Slow Cooker_ The Best Cookbook Ever - Diane Phillips [78]
serves 6
* * *
cabbage savvy
Sliced cabbage blankets the brisket and adds some of the cabbage flavor when laid on the platter with the other vegetables. If you would like to serve quartered cooked cabbage with your corned beef, add it during the last 2 hours of cooking time. It will still retain its crispness.
Corned Beef with Guinness
Braised in ale with mustard seeds and brown sugar, this corned beef is terrific thinly sliced and served with whole-grain mustard on dark bread. This is great food for tailgating or watching sports on TV; the sliced beef can be returned to the cooker to stay warm for guests to serve themselves.
Two 12-ounce cans Guinness or other stout or dark ale
¼ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
2 teaspoons mustard seeds
6 whole black peppercorns
1 bay leaf
2 allspice berries
3 large sweet onions, such as Vidalia, sliced into ½-inch-thick half rounds
One 3½- to 4-pound corned beef, rinsed
stir the Guinness, sugar, mustard seeds, peppercorns, bay leaf, and allspice berries together in the insert of a 5- to 7-quart slow cooker. Add the onions and top with the corned beef. (Cut it in half to fit, if necessary.)
cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours, until the meat is fork tender. Remove the meat from the cooker, cover with aluminum foil, and allow to rest for 20 minutes.
remove the bay leaf, peppercorns, and allspice berries from the cooking liquid. Thinly slice the brisket across the grain to serve.
serves 6–8
Brisket with Dried Fruits
Intensely flavored brisket gets a sweet and savory touch in this dish. Dried fruits contribute to a delectable sauce that is terrific served over buttered noodles.
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup Dijon mustard
¼ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
One 3- to 4-pound first-cut or flat-cut brisket, fat trimmed
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 large sweet onions, thinly sliced
2 teaspoons dried thyme
½ cup red wine
½ cup beef broth
1 cup dried figs, halved
½ cup dried plums, halved
½ cup dried apricots, halved
2 tablespoons cornstarch dissolved in ¼ cup water or beef broth
combine 2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon pepper, the mustard, and brown sugar in a small bowl. Rub the mixture over the brisket. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
add the brisket and brown on all sides. Remove the brisket and transfer to the insert of a 5- to 7-quart slow cooker. Add the onions and thyme to the same skillet over medium-high heat and sauté until the onions are softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Deglaze the pan with the wine and broth, scraping up any browned bits, and bring the liquid to a boil.
pour the mixture into the slow-cooker insert and add the dried fruits around the brisket. Cover and cook on high for 4 to 5 hours or low for 8 to 10 hours, until the meat is fork tender. Remove the brisket and fruits from the insert and cover with aluminum foil.
transfer the liquid to a saucepan or saucier. Skim off any fat from the top of the sauce.
bring the sauce to a boil, add the cornstarch and stir, bringing the sauce back to a boil. Season with salt and pepper.
trim any fat from the brisket and thinly slice it across the grain. Serve the brisket surrounded with the fruit and napped with some of the sauce. Serve the remaining sauce on the side.
serves 8
Old-Fashioned Beef Brisket with Root Vegetables
This savory braise of beef and vegetables in a rich, beefy gravy is one your family will love. The beef is melt-in-your-mouth tender after ten hours in the slow cooker and the vegetables are infused with the flavor of the meat. Brisket gives off at least three cups of liquid during the braise, making a delicious gravy with the flavors of the rub.
4 medium sweet onions, such as Vidalia, quartered
4 medium carrots, cut into 1-inch lengths
4 large red potatoes, quartered
3 medium parsnips, cut into 1-inch lengths
2 tablespoons sweet paprika
1 tablespoon garlic salt