Corned Beef and Cabbage

Irish-style corned beef is brisket cured with salt and brine, and when cooked turns a kind of grayish color, unlike the red sodium nitrite-cured corned beef you see vacuum wrapped in supermarket meat cases.

Recipe Ingredients:

1 pound kosher salt
1 gallon water
1 (about 7 to 8 pounds) fresh brisket of beef
6 whole black peppercorns
1 large head cabbage, cored and quartered
1 bunch carrots, peeled and thickly sliced
1 large turnip, cut into 2-inch cubes
8 large boiling potatoes, peeled and halved

Cooking Directions:

1. In a large non-reactive pot, combine the salt and water. Add the brisket and let soak, covered, at room temperature, for a minimum of 48 hours. (The beef must be completely covered, so double the brine recipe if necessary.)
2. Lift the meat out of the pan with 2 large forks and pour out the brine. Add fresh water to the pan. Return the meat to the pan, add the bay leaves and peppercorns, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook, covered until fork tender, 3 to 3 1/2 hours.
3. During the last 45 minutes of cooking, add the cabbage, carrots, turnip, and potatoes. (Alternately, the carrots, turnip and potatoes can be boiled separately.) Let the beef cool for about 15 to 20 minutes.
4. To serve: carve the meat and place the potatoes, carrots and turnip around it on a large platter. Serve the cabbage in a bowl.

Makes 8 servings.