topic Re: Corned Beef What Did I do Wrong? in Kitchen

Corned Beef What Did I do Wrong?

nafecar — Tue, 18 Mar 2014 19:14:58 GMT

Family member made us some CB and cabbage ., well the corned beef was so tough we couldn't eat eat so I put it in a pot and boiled it for 2 hrs still couldn't eat so put it in the oven for a couple of hours and it was like shoe leather worse that beef jerky. She bought the most expensive cut thinking it would be the best. I am bewildered so any suggestions ?. We have cooked it before but never was this tough . Needless to say it went into the trash can, I wouldn't even to try to give it to my dog a little bit at a time. You would think after 65 yrs of cooking I would know better oh well.....

Re: Corned Beef What Did I do Wrong?

Genny1 — Tue, 18 Mar 2014 19:20:03 GMT

Don't think you are supposed to boil it for hours....my directions said bring to boil then simmer for 3 hrs or so.... I usually simmer for longer.Slice against the grain.It came out delicious .....it was Nathan's brand.

Re: Corned Beef What Did I do Wrong?

nafecar — Tue, 18 Mar 2014 19:29:29 GMT

Thanks for the reply Genny1

Re: Corned Beef What Did I do Wrong?

RespectLife — Tue, 18 Mar 2014 19:33:48 GMT

I cooked 2 corned beef rounds (the more expensive cut) in my crock pot on LOW for 8 hours. It came out perfect. The rounds had virtually no fat like the corned beef brisket I use to buy.

Last year, we cooked 3...one on the stove simmering, one in the crock, one in the smoker.

Had everyone vote. Unanimous for the crock pot method. Most tender by far. Slow and LOW was the winner. No boiling.

So sorry yours did not come out!

Re: Corned Beef What Did I do Wrong?

VaBelle35 — Tue, 18 Mar 2014 19:33:56 GMT

On another board people were saying that the end cuts are tougher and need to cook much longer than the general directions. People were cooking them in the oven for 6-7 hours (or a crock pot).

Re: Corned Beef What Did I do Wrong?

PINKdogWOOD — Tue, 18 Mar 2014 19:37:02 GMT

I just bought a piece of corned beef yesterday. A cut of meat like this I go right to the crockpot to slow cook all day. Hubby & I have done this before and it came out perfectly. Can't wait to make corned beef & cabbage/kraut with potatoes as well yummy sandwiches.

Re: Corned Beef What Did I do Wrong?

kak — Tue, 18 Mar 2014 19:55:08 GMT

The best cut is the flat cut. I usually just put it in a 9x13 pan and fill it about 1/2 up the meat with water. Cover and I cooked ours in a 350-375 oven for about 3.5 hours. Came out perfectly.

Re: Corned Beef What Did I do Wrong?

chickenbutt — Tue, 18 Mar 2014 19:56:21 GMT

I have never made corned beef, but I would have to agree that low and slow does it. Fast and boiling will make it tough, as it did.

Sorry it came out badly but two hours of boiling probably pretty much any meat will make it tough.

What I'd do is any browning on medium heat, then either stove top or oven simmering in a nice, preferably Le Creuset (good quality non-Chinese made enameled cast iron pot) French oven on a low heat - 325F or less in the oven. I usually start my oven simmering out around 325F, then reduce the heat a couple of times over the period of several hours.

Re: Corned Beef What Did I do Wrong?

Jerz-girl — Tue, 18 Mar 2014 19:58:03 GMT

When you cooked it on the oven, did you have water in the pan??

Jerz

Re: Corned Beef What Did I do Wrong?

DiAnne — Tue, 18 Mar 2014 20:04:16 GMT

I always get my corned beef at Trader Joe's (they only carry it around St. Patrick's Day). Put it in baking dish in oven with water half way up, cover with foil and bake for about 3 hours at 350. Always wonderful.

Re: Corned Beef What Did I do Wrong?

I am still oxox — Tue, 18 Mar 2014 20:07:45 GMT

Simmer it never boil you most liked cooked the life out of it

Re: Corned Beef What Did I do Wrong?

ilovedaisies — Tue, 18 Mar 2014 20:11:17 GMT

We had our first bad corned beef this year. It not only didn't get tender enough to eat, it had a weird, but not spoiled, smell. We had it in the crockpot for 7 hours and then put it in the oven for two hours. It went in the trash yesterday.

