Corned Beef and Cabbage with Creamy Horseradish Sauce

Corned Beef and Cabbage with Creamy Horseradish Sauce

St. Patrick's Day was a great day around these parts. I spent the day before, cooking and baking. Which was almost as much fun as gathering with friends to celebrate. Almost. I've prepared corned beef and cabbage a few times in the past and was fairly satisfied with the results. This time, I wanted to try an actual recipe, rather than just "throw it together." I searched several of my cookbooks and nothing really inspired me. I went online to foodnetwork.com and found a great recipe that was different than others I'd prepared in the past. I loved the idea of having a homemade horseradish cream sauce to serve with it and the length of time that the meat needed to cook would insure it being tender. Too many times, I've had corned beef that was tough or inedible due to being sliced with the grain. This brisket was so tender at the end of cooking that it literally shredded as I was serving it. I prepared the brisket and the horseradish cream the day before and took it, along with all of the desserts and bread to our friends house and finished the recipe there. I actually doubled this recipe and it still turned out amazing. Our friend Bob said that it was the best cabbage he's ever eaten. I know that cabbage is pretty delicate and it can easily be overcooked so receiving that compliment really made my day! He was full of compliments that day. Good feedback is so encouraging and for me, it's important. It inspires me to want to cook and experiment even more. 

St. Patrick's day has past but I hope you'll still enjoy this recipe. It is a keeper in my house for sure. Each March 17th, we can look forward to this special meal. It's a new tradition I believe. 

Corned Beef and Cabbage

One 3 pound corned beef brisket, uncooked, in brine

16 cups cold water

2 bay leaves

2 tsp black peppercorns

4 whole allspice berries

2 whole cloves

1/2 head green cabbage (about 2 pounds), cut into 8 thick wedges

8 small new potatoes (about 1 1/4 pounds), halved

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

2. Place the corned beef in a colander in the sink and rinse well under cold running water.

3. Place the corned beef in a large Dutch oven with a tight fitting lid, add the water, bay leaves, peppercorns, allspice and cloves. Bring to a boil, uncovered, and skim off any scum that rises to the surface. Cover and transfer pan to the oven, and braise until very tender, about 3 hours and 45 minutes.

4. Transfer the corned beef to a cutting board and cover tightly with foil to keep warm. Add the cabbage and potatoes to the cooking liquid and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer until the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes.

5. Using a slotted spoon, transfer cabbage to a large platter. Slice the corned beef across the grain of the meat into thin slices. Lay the slices over the cabbage and surround it with the potatoes. Ladle some of the hot cooking liquid over the corned beef and season with pepper. Serve immediately with horseradish cream sauce. 

Horseradish Cream Sauce

3/4 cup mayonnaise (I used fat free)

3/4 cup sour cream

1/4 cup plus 2 tbs jarred grated horseradish, with liquid

1/2 tsp grated lemon zest

2 tsp kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

In a small bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, sour cream, horseradish, zest, and 2 tsp salt. Season generously with pepper to taste. Refrigerate the horseradish sauce for at least 30 minutes before serving. 

*Note: In the photo you will notice two pieces of bread. One is the Rye bread that I made and the other is a traditional Irish Soda Bread that my friend Kate made. For being her first time at baking this bread, it was absolutely delicious! I could have eaten a plate of that bread and been a happy camper for the whole day! And I'm sure that you can easily add the seasoning packet that comes with the packaged corned beef rather than use the four seasonings listed. I transported the cooking liquid in a spill proof container and skimmed the accumulated fat off the top before heating it up to add the vegetables.  All in all, this was a fantastic meal and one that I'll be making again. Happy Cooking!