Juicy beer braised corned beef, glazed with an irresistible mixture of brown sugar, whole grain mustard and whiskey, will take your St. Patrick’s Day celebration to the next level of deliciousness!
Looking back through some of my recipes, I think its safe to say that I love a good braise. Whether it’s hard cider braised chicken, white wine braised leeks, or stout-braised short ribs, tipsy braising liquids are a sure bet for cozy, tender, flavor-infused dishes.
Not surprisingly, I got in the habit a few years ago of braising my corned beef in beer instead of the traditional boiling method. It gave such a nice flavor to the brisket during its low and slow simmer to perfection. Plus, popping the cap on the bottle of Irish ale felt extra festive for our St. Patrick’s Day celebration.
Of course, never leaving well enough alone, I swooped in the following year with a whiskey-spiked mustard glaze. We always serve our corned beef with mustard, so I figured, why not put that flavor directly onto the brisket itself?
This braised and glazed corned beef is a twist on the traditional dinner that’s become a favorite at my St. Patrick’s Day get togethers.
Should I Buy Point Cut or Flat Cut Corned Beef?
When shopping for a corned beef (brine-cured beef brisket), I prefer to use the leaner “flat cut”. While the “point cut” is thicker and has more marbling (which, of course, I love), I find that the uniformity of the flat cut is easier to glaze and slice with this preparation.
That said, you can absolutely make this with a point cut brisket if you prefer.
Most corned beef will have a seasoning packet included, which you can add to the beer braising liquid. If not, pick up a jar of pickling spice, which is readily available in grocery stores.
Alternatively, if you’ve never “corned” a beef brisket yourself, I encourage you to give it a try one year. It’s a multi-day process, but the flavor and texture of the beef are incredible.
I first discovered the process in Michael Ruhlman’s fantastic book, Charcuterie: The Craft of Salting, Smoking, and Curing (unsolicited plug for one of my favorite “cooking project” books on my shelf). Ruhlman has also excerpted the recipe on his website, to stellar reader reviews.
What Kind of Beer Should I Use for the Braising Liquid?
I typically use Samuel Smith’s Old Brewery‘s organic lager from Tadcaster, England in this recipe. One of the sales associates at my local liquor store recommended I give it a try, and it doesn’t disappoint in the glass, or in a braise. It’s a fresh, crisp, and lightly floral lager that enhances the corned beef without overpowering.
In general, look for a golden lager that isn’t too hops-assertive. The flavor of whatever you use will concentrate a bit during the braising process, so you’ll want to choose a beer that will infuse flavor into the meat without too much bitterness.
Commercially, most standard lagers work well. In a similar recipe theme, I’ve used Sam Adams Boston Lager a few times to make my Instant Pot Corned Beef, with good results.
Since I love stout-braised meats, we tried using Guinness one year, but everyone at the table found the flavor to be a bit overpowering. Given how much we loved the lager-braised brisket, I decided that I prefer to save the stout for a glass when I’m eating my corned beef, rather than using it for cooking this particular recipe.
Whiskey-Mustard Glaze
If you’re looking to dress up the traditional corned beef dinner a bit, a glaze is a nice finishing touch. The brown sugar brings a touch of sweetness to the salty meat, contrasting the bite of the mustard and whiskey well. I like to use a mix of smooth and whole grain Dijon mustard for a little bit of texture.
Glazing the corned beef couldn’t be easier–just brush it onto the brisket after it’s braised and pop it in the oven for a few minutes, until caramelized.
If the sweet element isn’t something you enjoy, or if you’re making the corned beef specifically for something like a reuben sandwich, the glazing can be skipped entirely. Beer braised corned beef is thoroughly delicious on its own.
Can I Add Cabbage and Potatoes to this Recipe?
Definitely! You can braise the traditional cabbage wedges and whole baby red potatoes right in the pot with the brisket.