Re: Corned Beef What Did I do Wrong?

Desertdi — Tue, 18 Mar 2014 20:13:25 GMT

Sometimes, it's just a tough old piece of meat. Solution: Make hash out of it.

Re: Corned Beef What Did I do Wrong?

MargieRJ — Tue, 18 Mar 2014 20:30:23 GMT

Usually I use a crock pot for corned beef. I made my corned beef last night in the Emeril pressure cooker. It came out perfect and delicious.

The corned beef was a flat (thin) cut from Old Neighborhood brand. I put the beef (3 lb), spice packet, 2 bay leaves, 3 cloves garlic (crushed), a bottle of beer and two bottles of water into the pressure cooker. Used high pressure and 65 minutes for the first cook. Then I added 3 onions cut in quarters and 4 carrots cut in 2" chunks. This cooked 10 minutes longer on high. I removed the carrots, beef and most of the onions and then added the cabbage (cut in 6ths) and potatoes to the broth. Those cooked another 6 minutes on high. Done!

I ate a huge serving last night and was a happy camper.

Re: Corned Beef What Did I do Wrong?

fthunt — Tue, 18 Mar 2014 20:37:39 GMT

My crock pot isn't large enough for CB - so I always simmer it ON the stove in a large pot with the cover on for 4 hours. (don't like it IN the oven because I can't keep an eye on it without opening & closing the door to check for simmer and not boiling...and lose heat each time). During the last hour and half I add cabbage cut in half and later add rest of veggies I want. Delicious!

Simmer - never boil and when cooked too long it does become tough.

Better luck next St. Pat's day!

Re: Corned Beef What Did I do Wrong?

Jerz-girl — Tue, 18 Mar 2014 21:04:06 GMT

Wanted to add....I usually always do mine on the stove top, I first bring my meat to a boil (very, very flavorful water concoction...beer & vinegar a must amongst other things) then I lower it to a soft simmer, always comes out perfect!!! I think the long soft cooking with the addition of the vinegar in the water helps break down the meat for sure.

I also have seared the meat in pan on the stove top and finished cooking in the oven....the seared meat goes into a roasting pan with flavored & spiced water, cooked low and slow (NO higher the 325, my over is even lower) for hours, then I add my veggies to the same pan with the meat and continue cooking until all veggies are cooked. Delicious either way!!

Low and slow to break down that tough meat!!

Jerz

Re: Corned Beef What Did I do Wrong?

ilovedaisies — Tue, 18 Mar 2014 21:07:04 GMT

I know the secret to a good brisket is to not let it boil, just simmer. I think we got a weird one.

Re: Corned Beef What Did I do Wrong?

queendiva — Tue, 18 Mar 2014 21:14:04 GMT

Don't know. I cooked my 3 lb. corned beef round in the PC for one hour covered with 2 bottles of beer and the balance water to fully cover the roast. Came out perfectly cooked, as always.

Re: Corned Beef What Did I do Wrong?

bells4me — Tue, 18 Mar 2014 21:21:22 GMT

I used to simmer mine until I tried it in the crockpot. Delicious every time. I put my meat in late the night before, potatoes & carrots in the morning, and cabbage and hour before serving. Then I can eat it all day.

Re: Corned Beef What Did I do Wrong?

kzjohnson — Tue, 18 Mar 2014 21:25:39 GMT

I had the most moist corn beef in my life several years ago. When I asked the grocery store person how they prepared it, he said they steamed it.

So, when I still did the corn beef thing, I tried the steaming and it actually worked! I created a steamer using my stock pot and an inverted round cake tin that I punched holes in. I used beef stock instead of plain water and had to replenish the stock every so often. Steamed for about 3 hours...it came out very nice.

This year we did applewood smoked tofu sausages with the boiled potatoes and cabbage. Used a bit of Russian dressing on the sausages. And I couldn't leave out the Irish Soda Bread. It worked...not bad for my first attempt at vegetarian St Patrick's Day dinner.