The corned beef is exquisitely done, and as tender as a young lady'sheart...

It's St Patrick's Day Weekend! 

While I haven't been interested in public drunkedness on this holiday since college, I do enjoy a great Irish meal. In my quest to try and make things I haven't made before, I decided attempting Corned Beef and Cabbage.

 (I know that I am celebrating a little early in terms of the big meal, but now there will be Corned Beef Hash then in the morning for BFMH!)

I used Martha Stewart's slow cooker recipe and adapted it a bit to fit my taste and needs.

Mostly Martha (with a bit of Cat) Slow-Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage

Ingredients

2 celery stalks, cut into 3-inch pieces

3 carrots, cut into 3-inch pieces

1 small yellow onion, cut into 1-inch wedges (root end left intact)

1/2 pound small potatoes, halved if large

6 sprigs thyme

1 corned beef brisket (about 3 pounds), plus pickling spice packet or 1 tablespoon pickling spice

1/2 head (Savoy) cabbage, cut into 1 1/2-inch wedges

1 bottle of stout beer

Method

In a 5-to-6-quart slow cooker, place celery, carrots, onion, potatoes, and thyme. Place corned beef, fat side up, on top of vegetables and sprinkle with pickling spice; add beer then add enough water to almost cover meat . Cover and cook on high until corned beef is tender, 4 1/4 hours (or 8 1/2 hours on low). Arrange cabbage over corned beef, cover, and continue cooking until cabbage is tender, 45 minutes (or 1 1/2 hours on low).

Thinly slice corned beef against the grain and serve with vegetables and sauces of choice:

Creamy Horseradish Sauce:
Ingredients:

1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup drained prepared horseradish
dash hot sauce
salt and pepper to taste

Method:
Whip cream to soft peaks and then fold in sour cream and horseradish, to taste. Season with salt, pepper and a dash of hot sauce.

Apple Mustard Sauce:

¼ cup of Applesauce

2 tablespoons Dijon sauce

Au Jus and Grainy mustard on the side.

I know there are 4 different sauces listed. I love sauce. Food is strongly thought of in my brain as a vehicle for sauce to get from the plate to my mouth.

Note the "house of thyme" in the center. 

1 beer and then 3 beer bottle of water got it to the appropriate level.

To be frank, I was more than a little excited about getting to make this dish. I was getting positively giddy over it. I don't care for either of the main components: Corned Beef or Cabbage, but oddly enough, I do really like them together.

Here are ALL THE SAUCES! Au Jus furthest away, Applesauce and Dijon in the middle, Creamy Horseradish in the front with Grainy Horseradish Mustard to the side.

A lovely dinner all in all. the recipe didn't call for salt and pepper, but I wish I had added a little bit. It just needed a little kick. Perhaps the pickling spices sometimes do have salt and pepper within the packet, but they didn't this time.

Husband liked the meal and is looking forward to the Leftovers breakfast. We discussed the sheer amount of food that I prepared and how it would probably be able to feed 4 hungry adults. Upon further discussion though, we concluded that as it is a peasant's meal and that the final cost for the meal was not terribly expensive. 

Until the next meal...

**Today's title comes from Nathaniel Hawthorne when asked about fending for himself while his wife was away: The corned beef is exquisitely done, and as tender as a young lady's heart, all owing to my skillful cookery; for I consulted Mrs. Hale (Sarah Hale's cookbook) at every step, and precisely followed her directions. To say the truth, I look upon it as such a masterpiece in its way, that it seems irreverential to eat it. Things on which so much thought and labor are bestowed should surely be immortal....."**