# Corned beef overcooked?



## Hyperion (Jul 14, 2011)

Today I made my first corned beef and cabbage dish. I put the beef in 2 qrts of water and braised under 225 for 4 hours, and it turned out really loose and falling apart. Which is fine for stewed meat, but corned beef should have a dense, deli-like texture. Did I over cook the beef?


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## Andy M. (Jul 14, 2011)

Yes you did overcook it a bit. Corned beef is done when a fork goes in easily.  Don't you hate the shrinkage?!


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## NoraC (Jul 14, 2011)

One solution (my inattentive favorite) is to do the beef a day in advance, then chill the beef, to let the gelatin set, and slice thinly. Cook the cabbage and any other veg in teh beef stock, then reheat the beef on top of the simmering liquid.


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## PrincessFiona60 (Jul 14, 2011)

That looks like overcooked YUM!!!   My favorite way to have it.


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## Hyperion (Jul 14, 2011)

PrincessFiona60 said:


> That looks like overcooked YUM!!!   My favorite way to have it.


actually I prefer if the beef looks like a piece of bologna lol


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## PrincessFiona60 (Jul 14, 2011)

Hyperion said:


> actually I prefer if the beef looks like a piece of bologna lol



I'm odd, I like to eat my corned beef like others eat string cheese.  Actually, I like corned beef anyway I can get it!


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## SherryDAmore (Jul 15, 2011)

I gave up braising CB because it seemed like the results were uneven:  Now, I cook it in the pressure cooker in Guiness.  Turns out great every time.


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## pacanis (Jul 15, 2011)

Seinfeld reference, Andy?


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## Claire (Jul 15, 2011)

Nora, that's how I do it.  I like my cooked cabbage but don't like the entire dinner to taste of boiled cabbage.  So it goes in last.  I also put in extra whole spices (peppercorns, whole allspice, bay leaves, whole mustard seed), then when I take the meat out I strain the broth.  The results are that I can use the broth, chop the meat and vegetables more finely, and make a soup for one of mu shut-in friends (and me!).  As an alternative, I add sourkraut instead of fresh cabbage, and serve with rye bread and swiss cheese and call it "Reuben" soup.  The lady really loves it!


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## joesfolk (Jul 15, 2011)

Overcooked or not it looks absolutely delicious.


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## Andy M. (Jul 15, 2011)

pacanis said:


> Seinfeld reference, Andy?




MAJOR shrinkage!!


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## Uncle Bob (Jul 15, 2011)

225* is not braising....It's boiling. Turn your heat down to where the liquid is barley, barely simmering/moving at all. ~~~ It's done when a fork slides in and out effortlessly....not because you cooked it 4 hours or any other specific amount of time. ~~ Allow the meat to rest/cool awhile before attempting to slice...slicing it hot sometimes causes the meat to tear/shred/crumble. ~~~ Slice thinly with a sharp knife, and across the grain. HTH

Edit....I assumed you cooked it stove top...not in the oven. If 225* was your oven temp, setting then disregard the boiling comment.


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## purple.alien.giraffe (Jul 15, 2011)

PrincessFiona60 said:


> I'm odd, I like to eat my corned beef like others eat string cheese.  Actually, I like corned beef anyway I can get it!



I love corned beef that falls apart. I also like it still firm but eating it "like string cheese" is my favorite. I can't eat cooked head cabbage, purple or green. I get violently ill. I loved it as a kid but around the time I hit puberty it started making me really sick. I can eat cooked napa cabbage though so I sub it or rutabaga in for head cabbage. Mmmm, now I want corned beef and rutabaga.


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## Hyperion (Jul 15, 2011)

Uncle Bob said:


> 225* is not braising....It's boiling. Turn your heat down to where the liquid is barley, barely simmering/moving at all. ~~~ It's done when a fork slides in and out effortlessly....not because you cooked it 4 hours or any other specific amount of time. ~~ Allow the meat to rest/cool awhile before attempting to slice...slicing it hot sometimes causes the meat to tear/shred/crumble. ~~~ Slice thinly with a sharp knife, and across the grain. HTH
> 
> Edit....I assumed you cooked it stove top...not in the oven. If 225* was your oven temp, setting then disregard the boiling comment.


the recipe I used (from food network) told me to bake it in 300 degrees lol, I thought it was too high so I lowered it down to 225. I used to braise meat as low as 170


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## Snip 13 (Jul 15, 2011)

Yum! I would love to make some overcooked corned beef myself now, you're inspired me to over do mine..lol! I think I'll shred the meat and make pasties


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## Hyperion (Jul 15, 2011)

Snip 13 said:


> Yum! I would love to make some overcooked corned beef myself now, you're inspired me to over do mine..lol! I think I'll shred the meat and make pasties


lol just as long as you aren't trying to slice it that thin it'll work and still tastes good. it's especially good when you pack the whole thing into a hash


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## Snip 13 (Jul 15, 2011)

Hyperion said:


> lol just as long as you aren't trying to slice it that thin it'll work and still tastes good. it's especially good when you pack the whole thing into a hash



Noted..lol!


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## Barbara L (Jul 15, 2011)

PrincessFiona60 said:


> I'm odd, I like to eat my corned beef like others eat string cheese.  Actually, I like corned beef anyway I can get it!


I love it that way too!  I do cut it across the grain, but I always peel off a few strings and eat them before I slice the rest of it.


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