POLL: Are you making a St. Patty's day dinner?

[Jenise]

The Irish don't know how to cook corned beef. You're supposed to coat it with coriander, pepper, and other seasonings and then steam it, cut it thin, and serve on rye with mustard. Hmph.

You forgot the side of pickles.

[Jenise]

Jenise, your creativity "wows" me almost daily.

I feel the same way Carrie...when I grow up, I want to be like Jenise (too bad I'm already grown-up, but one can still dream, right?).

Oh gosh, guys, stop it. But thanks, I really appreciate it.

I've decided to stay pretty traditional this year. But I will be serving the cabbage (basically, my favorite part) two ways. Wedges of it *will* be cooked in the broth along with carrots and celery, but I'm going to also make cabbage rolls stuffed with grated potatoes and a bit of carrot for color. No recipe, just an idea I have and want to play with. Might serve them just steamed over the broth, or might add a bread crumb layer and pan fry them to finish.

[Jenise]

Funny, I just got home from the grocery with two corned beef briskets. (One point cut and one flat cut.)

Why two different cuts--do you and Len have separate favorites?

I'm not Irish, and don't get the holiday off, so generally ignore it.

Funny, I just got home from the grocery with two corned beef briskets. (One point cut and one flat cut.)

Why two different cuts--do you and Len have separate favorites?

Well, no, last year we both decided we like the point cut best, even though the flat cut is "prettier." It just happened that the store only had one point cut left.

Get this...the corned beef was on sale, and the store had a limit of one per customer (they let me slide by ringing it up under a separate order.) How crazy is that--what if someone was having a big St. Patty's Day party?? Weird, huh?

Did you make the cabbage rolls? I thought that sounded like a nice idea. In fact, it would be a fun way to serve the leftovers. Mash the potatoes, shred a little of the corned beef, cut a few carrots and roll it all into a leaf. May have to steal that idea.

[Jenise]

Get this...the corned beef was on sale, and the store had a limit of one per customer (they let me slide by ringing it up under a separate order.) How crazy is that--what if someone was having a big St. Patty's Day party?? Weird, huh?

Very weird! The first store I went to this morning was out. The second (Safeway)? No prob--tons of it, several brands. I checked the provenance, btw, one was just "Product of the USA" and the other was actually from a ranch in Idaho. I went with Idaho at about 30% higher cost. I need to find out what exactly "product of the USA" means and if that precludes it having spent any part of it's life in China. Or anywhere else for that matter.

Re cuts: I kind of like the point cut too, but having come to the store from Bob's cardiologist's office, out of guilt I went with flat which turned out to be more like a point cut anyway. Huge fat layer in the center as well as on top--I wish I'd taken photos of the size of meat I started with and what I had after I'd cooked and trimmed it--laughable. Only about 50%--at best!

Re cuts: I kind of like the point cut too, but having come to the store from Bob's cardiologist's office, out of guilt I went with flat which turned out to be more like a point cut anyway. Huge fat layer in the center as well as on top--I wish I'd taken photos of the size of meat I started with and what I had after I'd cooked and trimmed it--laughable. Only about 50%--at best!

Oh, I know. I think both cuts are extremely fatty. I've always found the flats to have that wide ribbon of fat running though the middle. I could not find a country of origin on my package. Just said inspected by US Dept of Agriculture. Hmm. The brand was Blarney Stone. I will not buy again--ridiculously salty (and I even rinsed it before cooking).

Re cuts: I kind of like the point cut too, but having come to the store from Bob's cardiologist's office, out of guilt I went with flat which turned out to be more like a point cut anyway. Huge fat layer in the center as well as on top--I wish I'd taken photos of the size of meat I started with and what I had after I'd cooked and trimmed it--laughable. Only about 50%--at best!

Oh, I know. I think both cuts are extremely fatty. I've always found the flats to have that wide ribbon of fat running though the middle. I could not find a country of origin on my package. Just said inspected by US Dept of Agriculture. Hmm. The brand was Blarney Stone. I will not buy again--ridiculously salty (and I even rinsed it before cooking).

Since both the flat and point cut come from the same hunk of meat, it stands to reason they would be similar. However, I get my flat cuts at our local meat shop, and the one this year was almost three pounds, very small streaks of fat running through the center and most of the fat was trimmed on top. It was great, not overly salty, either. I used Samuel Adams Winter Ale this year as the Early Summer Brew Beer had not arrived, for cooking and drinking. Very nice. We have enough for leftovers tonight. Our local shop sources from Harrison Ranch, but I don't know about this beef, since it is cut by them and corned right in the shop. Personally, I can't stand all that fat in the cooking liquid.

[Jenise]

Since both the flat and point cut come from the same hunk of meat, it stands to reason they would be similar.

Well yes, but there's a leaner end and one can usually pick out which is which in the package. I clearly didn't pick right. Or maybe the Idaho cows are colder and really pack on the fat. Sure was tasty though: a lot less salt than usual, glad I bought the "local" brand.

Well yes, but there's a leaner end and one can usually pick out which is which in the package. I clearly didn't pick right. Or maybe the Idaho cows are colder and really pack on the fat. Sure was tasty though: a lot less salt than usual, glad I bought the "local" brand.

With the arrival of organic beef in our area, grown locally by several small family farms, I am thrilled to be able to buy cuts of meat that are not super sized. Since we are a family of two and have been for many years now, this is a blessing. Many of the markets here are now sourcing locally from these farms. They are pricey, but worth it for us. I also love organic chickens which don't have those over sized breasts. I am overwhelmed when a half breast takes three meals to consume.

Re cuts: I kind of like the point cut too, but having come to the store from Bob's cardiologist's office, out of guilt I went with flat which turned out to be more like a point cut anyway. Huge fat layer in the center as well as on top--I wish I'd taken photos of the size of meat I started with and what I had after I'd cooked and trimmed it--laughable. Only about 50%--at best!

