# Corned beef



## msmofet (Mar 16, 2018)

Most ShopRite’s in my area in New Jersey have JP O’Reilly corned beef flat $2.88/lb. this week. BUT the store in Parsippany (different owners from around my area) has a super coupon $1.88/lb. so I picked one up on Sunday and will try to grab another tomorrow for the freezer. Hub and I love corned beef. The shame is that I have 4 coupons but feel lousy so will only be making 1 trip because it is a bit of a ride and I am still fighting with a  cold. 

I would love to make a pastrami. 

How do you cook yours?


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## Roll_Bones (Mar 16, 2018)

Shameful.  I paid $3.98 yesterday at the grocery store and its not the flat cut.
I did pick one that looked flat, with a thinner fat layer than the others in the case. I looked at most every cut in there!


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## blissful (Mar 16, 2018)

Aldi's was selling point cut corned beef for $1.99 a lb a few weeks ago. I simmered it with a little extra vinegar, salt, pickling spices, then cooled it and wrapped it in foil and ate it the next week. I love that stuff whether it is from the store or home brined.


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## msmofet (Mar 16, 2018)

I may stop into Fairway market to get a corned beef. It is store brined in the butcher case and I can get any size I want. I usually get a piece with point and flat together. I think point has more flavor and is more tender than the flat. So it is the best of both worlds. Fat = Flavor They also give me some brine liquid to take home and cook my corned beef in. Of coarse Fairway is more expensive but worth it.


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## msmofet (Mar 16, 2018)

blissful said:


> Aldi's was selling point cut corned beef for $1.99 a lb a few weeks ago. I simmered it with a little extra vinegar, salt, pickling spices, then cooled it and wrapped it in foil and ate it the next week. I love that stuff whether it is from the store or home brined.



I also mix up my own Corning/Pickling spices. I put it in a tea ball and add to pot with the water, meat and salt.


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## buckytom (Mar 16, 2018)

We usually try to buy a Nathan's corned beef because it has the lowest fat per serving, around 12 g, I think. Most of the other brands are north of 16 g per serving.

Then it gets boiled to death for 4 hours, with the quartered cabbage added in the 3rd hour, and the whole redskin spuds added in the last 45 minutes or so.


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## buckytom (Mar 16, 2018)

Oh, mofet,  if you're going to use a store bought corned beef to smoke to make a pastrami, follow Pacanis's advice and soak it first, changing the water 3 times. If you don't, the pastrami will be too salty.


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## CraigC (Mar 17, 2018)

buckytom said:


> Oh, mofet,  if you're going to use a store bought corned beef to smoke to make a pastrami, follow Pacanis's advice and soak it first, changing the water 3 times. If you don't, the pastrami will be too salty.



I thought the salt was counter balanced by the massive amount of black pepper used as a rub.


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## Kayelle (Mar 17, 2018)

The corned beef dinner I made last night was the best of mine ever. The lean flat cut was $3.49 lb. I didn't do anything unusual so it's a mystery. I think it's just luck.


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## Roll_Bones (Mar 17, 2018)

I always boil mine low and slow for 2-3 hours until fork tender.
*Any other method that works as well?*

I waited until today to go and get the rye bread.
We eat sandwiches and only sometimes cook cabbage in the cooking liquid.
So its corned beef sandwiches, french fries and Clausen pickle spears.


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## blissful (Mar 17, 2018)

Kayelle said:


> I think it's just luck.


Luck of the Irish O'Kayelle.


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## Roll_Bones (Mar 17, 2018)

Update:  Publix, as usual came through with a beautiful loaf of seeded  rye bread. Nice soft interior, with a nice crisp outer crust.  Perfect!
I do however wish they would slice it a bit thicker.  They do have a thin slice and a regular slice.  They should have an adjustable bread slicer.
It would be nice to have it a bit thicker than the regular slice. (for moist meats)  I'm not complaining.  Its better than any other store we have.  I drove 18 miles to get one loaf of bread.  

I know most all of you guys/gals have made corned beef many times over and over for many years. I learned a valuable lesson today and wonder why this situation has never presented itself to me.
The package instructions for boiling were to use the brine/package contents and to include the spice packet that comes with it.

So I put the meat in pot, with all the package juices included and added the spice pack.
Then once it got it to a low boil, the foam that floats up was plentiful.  So, I got a spoon and started to remove the foam. 
Of course the spice pack contents included were in with the foam so I was removing much of the spice pack.

I'm not real sure why this was not apparent or presented itself over the years.
But, I can tell you from now on. The meat and package juices will go in first.  Then when it comes to simmer, I will then start removing the foam.
When I am certain most all the foam has been removed, I will then add the spice pack.

