Guinness Braised Corned Beef

This year I thought I would try something different with my corned beef dinner and I decided to braise the beef in Guinness Stout. I will never go back to the old way!

You need to start with bacon grease so fry some bacon in a heavy pot. Save the bacon for the colcannon recipe which follows.

Thoroughly dry the brisket on paper towels and trim off the thick layer of fat.


Sprinkle liberally with freshly cracked pepper.


Brown both sides in the bacon grease until golden and crusty. This takes about 5 minutes on each side.


Save the grease in the pot.

Add 4 cups of diced carrots, 2 large diced onions and a bunch of celery diced.


Add 1 bunch of parsley, 1 bunch of thyme and a tablespoon of black peppercorns.


Add 6 cups of beef stock. I made two large briskets so if you are making one just cut this recipe in half.

Add 2 bottles of Guinness.



Add 1 packet of beef demi glace. Place this in a 325 degree oven and braise for 4-5 hours until the meat is falling apart.


To make the colcannon, boil some yellow potatoes in salted water.

Remove them to a bowl with a slotted spoon.


Add half of a large head of cabbage which you have sliced to the potato water and let cook until it softens but still has a bit of a bite to it.

Drain the cabbage thoroughly and place on a towel to drain more.


Mash the potatoes with milk, salt, pepper and butter.

Add the cabbage and mix to combine. Add about 6 sliced green onions and taste for seasoning. Crumble the bacon and add it too.


Serve the colcannon next to the brisket with a dab of Irish butter on top.


When the brisket is done remove it from the liquid and slice into thin strips. Some of it will shred.

Strain all of the solids from the liquid.

Bring the liquid to a boil.


Mix 5 tablespoons of tomato paste with 6 tablespoons of red wine vinegar.


Mix 4 tablespoons of flour with 4 tablespoons of butter.


Whisk the butter mixture into the liquid tablespoon by tablespoon. Cook over medium heat until it thickens.


I braised carrots with sugar and butter and water and salt.


I did parsnips the same way.


Pour gravy over the brisket and enjoy! Sorry this is after st. Patrick's Day but it is good enough to bookmark and save for next year. Actually, why not make it sooner than that. It is sooooo good!

My daughter was home this weekend and Teddy was excited to see her. My daughter went shopping and was showing us her new clothes.

The fashion show made Teddy smile.


I made my daughter this necklace out of thrift store brooches, pins and broken pearl necklaces.

Comments

Anonymous said…
your dinner and this jewelry are just amazing, I love both, I would wear the necklace while eating the dinner, yummo!What a beautiful eccelctic look, love this.I bet your daughter does too.
Anonymous said…
The jewelry is awesome. Well, I've always hated corned beef, BUT you've done it again! I think I just might LOVE this! I'm saving it. I don't know when I will make it, but I just know for sure I will.
Anonymous said…
That dinner just looks delicious! I've done much the same but not with Guinness, must try that next time.

Teddy is so cute :-)

Have a great day!
Christer.
A meal fit for St. Patrick himself!
brokenteepee said…
I haven't had corned beef in years. I miss it....*sigh*
Barb said…
Looks like a delicious meal. I thinks Teddy approves of that lovely necklace!
Kelly said…
Your dinner looks sooooo good. Let me tell you about my corned beef dinner yesterday. It was hospital food. I had to work. I thought I would give it a try. The cabbage was boiled in plain water as well as the carrots and briscuit. No flavor at all. Poor patients. Well, not mine. They were too sick to eat. Okay, I take it all back. I was able to eat yesterday and I'm damn happy to have had a corned beef dinner. Even if it had no flavor. LOL.
I can not tell you how much my family enjoyed this meal, plus the soda bread. I will never make regular corned beef again. The sauce absolutely makes it. I couldn't wait for church to be over today to come home and eat my few leftovers. If possible it is better the next day. I will not wait until next year to make this again.

Love, Love, Love the necklace!
TARYTERRE said…
Beautiful necklace. And Teddy looks so happy. I always put Guinness in my corned beef. And I use KALE in my colcannon. Of course I make lamb for myself. My husband loves the corned beef. We had a GREAT time yesterday. Sounds like you did too. GREAT recipes.
oh...that dinner looks wonderful..... john would LOVE those mashed potatoes with the bacon...so would i...and l'il teddy !!!!

love the necklace....

kary and l'il teddy
Guillaume said…
I would have the same problem with this as with the whiskey dessert: I might go short on Guinness.
ooops forgot to add, I'm baking your Irish Soda bread today with the boiled dinner for the day after St. Patrick's Day dinner! :)
Nellie said…
Oh, my! I wish I lived nearby! This is the first year in a very long time that I have not prepared corned beef for this time. Wedding preparations really kept us busy, and our daughter's wedding was on Saturday! This recipe looks amazing.
You have many talents! What a lovely necklace for your daughter.
SharleneT said…
Hmmmmm. By any chance, were you nipping that Guinness, too? You might want to change the flour with flour roux instruction. (We all know you meant butter, but for archival purposes...) Gonna try something like this for tonight's dinner, but use top sirloin. Well, it is past Paddy's Day and I don't have a brisket... But, I have the other stuff. Have a great day and come visit when you can.
Kelly said…
Okay, this recipe just wont leave my mind until I try it. I am unfamilary with beef demi glace. I googled it and there are packets of dried...etc. What brand did you use. I'm not sure our little Hannaford carries it. I will check. I can't wait.
Linda said…
This post confused me.I thought I slept through St. Patrick's Day! And, the dog was white??? I finally noticed the date on the blog.

I absolutely love the necklace. Now, I want one. The food looks delicious.