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.