I guess my warning to all.  Remove the foam before adding the spice pack.  I lost most of the spice pack removing the foam.
I will never forget this step again.
Whats bugging me is why did I not have this issue before? 

*Happy St. Patrick's day to all. You guys are great!*


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## Itrystuff (Mar 17, 2018)

This week I ground a point cut and made smoked sausage. Results were lackluser and I can't say I'd do it again.


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## Whiskadoodle (Mar 17, 2018)

Itrystuff said:


> This week I ground a point cut and made smoked sausage. Results were lackluser and I can't say I'd do it again.



At least your attempt lives up to your name.   Maybe the sausage will get better if it rests awhile,  otherwise, bury the sausage under some  sauerkraut and some good mustard.  
--
RB, I've had that happen sometimes when making soup or stew.   Now I wait and skim as needed before adding spices.  Doesn't always foam up, but it's unpredictable, so I wait anyway.


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## blissful (Mar 17, 2018)

Call me a rebel, I don't skim foam at all. It foams, I just turn the heat down. Today is the last day of a corned beef sale at meijers for about $1.98/lb. DH is going to pick some more up for me to make some foamy corned beef. hehe


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## Roll_Bones (Mar 18, 2018)

blissful said:


> Call me a rebel, I don't skim foam at all. It foams, I just turn the heat down. Today is the last day of a corned beef sale at meijers for about $1.98/lb. DH is going to pick some more up for me to make some foamy corned beef. hehe



I never had to skim foam before. But for some reason the foam was thick and heavy.  To the point pieces cooked like dumplings.
I was concerned it might be bad.  But it turned out great.
I had to strain the cooking liquid after it was done to store the remaining meat.


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## msmofet (Mar 18, 2018)

Roll_Bones said:


> Update:  Publix, as usual came through with a beautiful loaf of seeded  rye bread. Nice soft interior, with a nice crisp outer crust.  Perfect!
> I do however wish they would slice it a bit thicker.  They do have a thin slice and a regular slice.  They should have an adjustable bread slicer.
> It would be nice to have it a bit thicker than the regular slice. (for moist meats)  I'm not complaining.  Its better than any other store we have.  I drove 18 miles to get one loaf of bread.
> 
> ...



I never use the package liquid. I rinse my corned beef well. I mix up my own Corning/Picking spices. After rinsing I place meat in pot. I never put spices loose in the pot. I place about 1 tsp. of my spices into a large teaball along with the package of spices that came with meat. Place teaball in pot with meat. Cover with water and simmer. I never removed  foam either. Since I started rinsing the meat before cooking not much foam appears. I now use a pressure cooker and add tea ball and only use 1 pint water (no matter the size of the meat) and only cook 90 minutes.


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## msmofet (Mar 18, 2018)

Roll_Bones said:


> I never had to skim foam before. But for some reason the foam was thick and heavy.  To the point pieces cooked like dumplings.
> I was concerned it might be bad.  But it turned out great.
> I had to strain the cooking liquid after it was done to store the remaining meat.



I am not positive but I think the foam is coagulated blood. That’s why I rinse my beef before cooking. I think the flavor comes from the spices and the red color of that liquid creeps me out for some reason.


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## blissful (Mar 18, 2018)

I made the corned beef, it was a different brand and it had lots of that creepy red liquid which I put in the pot with water (rebel that I am, msmofet). It foamed a little but I just simmered it for 4 hours, then took it out and cooled it. I trimmed out the extra fat and then took a bite of the meat. It was really good. I cut it in three sections and wrapped them in foil to eat in the next few days. Yum yum.


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## Katie H (Mar 19, 2018)

The last several years I've cooked our corned beef in the crock-pot.  This year's offering was the best ever.

I had a nice big flat cut piece that fit just perfectly in our 6-quart crock-pot.  Before I put the meat in I coarsely chopped a couple of yellow onions.  Scattered them on the bottom, along with 2 cloves of garlic that I'd grated on the microplane grater, added a pint of home-canned tomatoes (with the juice), some fresh rosemary, mustard seed, bay leaves, peppercorns (crushed in the palm of my hand), and a few cloves.  Stirred up the whole lot, then put the beef on top.

Before I added the meat, I gave it a light wash in cold water and patted it dry with paper towels.

I covered all the goodies with the lid and set it to cook on LOW for 6 hours, turning the meat several times during the cooking time.

While the meat was cooking I cored a small/medium head of cabbage and cut it into wedges about 2 inches at the widest point.  After the 6 hours of cooking, I added the cabbage around the sides of the meat, making sure to press it into the liquid.  Let it all cook for 2 more hours and it was done perfectly.


