Corned Beef and Cabbage, Slow Cooker Style

My first foray into cooking corned beef was terrible.  It both looked and tasted what I imagine an old piece of shoe leather tasted like.  I think I overcooked it by about, well, 2 hours.  Maybe more.  I went back to letting other people, who knew who to cook corned beef, do so for the next couple years.  Last year I made corned beef again, traditional style on the stove.  It came out great and was delicious!

This year I decided to go the slow cooker route, because, let's face it, the slow cooker makes my life easier.  I looked up a bunch of recipes and most of them called for a bottle of beer, which I didn't have. I found Martha Stewart's recipe and decided to use that one.  I modified it a bit out of necessity.  I was out of thyme, both fresh and dry, as well as celery.

Slow Cooker Corned Beef

Small bag of carrots, peeled and cut into 3

Several small red potatoes, washed and quartered

1small onion, cut into 6 wedges, root intact (so the pieces don't fall apart)

Head of cabbage, outside leaves removed, cut into wedges

beef brisket with pickling spice packet

I added a nice big bay leaf

Add the vegetables, except for the cabbage, and then put the corned beef in, fat side up.  Sprinkle the spices on top.  Add water, almost to the top of the beef.  

Cook on high for 4 hours.  After the 4 hours, skim the top.  I had to remove the veggies in order to make room for the cabbage.  I put them all in a bowl with a few cups of the liquid.  Add the cabbage and submerge in the liquid.  Cook for another 45 -60 minutes.  Remove the beef and let it sit for 15 minutes.

I trimmed all the visible fat off  and then sliced as thinly as possible, against the grain.  

I served it with all the vegetables, rye bread, and mustard.  

hmm...I am having trouble rotating this picture.

As you see in the picture above, I also had Irish Soda Bread.  I made that with Lilly this afternoon, using a friend's recipe.  It was delicious!