I make the same Corned Beef & Cabbage every year. Year after year. It’s that good. (And every year I make the braised stovetop version of it, not the slow cooker version, although slow cooker instructions are on the same recipe.) This year, though, I wanted a change-up. Something more sophisticated. And here it is, Whiskey & Marmalade Glazed Corned Beef inspired by the Silver Palate Book.
Whiskey & Marmalade Glazed Corned Beef
See, I’ve been helping the folks out for a while now and my StepMom Pat kinda turned up her nose at the idea of Corned Beef. She’s of the age where she went through the depression as a child and isn’t a real fan of recipes that are what I’d call old-fashioned “plain cooking” like corned beef and cabbage. I knew some “enticing” was in order.
About Whiskey & Marmalade Glazed Corned Beef:
I don’t think Pat’s alone. I think there are a lot of people these days who want to up their game on the old Corned Beef. Even this Grandma wants to be trendy now and then, and if there is a trendy corned beef, this recipe has GOT to be it.
It’s a very, very loose adaptation of the old Silver Palate Glazed Corned Beef with a newer cooking method and a few extra special added touches of my own. Yep. Whiskey. And don’t skimp on the bright, tanginess of the powdered mustard or a wee drop or two of the hot sauce in that glaze. Those are what transform the glaze from sticky sweet to a complex mix of flavors that are going to tantalize you and leave you wondering, “Just what IS this deliciousness?”
I feel like I’m a day late (or two days to be exact) and a dollar short, as they say, on this recipe, posting right AFTER St. Paddy’s Day. Pin it for next year or pick up some very sales-priced corned beef at the store and make it now or in the next few weeks. 🙂 Corned Beef keeps for weeks in the fridge and can be frozen, too.
Whiskey & Marmalade Glazed Corned Beef – I know it looks dark but trust the process! It will be juicy and tender.
Making Whiskey & Marmalade Glazed Corned Beef:
As far as the method, the corned beef is not overcooked, is beautifully sliceable, and flavorful and the juices are absolutely amazing! In this recipe, no liquid is added and this corned beef is concentrated flavor. I gotta admit I was dismayed when I pulled this corned beef out of the oven and thought it looked a little homely, but I was converted at the first bite I snitched while taking pictures.
Don’t use the the spice packet if it comes with your corned beef in this recipe; there’s no liquid to leach out and dull the corned beef flavor so it will just be too, too much flavor if you add the spices. Just give your corned beef a quick rinse to remove any jelly-like substance and don’t remove any fat at this point. Place it on a very generous piece of foil in a pan (that foil will later be folded over the corned beef and it will be sealed up).
There are four stages of cooking.
- First roast in for two hours, uncovered at a low 300 degrees F.
- Next, seal it in foil and bake for an additional two hours, or until a fork stabbed in the center turns easily. Prepare your glaze towards the end of this stage.
- The final stage is where the magic happens. Remove the corned beef and turn the heat up in the oven to 425 degrees F. Arrange the foil so there’s a kind of a “spout” and pour the juices into a pot in which you’ll later cook your veggies. Skim the fat off the corned beef, glaze it, and put the corned beef back into the oven for 20 to 25 minutes until it’s darkened and bubbly.
- Let that corned beef rest lightly covered (so it isn’t steaming that glaze) for about 20 minutes. This rest is especially crucial in this recipe to keep the juices in and the corned beef from being dry.
When corned beef is resting, take those juices, concentrated with flavor, and simmer the carrots and cabbage in them. Basically, the carrots simmer, and the cabbage steams on top. Watch the liquid level and add a little water if needed. They’re amazing; the carrots will be soft but keep their integrity and the cabbage will be fresh and gorgeous.
Serve the corned beef with a rustic red potato mash.
