Corned Beef and Cabbage

March is just around the corner and for all you foodies that means green beer, Irish fries, Corned Beef and Cabbage to celebrate St. Patrick's day.  Corned Beef to me is a unique dish to make and serve.  I remember a dinner club that was scheduled just around St. Pat's Day where the hostess decided to cook a corned beef for the first time and was unsure when to say the meat was done.  I got a call saying " I have been cooking this for quite awhile and the meat is still red".  

For years we have been cooking our corned beef in the crock pot with a recipe that came from the cook book that was included with the pot.  It was simple and used an orange peel for some additional flavor.  My mom had given me a corned beef she had purchased but thought it was too big for he.  She told me when I made it save her some.  In looking for a new way to cook the beef, I found this recipe online that included the potatoes and onions right from the start and then added the cabbage and carrots at the end. 

 Hubby was coming home from an overnight business trip. He called on his way home and I told him our dinner plans.  He advised me that he would stop for the cabbage and was surprised to learn that I already taken care of it.  When I got home from work that night, he was home as well.  I checked on the meat and found a cutting board and paring knife close by.  Hubby was sure I hadn't included the potatoes to my recipe and after adding two small potatoes  he realized that I had already done so.  I told him that the recipe was right next to the crockpot  and he could of read it to see that I was well prepared. 

This recipe turned out great and Mom enjoyed her cooked corned beef.  I think I will be making this again soon.  

Corned Beef and Cabbage

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds small red potatoes

4 garlic cloves, peeled

1 (4 lb.) corned beef brisket with seasoning packet, rinsed, trimmed

2 whole cloves

1 small onion

24 baby carrots

1 small white cabbage, cut into 8 wedges

Arrange potatoes and garlic on bottom of slow cooker. Place corned beef on top of vegetables and sprinkle with seasoning from packet. Push cloves into onion and add to cooker. Add enough water to just cover meat; cover and cook on low until tender, 6 hours and 30 minutes to 8 hours.

Transfer meat to cutting board and cover with foil to keep warm. Transfer potatoes to bowl and cover with foil to keep warm. Add carrots and cabbage to cooker, turn to high, cover and cook until just tender, about 30 minutes.

Slice beef across grain and serve with potatoes, carrots and cabbage.