Sous vide corned beef

[pepperhead212]

I got a flat cut corned beef for $1.49/lb, and a bunch of cabbage for 19¢/lb - I wish they had those sales other times of the year!

Anybody else try this method with corned beef?
It sounded interesting, so I wanted to try it. I trimmed most of the fat off, then put a spice mix over it, and vacuum sealed it.

Right now, I have my flat cut CB in sous vide, to cook @135° f for 48 hours. My first attempt at this, but I wanted to try it out. After it was in for about 30 minutes, it floated up, so I had to weight it down.
Pot with sous vide circulator and a rack, to keep the meat off the bottom. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Corned beef with the spices, vacuum sealed, for the sous vide. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Starting the sous vide cooking of the corned beef. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Pot covered with foil for the sous vide, since it is cooking a long time. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

I'll post the results, when it's done.

 

[Andy M.]

Looking forward to hearing the results. There is no way I have enough foresight to plan a weekday meal 48 hours in advance. I cooked ours in a pot with seasoned water. Then used that water to cook the veggies.

 

[Roll_Bones]

I could not find any corned beef for less than $3.50lb. So thinking Costco would be a better deal I ended up with a 6' pounder and I paid $4.38 a pound I think.
I have zero idea why it costs so much in my area. Maybe because its the south and St.Patrick's day is loathed by the religious right?

On another forum people were paying around $2 and some less.
Costco only had three left, so I was not able to pick through. Got it out and it was 1/2 fat! I like the fat, but there was too much. There was a line about 2" thick running all the way through along with another 1" on top.
I never do this but I took a picture of it and plan to get my money back. At least that is a guaranty. I will not even need the picture but will have it none the less.

Sorry I took this thread off track!

 

[pepperhead212]

Roll_Bones Now that you mention it, that makes sense as to why only some of us get those great sales on corned beef. I'm not Irish, but his area has a lot of Irish heritage, with the St Patty's Day and Mummer's parades in Philly, and corned beef, as well as cabbage, is always really cheap at this time of year. It wasn't that many years ago I would be shopping around for a place with it at 99¢/lb!

 

[WhateverYouWant]

Anybody else try this method with corned beef?

I have to admit I am confused about this method as one of the most amazing aspects of cooking corned beef is the broth derived from boiling it with aromatics and spices, and using that for cooking cabbage, potatoes, and other veggies.

So help me understand… what is the point?

 

[Roll_Bones]

I have to admit I am confused about this method as one of the most amazing aspects of cooking corned beef is the broth derived from boiling it with aromatics and spices, and using that for cooking cabbage, potatoes, and other veggies.

So help me understand… what is the point?

Also I use broth to cover and freeze whats left. Perfect for later.

 

[pepperhead212]

I have to admit I am confused about this method as one of the most amazing aspects of cooking corned beef is the broth derived from boiling it with aromatics and spices, and using that for cooking cabbage, potatoes, and other veggies.

So help me understand… what is the point?

I was never a fan of all those things cooked in corned beef stock. I always cook them separately from the meat. And I figured that the meat would loose less flavor using this method, than when boiling it.

 

[Andy M.]

So, Dave, how did it turn out?

 

[pepperhead212]

So, Dave, how did it turn out?

Still just a little over 3 hours to go. I set my loud timer to the same time on it this morning - the beeper on that thing is not very loud at all.

 

[pepperhead212]

The corned beef turned out really good, though I will make some changes next time. The flavor was very good, and it got tender, but not falling apart and stringy. I might cook it a little warmer next time, but not much. My friend that ate some with me said that it tasted better than corned beef he was used to, and he was amazed how he could cut it with a fork. Even that layer of gristle turned tender - slightly chewy, but not at all tough. After eating a couple of slices each, I scraped most of the spices off, patted it dry, and took it outside to brown in a CI skillet - it didn't brown much in 2 min on the first side, and 1½ on the second. I didn't want to cook it any longer. Next time, I'll heat the pan up even longer, though it was smoking a lot when I put the meat in. Both of us thought that the browning did add a slightly better flavor, but it didn't brown much, as you can see.

Corned beef, removed from the sous vide after 48 hours at 135f. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

My way of weighting down the meat in the sous vide. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Sous vide corned beef, before slicing. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Browning the top and bottom of the corned beef, after removing a few slices. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Browned corned beef - not much browning in 2 min. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Tomorrow, I'll have some sandwiches on the rye bread I just baked!

 

[Roll_Bones]

I was never a fan of all those things cooked in corned beef stock. I always cook them separately from the meat. And I figured that the meat would loose less flavor using this method, than when boiling it.

Corned beef is the only food I want boiled or simmered in water.
My parents always put cabbage in the liquid. Potato's too.
Maybe the reason I only make the corned beef.
I buy fresh rye from Publix (30 mile drive) and serve corned beef sandwiches piled high with chips and garlic pickles.

 

[GinnyPNW]

I picked up a corned beef flat yesterday and was considering an attempt to sous vide for the first time. I'm glad I read thru this thread. I think I'll stick to my oven braised corned beef, at least one more time, this time. Hubby loves corned beef and my oven version is his very favorite.

With regard to issues with floating items, I use an expandable pot lid holder that I picked up years ago at IKEA. (Ikea VARIERA Pot Lid Organizer, Stainless Steel) It didn't work for the pot lids, and wasn't being used until I had the idea to use it in the bottom of the sous vide. One can remove some of the vertical pieces to make room for the bagged items. It works well for this purpose!

 

[Roll_Bones]

I picked up a corned beef flat yesterday and was considering an attempt to sous vide for the first time. I'm glad I read thru this thread. I think I'll stick to my oven braised corned beef, at least one more time, this time. Hubby loves corned beef and my oven version is his very favorite.

With regard to issues with floating items, I use an expandable pot lid holder that I picked up years ago at IKEA. (Ikea VARIERA Pot Lid Organizer, Stainless Steel) It didn't work for the pot lids, and wasn't being used until I had the idea to use it in the bottom of the sous vide. One can remove some of the vertical pieces to make room for the bagged items. It works well for this purpose!

I don't have sous vide, but corned beef seems like the perfect choice for this cooking method. After all no browning is required.
I would imagine if I had a sous vide, I would cook my corned beef in it. It makes way to to much sense.

 

[GinnyPNW]

I don't have sous vide, but corned beef seems like the perfect choice for this cooking method. After all no browning is required.
I would imagine if I had a sous vide, I would cook my corned beef in it. It makes way to to much sense.

The biggest reason I want to continue using my oven braised corned beef recipe is that gives me the "seasoned" water from same. I like the flavor that it imparts to the carrots, onions, potatoes and cabbage. And, I'm wanting to try using the water to warm pastrami for sandwiches. There's a little place down in Culver City, CA that is famous for their pastrami sandwiches and I've noticed that they "dip" the meat in a broth to warm it in order to make their sandwiches. I'm wondering if this might be a similar treatment/flavoring?