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## Roll_Bones (Mar 19, 2018)

msmofet said:


> I never use the package liquid. I rinse my corned beef well. I mix up my own Corning/Picking spices. After rinsing I place meat in pot. I never put spices loose in the pot. I place about 1 tsp. of my spices into a large teaball along with the package of spices that came with meat. Place teaball in pot with meat. Cover with water and simmer. I never removed  foam either. Since I started rinsing the meat before cooking not much foam appears. I now use a pressure cooker and add tea ball and only use 1 pint water (no matter the size of the meat) and only cook 90 minutes.



Thanks msmofet.  The only reason I added the liquid was the package instructions said to include all the package juices.
Most here know most everything I cook seems to never be the same.
There was a time when I too rinsed the meat.
There was a time when I did not use the package of spices.
This time I just did what the package said to do.
I am certain you are correct and it makes perfect sense that the package juice may have indeed caused the unusual amount of gross gray foam.



msmofet said:


> I am not positive but I think the foam is coagulated blood. That’s why I rinse my beef before cooking. I think the flavor comes from the spices and the red color of that liquid creeps me out for some reason.



I have also rinsed the meat, added it to the pan and brought to a boil.  Once the foam was done I drained it, rinsed the meat again and returned it to pot with fresh water. 
I am not sure why so many leave the spice pack out?
Seems like what most would use anyway and its ready to dump in.


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## Kayelle (Mar 19, 2018)

msmofet said:


> I am not positive but I think the foam is coagulated blood. That’s why I rinse my beef before cooking. I think the flavor comes from the spices and the red color of that liquid creeps me out for some reason.



Haa, that red thick liquid creeps me out too. I always rinse mine well, add the spices and have never had any foam.


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## Andy M. (Mar 19, 2018)

I buy Moseys corned beef.  I like the flavor of this brand best.  The package instructions specifically call for adding all the creepy red liquid to the pot along with the spice packet.  Rinsing is not mentioned.  My corned beef is very tasty.

The foam is from dissolved proteins in the liquid that solidify and collect on the surface.  Ugly but harmless.


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## blissful (Mar 19, 2018)

I had just finished fermenting some homemade sauerkraut and I put the leftover 3 quarts of it, in the fridge for eating raw/fresh. So we are on a corned beef binge to make reuben or reuben-like dishes with our homemade swiss cheeses. I'm dreaming of a sauerkraut/swiss/corned beef/thousand island casserole baked up in the oven for dinner tonight.

Like this: 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




From: https://www.keyingredient.com/recipes/6722150/reuben-spread/


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## Josie1945 (Mar 19, 2018)

I cooked our corned beef Sous vide.

I dried it off with paper towels, sprinkled 
spice pack on .I let cook it for 40 hours
at 150 Sous Vide.
It was divine and tender and I didn't have 
baby sit it. I have used this method for two
years.

Josie


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## Kayelle (Mar 19, 2018)

Josie1945 said:


> I cooked our corned beef Sous vide.
> 
> I dried it off with paper towels, sprinkled
> spice pack on .I let cook it for 40 hours
> ...



Josie, I was wondering if anyone used the Sous Vide on one. Thanks for the report as I might try it next time.


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## Josie1945 (Mar 19, 2018)

Kayelle you are most welcome

Josie


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## msmofet (Mar 19, 2018)

I haven’t jumped on the SV wagon yet. There is a SV attachment for the Instant Pot.


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## Cooking Goddess (Mar 21, 2018)

We did an Aldi run today (well, Tuesday) and found very nice corned beef flats for $1.99 a pound. I bought a couple corned beef from Aldi last year that we really enjoyed.  I hope these are just as good.


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## RPCookin (Mar 26, 2018)

Josie1945 said:


> I cooked our corned beef Sous vide.
> 
> I dried it off with paper towels, sprinkled
> spice pack on .I let cook it for 40 hours
> ...



I cooked mine in a cast iron dutch oven for 2½ hours.  It was divine, tender and delicious, and I didn't baby sit it either.  I also didn't have to start cooking 2 days ahead.  If that had been necessary, I wouldn't have bothered.  

I'm more of a do it now kind of guy.  If I have to do more than just start the night before (and even that is a rare exception), it's usually too much planning ahead for me.


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## Josie1945 (Mar 26, 2018)

Hi Rick
  I am glad your method works for you.
I love to use my Sous Vide on lots of things.
It is wonderful for chicken breast I only cook them
for three hours. I have plenty of patience.

Josie


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