Bear in mind that the beer braising liquid can be a bit on the salty side. When I’m cooking the vegetables with the corned beef, I’m careful to keep an eye on the clock. One hour before the corned beef is finished braising, I add the potatoes.
I like to quickly sear the cabbage wedges on the stove (using a skillet with a little bit of oil). The light caramelization brings a nice depth of flavor to the cabbage.
With 30 minutes remaining, I add the seared cabbage wedges to the pot, removing everything from the braising liquid while the corned beef is glazing. (Letting them sit in the liquid sometimes makes them too salty.)
When I’m ready to serve, I strain the braising liquid and spoon a little bit of it over the meat and vegetables, both for moisture on the platter and extra flavor. A little melted butter drizzled over the potatoes and cabbage is never a bad idea either.
You can also serve this recipe with a bowl of creamy colcannon. And, don’t forget to invite me over!
Beer Braised Corned Beef with Whiskey Mustard Glaze
Ingredients
CORNED BEEF
- 4 to 5 pounds flat cut corned beef brisket , rinsed
- 1 large yellow onion , halved and sliced
- 3 cloves garlic , peeled and lightly crushed with the back of a knife
- 2 pints lager (nothing with heavy bitter notes)
- 1 cup water , plus additional (if needed)
- 1 tablespoon pickling spice (or use the spice packet provided with your corned beef)
GLAZE
- 1/4 cup dark brown sugar , lightly packed
- 2 tablespoons whole grain Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon smooth Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon whiskey
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper
- pinch ground cloves
Instructions
BRAISE THE CORNED BEEF
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Place sliced onion and garlic cloves in the bottom of a large Dutch oven. Lay corned beef on top of onions, fat side up. Add pickling spices or spice packet.
- Pour beer into pot, adding enough water to just barely cover the corned beef. Bring to a simmer on the stove. Cover, and braise for 3 hours in the oven, flipping the corned beef halfway through the cooking time.
GLAZE AND SERVE
- When the corned beef is almost finished braising, combine glaze ingredients in a small skillet or saucepan. Heat until bubbling.
- When corned beef is braised, remove from oven and increase temperature to 425 degrees F. Remove corned beef from braising liquid and pat dry with paper towels. (Reserve braising liquid in pot.)
- Lightly score fat side with a sharp knife in a criss cross pattern. Brush corned beef with glaze. Place in a skillet or roasting pan and pour in about 1 cup of the braising liquid.
- Bake for 10 minutes, then coat the corned beef with a second layer of glaze. Continue baking for an additional 5 minutes. (Instead of baking, you can also broil the glaze for 5-6 minutes total, until starting to caramelize. Watch it carefully.)
- Slice corned beef against the grain. If desired, strain braising liquid and spoon over sliced meat upon serving.
Jill Hageman-Clark says
April 30, 2019 at 2:51 pmBest Corned Beef EVER!!!
Peter says
March 20, 2019 at 8:09 pmGreat recioe. I had used guiness before and it was too heavy. Used stella artois since thats what i had. The whiskey mustard sauce was a wonderful addition. Made colcannon instead of boiled cabbage and carrots. The flavor was excellent. This will be a go to for future corned beef.
Nancy says
March 18, 2019 at 1:11 pmThis is the best corned beef I ever made or have ever tasted! It was a hit with everyone who tried it. I used Sam Adams for the beer and Jameson Irish whiskey in the glaze. The whole grain mustard addition and the dash of cloves take the glaze to another level. No need to ever try another recipe again. Why mess with perfection.
KAL says
March 17, 2019 at 10:24 pmMarvelous recipe. I converted my family of corned beef skeptics with it. The glaze is especially effective: simple, but satisfying. I used both green and purple cabbage, which I liked because the added color enhanced the visual appeal. I roasted red potatoes, and served them on the side, along with horseradish for dipping. I fine St. Patty’s day meal! Thank you!