Oh, I know. I think both cuts are extremely fatty. I've always found the flats to have that wide ribbon of fat running though the middle. I could not find a country of origin on my package. Just said inspected by US Dept of Agriculture. Hmm. The brand was Blarney Stone. I will not buy again--ridiculously salty (and I even rinsed it before cooking).

Since both the flat and point cut come from the same hunk of meat, it stands to reason they would be similar. However, I get my flat cuts at our local meat shop, and the one this year was almost three pounds, very small streaks of fat running through the center and most of the fat was trimmed on top. It was great, not overly salty, either. I used Samuel Adams Winter Ale this year as the Early Summer Brew Beer had not arrived, for cooking and drinking. Very nice. We have enough for leftovers tonight. Our local shop sources from Harrison Ranch, but I don't know about this beef, since it is cut by them and corned right in the shop. Personally, I can't stand all that fat in the cooking liquid.

Do you mean Harris Ranch?

Do you mean Harris Ranch?

Yep, that is what my flying fingers meant to say.

I do corned beef and cabbage, but not until a week later, because my husband will usually have it for lunch on St. Patty's day, and I don't want him to have it twice. I actually make this at least twice a year (and would do so more, if corned beef wasn't so bad for ya!).

I make my corned beef similar to Karen. I basically poached it in my crockpot in some beer. I do cook my potatoes, onions, and carrots with the beef, but I add them several hrs after. I slice the the cabbage and sautee it in butter and salt and pepper. I slice the corned beef really thin and drizzle a white gravy on everything.

Last yr I went to my Aunt's house for St. Patrick's. She is half Irish and always has a big party. She had it catered last yr and the guy who did it made the most amazing corned beef that I have ever tasted in my life. It was juicy and absolutely melt in your mouth. I have no idea how he did it.

First of all - you guys are killing me with this thread. I am in my hotel in India on a Sunday late afternoon. Had to work all day so skipped lunch. I'm heading to the gym for a workout and just checked the web for a minute....so I am very hungry and reading this is making me insane. Combine that with my Irish heritage and the total lack of "irish" here (vs. Tokyo which had quite a lot) and this thread is really hitting me!

MAria - which "crock pot" do you use? I still have not figured those devices out.

Thanks

[Jenise]

First of all - you guys are killing me with this thread. I am in my hotel in India on a Sunday late afternoon. Had to work all day so skipped lunch. I'm heading to the gym for a workout and just checked the web for a minute....so I am very hungry and reading this is making me insane. Combine that with my Irish heritage and the total lack of "irish" here (vs. Tokyo which had quite a lot) and this thread is really hitting me!

MAria - which "crock pot" do you use? I still have not figured those devices out.

Thanks

You're in a hotel on a weekend? Bad planning!

First of all - you guys are killing me with this thread. I am in my hotel in India on a Sunday late afternoon. Had to work all day so skipped lunch. I'm heading to the gym for a workout and just checked the web for a minute....so I am very hungry and reading this is making me insane. Combine that with my Irish heritage and the total lack of "irish" here (vs. Tokyo which had quite a lot) and this thread is really hitting me!

MAria - which "crock pot" do you use? I still have not figured those devices out.

Thanks

You're in a hotel on a weekend? Bad planning!

Jenise - I have been living in a "service apartment" for 6 weeks - waiting for our things to arrive from Tokyo. And my son is in high school and is finishing his school year there before coming to India. So my wife and son are in Tokyo - I see them once a month for a week - and I'm in my gig in India - reading about corned beef and cabbage....and feeling very Irish, very hungry and very lonely

Hey John,

That stinks about your family, hopefully, everything will get sorted out soon. I only see my husband on the weekends and I think that is hard enough!

Re the slow cooker. I just have a cheapy Proctor Silex, which I got about 6 years ago for free when I bought a meat slicer. I told everyone that I would never use it. Wouldn't you know I use it nearly every day now? I just love it. It's a smaller one, cylindrical shaped (not oval) and has the ceramic insert.

[Jenise]

Jenise - I have been living in a "service apartment" for 6 weeks - waiting for our things to arrive from Tokyo. And my son is in high school and is finishing his school year there before coming to India. So my wife and son are in Tokyo - I see them once a month for a week - and I'm in my gig in India - reading about corned beef and cabbage....and feeling very Irish, very hungry and very lonely

Oh that's the pits, John. When does his school year end? And, you have a daughter too, don't you? I'm remembering two children at any rate. Has one already gone off to college?

Back to corned beef and cabbage, I have an excellent leftover use to share. Dicing up the meat and vegetables and simmering in the strained broth with chopped mint, white pepper, a splash of white wine vinegar and a pinch of red chile flakes makes a darned good little pot of hot-and-sour soup.

Isn't this more of an east coast American holiday?

Anyway, us west coast Canadians don't do anything special for it.

I prefer not to link specific food with holidays. I don't feel compelled to do a turkey at thanksgiving or Christmas - I'll do one whenever I feel like it, and I'll do whatever I please for holidays, not what some tradition dictates.

[Jenise]

Isn't this more of an east coast American holiday?

Well, it's true that on the west coast we don't have the strong concentration of immigrant Irish that Boston and Chicago do, but that has never stopped west coast bars with Irish names or pub-wannabe's from serving green beer on March 17th. Back in my single days, being out on that night was a ritual not to miss!

As for the tradition--what can I say, most of us enjoy some traditions. It's not so much a leming-like compulsion as really and truly feeling like having X again and sharing that meal with certain people. It's comforting. Plus, there IS a real logic to most holiday cookery: the key ingredients are plentiful and competitively priced, where they're scarce and more expensive the rest of the year.