Saving Money on Whiskey & Marmalade Glazed Corned Beef:
As far as cost, Corned Beef isn’t always the cheapest of meats, even when on sale for St. Patrick’s Day, but watch closely and you’re likely to find some decent pricing with competitive sales. Depending on how the stores in your area handle the excess after the holiday, you may be able to pick a couple up for dirt cheap. Corned Beef will keep for weeks in the fridge and freezes well, so I always pick up extra if it’s at a great price.
Luckily, all the rest of the Corned Beef Cabbage Dinner IS dirt cheap and usually on sale. Compare pricing if you come across those bags of veggies, though. Sometimes the bagged “specials” might be more (or at least more per pound) than buying potatoes, carrots, and cabbage on their own. And while you’re at it, pick up extra of any of the vegetables while they’re on sale especially the cabbage if you have room. Then make my Cabbage Rolls or Cabbage Roll Soup, both perfect for cold spring days!
These days, corned beef seems to come in smaller packages, but If you can set a little corned beef aside to come back to the table another night, you’re able to “cost average” that brisket over two meals or more. While the Corned Beef will be the star of the show the first night while it will take on a secondary role the second. Think Classic Reubens, of course, or my Connemara Soup, Irish Pub Nachos or check out my Irish & Irish American Collection for cost-effective ways to stretch a little leftover Corned Beef.
Whiskey & Marmalade Glazed Corned Beef
Whiskey & Marmalade Glazed Corned Beef
This fun sweet, sticky, smoky glazed corned beef dinner might just be the best change-up you can make to your St. Paddy’s day dinner.
- Total Time: hours
- Yield: 6 - 8 servings 1x
Ingredients
- 3 1/2 to 4-pound Corned Beef Brisket
- 1/2 cup orange marmalade
- 1 tablespoon vinegar (white or apple cider)
- 1 tablespoon whiskey (or a little more if you’d like)
- 2 teaspoons mustard powder
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- a few dashed of hot sauce
- 1 pound carrots, peeled and sliced into 3 to 4″ lengths
- Small head of cabbage sliced through the core into wedges, leaving a bit of core to hold each wedge together
Instructions
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Line a pan a little larger than your corned beef with foil, leaving the foil hanging over the edges and using enough foil so it can be folded over the corned beef and sealed.
Place corned beef, fat side up (don’t remove any fat, yet) in the pan. Bake in the oven for two hours. After two hours, remove the corned beef from the oven and tightly close the foil over it. Return to oven and bake for about two more hours, or until the corned beef is fork tender. Put a fork into the corned beef and if it turns easily, it’s ready.
While the corned beef is cooking prepare the glaze. In a very small saucepan, whisk together the marmalade, vinegar, whiskey, mustard powder, soy, salt & pepper and hot sauce. Bring to a good simmer and cook, stirring now and then, until the marmalade has turned in to a thick sauce. When it cools, it might harden a bit.
Remove the corned beef from the oven and open, then arrange the foil so you can easily pour the juices into a large saucepan or Dutch oven then carefully do so. Turn the oven up to 425 degrees.
Remove the fat from the top of the corned beef and discard. Pour the glaze (if still warm) or spoon the glaze (if it has cooled a bit and hardened) over the corned beef. Return to the oven and cook for about 20 to 25 minutes until the glaze has nicely browned. Remove and let rest for about 20 minutes before slicing and serving.
Add the carrots to the bottom of the pan that’s holding the juices from the corned beef. Arrange cabbage wedges over the top. Bring to a simmer, add a lid and simmer until the carrots are tender and cabbage is cooked through, about 20 – 22 minutes. Check the liquid level and add a little water if needed.
Serve the corned beef with the carrots and cabbage.
Note on cooking time: An hour per pound is a rule of thumb but if your corned beef is a thicker cut like this one was, it may take longer to become tender.
Notes
Note on cooking time: An hour per pound is a rule of thumb but if your corned beef is a thicker cut like this one was, it may take longer to become tender.
_____________________________________________
I’ll be bringing this recipe to Angie’s Fiesta Friday!
you might also like
24 thoughts on “Whiskey & Marmalade Glazed Corned Beef”