Deborah Cummings says
March 17, 2019 at 9:10 pm2nd year in a row making this and came out even better ! I used Founders Solid Gold Beer. The whiskey sauce is so good. Sent over some leftovers to neighbor not knowing she made corned beef too. She asked for the recipe 😂 it’s a keeper !
Sue Russell says
March 17, 2019 at 7:41 pmSo delicious! So easy and beautiful presentation. Thank you for posting this. I will be using this recipe often. The sauce makes the corned beef taste over the top. Love it!
Judy Whitehouse says
March 10, 2019 at 3:36 pmI love to cook and eat and am pretty good at both. My husband and I have eaten in some of the best restaurants in the world and we are highly motivated to find delicious and interesting food. I have also made corned beef about this time every year, with somewhat disappointing results. This year I used this recipe. Wow. First, this is an easy recipe to execute. But more important, the beef turned out tender and delicious. And the glaze is not to be missed! I used Laphroaig for whiskey. I could not find a flat cut and bought my corned beef packaged from Welshire Farms (Whole Foods) so the spices were already dispersed on the meat. I scraped them onto the onions before rinsing the meat, as directed. I thought this recipe killed. Well done, Amanda!
Jennifer says
February 4, 2019 at 7:47 pmMy husband is a bit (ok a huge) sandwich fanatic and as long as I have known him he has had a love for a good Reuben. He orders them often and is often disappointed because he has high expectations. I decided to take on the task of making him a Reuben sandwich for his birthday and used your corned beef recipe. Needless to say it did not disappoint. He was in love with the meat which was great news to me because I knew that I was facing a tough judge
Thank you so much! The recipe was written well and our beef looked just like the picture.
Christina says
March 19, 2018 at 7:24 pmI found this recipe from your insta pot corned beef and am glad you linked it because I don’t have an insta pot! We had it for St. Paddy’s and it was very tender with a lot of flavor. We liked the beer instead of just water or broth in other recipes. When I get an insta pot I’ll try that one too!
Matthew says
April 1, 2017 at 9:37 pmI’ve been following this blog for quite some time and I have to say your photographs have become top notch. These are astoundingly cookbook quality photos. Well, better. I’ve been reading the serious eats cookbook lately and this blows their photos out of the water.
J says
March 27, 2017 at 3:23 pmThat glaze looks and sounds amazing. Holy moly! This recipe definitely takes St. Patrick’s Day up a notch. Even though the holiday has passed I am thinking of trying it out next weekend when we have friends over for dinner. I want to make too much because your idea of leftover sandwiches sounds too good of an idea too!
Leah says
March 26, 2017 at 12:04 pmThis sounds like an absolutely delicious way to cook corned beef! I love your tip about using lager instead of stout, since it is such a strong flavored beer, and that’s where my brain would have gone to first, so that’s great advice! The sauce sounds like perfection! What a great combo of flavors, and I can just imagine this on a fantastic sandwich, yum!
Michele says
March 26, 2017 at 11:31 amAmanda~
I cook all the time but for some reason have never made a corned beef brisket. I buy it for my husband in the deli and he is a huge fan, but there is something about the brining with lager that has me kind of excited to give this a whirl. Im loving the mustard glaze on this too… actually Im going to love it today on a spicy beef brisket I have going in the oven as I type this. It sounds dreamy and I cant wait to change up a family staple with its sweet, tangy whisky self…..
Sarah says
March 24, 2017 at 5:23 pmI am a fan of all things whiskey and bourbon, and I’m LOVING this glaze!!! I bet it would be delicious on a ton of different meats- but I bet with corned beef’s strong flavor that this is fabulous!
Julie says
March 22, 2017 at 9:29 pmI love corned beef but have never had it with a glaze like this. It’s beautiful and sounds delicious. Time to pick up some corned beef and give it a try! I’m going to have to look at that cookbook. I love learning new ideas and processes.
Tom Biddle says
March 16, 2017 at 1:48 pmEven though not a lover of corned beef, I definitely am going to try this recipe and also the colcannon on the side.
Will let you know how it goes.
Many thanks!