve with a few brussels sprouts too.

Corned beef on a plate with potatoes

You also might enjoy my Irish Corned Beef Cabbage and Carrots recipe! And if you’re cooking an Irish dinner, then definitely consider making brown butter soda bread, colcannon and boxty.

sliced corned beef on a plate with veggies
Print

Classic Corned Beef

Here's a great, easy corned beef recipe that is perfect to make for a weeknight dinner or to celebrate St. Patrick's Day.
Course Main Course
Cuisine Irish
Keyword corned beef
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours 15 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 45 minutes
Servings 6 servings
Calories 619kcal

Ingredients

  • 4 pounds corned beef (sizes vary - can use anywhere between 3 and 5 pounds)
  • 1 whole bay leaf
  • 1 head garlic
  • 3 whole cloves
  • 10 whole peppercorns
  • 5 whole allspice berries (or two pinches of ground allspice)
  • 1 whole onion

Instructions

  • Put the corned beef in a large, heavy pot and cover with water (you can use a crock pot if you'd like). Add all the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil and skim all the foam that rises to the surface.
  • Lower the heat so that the water bubbles occasionally rather than constantly. Cook, turning every 30 minutes or so, for about 2 hours. Pierce with a thin-bladed knife, such as a boning knife; the meat will probably still be fairly tough, but it's time to begin checking.
  • Check every 15 minutes; when the corned beef allows the knife to pass into the middle without much resistance, it is ready. Drain; if you like, put the meat into a 300°F. oven for 10 minutes to dry out the exterior a little. (Or wrap it carefully in tin foil and refrigerate for up to 2 days; reheat at 300°F for 30 minutes in the foil; unwrap and heat about 15 minutes more.)
  • Slice (across the grain, as you would brisket), and serve.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 619kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 45g | Fat: 45g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 22g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 163mg | Sodium: 3683mg | Potassium: 972mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 12IU | Vitamin C: 85mg | Calcium: 45mg | Iron: 5mg

The post Classic Corned Beef appeared first on Recipe Girl®.

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